If new leaked renders are to be believed, Samsung is going back to the classics, literally, with its upcoming Galaxy Watch 6.
According to routine leaker OnLeaks, who provided watch renders to MySmartPrice, Samsung’s next smartwatch iteration will go back to designs not seen since the Watch 4, which currently features the most recent iteration of the “Classic” series.
Good Morning #FutureSquad!
Here comes your very first look at the #Samsung #GalaxyWatch5Pro successor which, I assume, will likely be marketed as #GalaxyWatch6Classic!
On behalf of @mysmartprice 👉🏻 https://t.co/8dn9fTCKin pic.twitter.com/8mfuUIqqKF
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) May 24, 2023
The renders show the supposed smartwatch with a circular display and rotating bezel. In appearance, it most resembles the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. That design came in a 42mm and 45mm stainless steel case. And though it’s hard to tell by renders, the new device seems to fit the same design philosophy with its brushed metal exterior.
Past rumours from Galaxy leaker SuperRoader implied the return of the physical bezel, and that the new watch would come in two different sizes. The rotating bezel allows users to cycle through menu options without using touch controls, similar to the digital crown on an Apple Watch. It was a sorely missed feature on the latest version of the smartwatch, as some users prefer that tactile feeling for selecting menu options.
As much as the Galaxy Watch 5 was a minimal update to its smartwatch brand, Samsung opted to pause its previous line trying to emulate traditional watch faces, the Galaxy Watch Classic series. Instead, the South Korean tech giant went with a “Pro” version. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro did have pronounced bezels, but to fans’ disappointment, they did not physically rotate. Instead, the watch included a virtual bezel that rotated with gesture controls. Apparently, Samsung has listened to users and gone back to its original design, though it might be bigger than the past Pro. Other rumours have implied the return of the Classic watch could come in two versions, one smaller and one larger, for those who didn’t appreciate the Pro’s lone 45mm casing.
The renders show the bezels rising up over the screen, accompanied by a pair of pronounced buttons located along the right side of the device that could be used for more clickable navigation. The watch renders’ all black design seems to include a magnetic wristband, which would continue along the same lines of the Watch 5 Pro. The bottom sensor also seems to be relatively unchanged from the 5, though without the device strapped to a wrist, it’s impossible to tell if it’s is any more or less uncomfortable. It’s unclear what could change with the watch-to-skin contact, especially considering how long it took the company to enable the temperature sensor that was promised back when the watch first released.
As far as features go, that news is still thin. SamMobile recently reported the Galaxy Watch 6 will include higher-resolution screens and health tracking features like heart rate analysis and a barometer. There’s also rumours of a slightly larger 425mAh battery compared to the Watch 5 and a slightly upgraded Exynos W980 processor. Though, of course, your mileage may vary on those uncited rumours.
Samsung could end up revealing the Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic at its Galaxy Unpacked in August. And with competition from the likes of Google and Oppo muscling in on the foldables business, Samsung might also announce a new Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 within the next few months.