Samsung announces Watch Ultra2 and Watch9 at London Folding phone event

Sorry Watch fans, the latest Samsung devices have launched and been desperately overshadowed by the buzz around the new passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold8 – but fear not, these are two great wrist watches for the active or interactive individual.

Kylie Mason, Head of Wearables, Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics Australia told EFTM “Today we’re launching two distinct wearable options – designed to help Australians meet their health and fitness goals – no matter what they are. Whether you’re looking to beat a personal best, or just stay active, the Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2 enables advanced, proactive health tracking to give Australians the tools they need for their journey.”

“The Galaxy Watch9 continues our vision of making everyday wellness more accessible and intuitive. With comfort and wearability ranking among the top priorities for Australians choosing a smartwatch, we are excited to continue redefining the premium smartwatch category by introducing an elegant design that maintains our iconic cushion heritage, with improved battery and enhanced vitality features. It is a chic and sophisticated companion that helps Australians stay on top of their wellbeing throughout the day.”

“With participation in activities such as running, cycling, hiking and water sports continuing to grow among younger Australians, we are thrilled to launch the most powerful and advanced Galaxy Watch ever, Galaxy Watch Ultra2. Designed for those who demand more from every adventure, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is our most powerful Galaxy Watch yet. With specialised sports tracking, our brightest display, largest battery and a durable design built for extreme conditions, it delivers the performance and reliability Australians need to push their limits with confidence.”

Galaxy Watch9

Available in 40 and 44mm sizes, the Galaxy Watch9 is priced from $649 to $799

Watch9 is a solid all-rounder smart watch, made from tough aluminium it’s still lightweight and comfortable. The 390mAh battery should give all-day wearability and the 3,000 nit display is bright and clear.

Like most modern smart watches the Watch9 is designed with health in mind, tracking a range of health metrics to give you a reliable health status at a glance.

Second Generation Watch Ultra goes bright

Meanwhile Samsung has redesigned the Watch Ultra for a second generation, with a more comfortable, softer rubbery band which allows for a tighter fit without compromising comfort.

Overall the Watch Ultra 2 is 11% thinner and 25% lighter than the previous model too.

Critically though, it’s not just cosmetic.

A 30% larger battery (800mAh vs 590mAh in the previous generation) leads to more wear time and additional features.

Drawing on that battery is a screen that you have to see to believe. 5,000 nits – the brightest screen on any smartwatch, up from 3,000 on the first generation.

Still Titanium, and with 10 ATM water resistance and MIL-SPEC rating it’s also now IP69K which I’m told is protection against high pressure water and dust ingress.

Later this year it will also feature a new dive computer app developed in partnership with MIS that should be available around September.

Of course, the Ultra is designed for people who are into the great outdoors. There’s a new trail running feature, which is exclusive to the Ultra 2, and that will be launched for outdoor athletes. It also includes free access to Strava and iFIT for a couple of months.

If you’re a big user of Gemini, you might love the new Raise to Talk feature, which enables you to essentially lift your wrist and talk to Gemini.

Remarkably, Samsung Australia has been able to keep the price of the Ultra 2 at the original Ultra price of $1,299, bucking that global trend of price increases that we’re seeing as a result of AI data centers gobbling up all the memory and storage in the world.

Trevor Long travelled to London as a guest of Samsung Australia