Samsung’s next smartwatch is going full-on Apple Watch Ultra clone

By Nadeem Sarwar Published June 27, 2024

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in orange color. — Evan Blass

Samsung is just over a week away from its glitzy Unpacked event. It’s going to be a busy affair, it seems, with rumors of new foldable phones, earbuds, and tablets circulating on social media. But it appears that Galaxy Watch enthusiasts are in for a bland aesthetic awakening.

Leaker Evan Blass has shared some crisp product renders of the upcoming Galaxy Watch Ultra, and it looks like Samsung was not in the mood to create something original. I’ll start with the good part: The device looks unlike any that Samsung has sold so far.

Leaked render of Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. — Evan Blass

The bad part? Well, it seems like a Frankenstein iteration that borrows heavily from the Apple Watch Ultra. Samsung seems to have blatantly ripped off the rugged Apple smartwatch’s ocean band. And we’re not just talking about the wavy band profile but also the latch connector.

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Also, let’s not forget the colors: orange, white, and black. I’d have preferred some dial-twisting on the hex code index. But once again, it looks like the company isn’t even pretending to stand out. At least one fresh shade would’ve been a consolation, but alas.

Evan Blass

While the band design is an overzealous inspiration from its arch-rival, the dial isn’t original either. If you live in India and have heard of a certain brand called Fire-Boltt, the Galaxy Watch Ultra will ring some copy-cat alarms once again. Just have a look and be the judge:

Comparison of Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. — Evan Blass / Fire-Boltt

I am desperately hoping — and optimistic — that there are a few more band options. I reckon some leather bands will look terrific paired with the black dial trim on the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

The leaked images also confirm that the screen will be protected by a layer of Sapphire Crystal. The size is going to be 47mm, and there will be support for cellular 4G connectivity, as well. Are we finally going to get a new biosensor that brings new capabilities to the table, like blood-glucose-level monitoring? Well, it doesn’t seem to be happening this year.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in black. — Evan Blass

According to Android Headlines, the Galaxy Watch Ultra will also employ a titanium case and will offer an IP58-certified build that can withstand 10ATM pressure. There’s a 3nm-based processor inside, while the display has been upgraded to deliver a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. There’s no credible report on the asking price, but this one is going to cost a pretty penny.

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Nadeem is the Managing Editor at Digital Trends.

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