Samsung releases Galaxy Watch8 range with advanced health features

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Watch8 and Galaxy Watch8 Classic, featuring a new design and enhanced health tracking capabilities.

Design and comfort

The Galaxy Watch8 series incorporates a distinctive cushion design previously seen only on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, now available across the entire line-up.

According to Samsung, the new models are not only the thinnest Galaxy Watches produced to date but also prioritise comfort for extended wear throughout various activities, including sleep and workouts.

The company states that the internal structure of the Galaxy Watch8 has been reengineered to improve component mounting and reduce thickness by 11 percent compared to the previous generation.

The watches feature a Dynamic Lug system, designed to move naturally with the wearer's wrist. The display offers a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, which Samsung claims improves visibility in bright outdoor conditions.

Additional hardware advancements include a dual-frequency GPS, a 3nm processor for increased performance and energy efficiency, and a BioActive Sensor introduced with the previous Watch7 for in-depth health monitoring.

"We are committed to empowering billions of people to live healthier lives through our innovative technology," said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. "By combining purposeful design with advanced sensor technology and an intuitive AI-powered experience, the Galaxy Watch8 series serves as a starting point for a healthier, more connected life, making it easier than ever to take meaningful steps toward users' well-being."

Health features

The Galaxy Watch8 series introduces new features via the Samsung Health app that aim to motivate users in their health journeys.

Samsung details enhancements in the sleep tracking experience, now including tailored sleep coaching and, on select models, the detection of breathing disturbances that may indicate moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea.

The watches also introduce Bedtime Guidance, a feature that measures users' circadian rhythms to recommend optimal bedtimes, and the Antioxidant Index, which allows users to measure carotenoid levels in five seconds to inform lifestyle choices.

Among other updates, the Running Coach tool assesses users' fitness levels and provides a training plan with real-time feedback. The Together feature has been updated to enable fitness challenges with friends and family, now including running. The Mindfulness Tracker, another addition, enables users to record their moods and access recommended breathing exercises directly on their wrists. The AI-powered Energy Score combines various physical and mental metrics to display a daily assessment of personal energy levels.

Software and interface

The new watches are the first to run on Wear OS 6 and are equipped with Gemini for built-in voice interaction and assistance.

Users can activate workouts or set routines using natural voice commands, such as, "Start a 300-calorie circuit training workout." This integration enables users to operate Samsung Health and other features hands-free.

One UI 8 Watch provides an updated user interface, designed to suit the round watch face. Multi-Info Tiles present health data, weather, and events in a single glance. New notification systems, such as Now Bar and depthless notifications, are designed to highlight priority activities for the user.

Model options and availability

The Galaxy Watch8 series is available in multiple configurations to accommodate a range of user preferences.

The standard Galaxy Watch8 is offered in 44mm and 40mm variants, available in Graphite or Silver. The Galaxy Watch8 Classic, available in a 46mm size, features a rotating bezel and dedicated quick button, with colour options of Black or White. Both models are designed for compatibility with a variety of bands sold separately.

For users seeking more advanced features and durability, the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) is positioned as the most capable Galaxy Watch yet, offering the longest battery life in the series and robust construction in four titanium finishes, including Titanium Blue.

The Galaxy Ring is introduced as a discreet alternative for continuous health tracking, weighing in with up to seven days of battery life.

It is available in Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold, and comes in sizes 5 to 15.

Technical specifications

All models feature sapphire crystal Super AMOLED displays with full-colour, always-on capability.

The Galaxy Watch8 houses an Exynos W1000 3nm processor, 2GB of RAM, and either 32GB or 64GB of storage depending on the model.

Battery capacities across the range are specified between 325mAh and 445mAh. Connectivity options include LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, and L1+L5 dual-frequency GPS compatibility with several satellite navigation systems. Devices require Android 12.0 or higher and more than 1.5GB of memory for compatibility.