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Huawei Watch GT 6 coming in two variants with plenty of color options
Huawei Watch GT 6 coming in two variants with plenty of color options

GSM Arena

time21 hours ago

  • GSM Arena

Huawei Watch GT 6 coming in two variants with plenty of color options

The renowned Chinese tipster, Digital Chat Station, revealed that Huawei is getting ready to announce its Watch GT 6 series this fall, probably alongside the Mate XT 2 in September or October. The GT 6 will arrive in two variants - 41mm and 46mm, each offering a wide selection of paint jobs. The 41mm is supposedly codenamed Kinsu, with gold, purple, brown, white, and black color options, while the 46mm Atum will come in gray, brown, silver, titanium, green, and black. Then again, the tipster may be referring to the strap colors, not the watches themselves, but it's still too early to tell as details are scarce. Last year's Huawei Watch GT 5 came in the same two sizes - 41mm and 46mm, so we are not expecting any major shifts in the design. Source

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is excellent with two key flaws
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is excellent with two key flaws

Digital Trends

time2 days ago

  • Health
  • Digital Trends

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is excellent with two key flaws

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic MSRP $499.99 Score Details 'The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic features a new design that seamlessly blends the Classic design language with the Ultra form factor, introduces new health monitoring features, and features three hardware buttons. It has two key flaws, but is otherwise, an excellent smartwatch.' Pros The rotating bezel is easy to use Health features like vascular load New Antioxidant level check New BioActive sensor 1st watch to measure ectopic beats Action Button can be customized Great range of complications Cons New dynamic lug system is extremely awkward to use Smaller display than Watch 6 Classic Squared-circle design is polarizing Expensive Slow charging Instant Insight Samsung's biannual updates to the Classic lineup are usually among my favorites, thanks to the rotating bezel, which is also present this year and remains my preferred method of controlling a smartwatch. The display is vibrant, the watch is thinner than before, and the battery lasts for two days on a single charge. Recommended Videos The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a sizeable upgrade, but while many are positive, some of these changes aren't. There's a new design that's inspired by the Galaxy Watch Ultra, featuring a square body with a circular display, but this has already proven polarizing in online discussions. Personally, it's not my favorite design, but it's not a dealbreaker either. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic also introduces an entirely new dynamic lug system that makes it challenging to change bands, far more so than the best smartwatches. The lug system also isn't compatible with previous watch straps, meaning you'll need to start your strap collection from scratch. Look past these changes, which may not be a deal-breaker, and you'll get a polished smartwatch experience that is among the best smartwatches you can buy. It's not as clear-cut as previous Classic versions, but the battery life is solid (if not spectacular), the performance is great, and the health features are second-to-none. Samsung Health deserves special mention as it's one of the most polished health suites available on a wearable device today. The new features include an antioxidant index for testing the oxidant level of your skin, new tailored bedtime suggestions, and the ability to track the stress and pressure on your vascular system while you're asleep. It's also the first smartwatch to identify ectopic beats, a feature that will be life-saving for some users. An optimized software experience is also key to the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. It's the first smartwatch preloaded with Google Gemini — although it's also available for download for the Pixel Watch 3 lineup, which brings the ability to create multi-step routines, such as starting a run and a playlist simultaneously. Overall, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a smartphone that is enjoyable to use. There are some negatives — albeit some of these are very subjective — but this is a smartwatch that offers a lot of bang for your buck. It's pricier than the competition, but there's no smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, meaning this premium could be worth it. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Specs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Display 1.34-inch Super AMOLED 438 x 438 pixels, 327 ppi density Sapphire crystal protection Design Features Size: 47mm Dynamic Lug System Rotating Bezel MIL-STD-810HIP68 (up to 50m/5ATM) Health features FDA-Certified ECG Blood pressure monitor Antioxidant level check BioActive Health Sensor Advanced Glycation End-products (AGE) Processor Exynos W1000 Penta-core Memory 2GB RAM / 64GB ROM Battery 445 mAh Li-Ion 10W wireless charging Colors Black, White Price $499.99 (Bluetooth), $549.99 (LTE) Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Design & display divides opinion Quick take: A familiar yet divisive design and lug system change The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is instantly familiar if you used last year's Galaxy Watch or the previous Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. It features the same iconic rotating bezel that makes it easy to navigate menus on the smartwatch, and it still utilizes a circular display, although this is now set within a square-shaped watch. This brings us to the first major change: instead of the circular design used before, the Galaxy Watch 8 series now matches the Galaxy Watch Ultra — and the Apple Watch Ultra — with a cushion design, otherwise known as a round display on a square body. It's reminiscent of the icon shape commonly found on the best smartphones, especially with certain themes. The design is a little odd at first, but quickly becomes second nature and something you easily ignore. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic continues Samsung's recent trend of making things thinner. A re-engineered design allowed Samsung to make the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic 0.3mm thinner than the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, but it is between four and ten grams heavier. It's also worth noting that it's still considerably thicker than the Apple Watch Series 10. I don't mind the cushion design, but the new dynamic lug system is extremely hard to use. I've tried many different lug systems — both proprietary and standard designs — and Samsung's new lug system is the hardest I've had to use. It's incredibly awkward to line up the lug properly with the casing, and even when you think you have, they don't connect. It took me over five minutes to attach one side of my band, which is a major issue that Samsung needs to resolve. I don't mind a new lug system, but I imagine that most average users will struggle with the current implementation. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic display has also changed. As part of the new design, the size has decreased from 1.5 inches to 1.34 inches, and the density has decreased from 453 pixels per inch to 327 ppi. However, the peak brightness under direct sunlight has increased by 50% to 3,000 nits, making it significantly more suitable for outdoor use. This smaller display is somewhat of a disappointment, as the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is only available in the 47mm size, while the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic features a larger 1.5-inch display in the same size watch. There's no smaller size for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but the 1.34-inch display is quite similar in size to the 1.3-inch display on the 43mm Watch 6 Classic, although that display is considerably more dense. Overall, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic design mostly hits its mark, but falls short in introducing a new dynamic lug system that won't appeal to most customers. The display is smaller, and the device is slightly thinner, but unless the cushion design and custom action button are a must-have for you, the health features will likely appeal the most. Score: 8/10 The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic's health features lead the way Quick take: Continuing to build from an excellent base When it comes to measuring your health, Samsung Health has a considerably larger suite of available features compared to Google Fit and Apple Health. Yes, the latter does have a wider range of third parties it can sync data with, and integration with your medical records provider, but Samsung Health is the most feature-rich. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic introduces the same featureset as the Galaxy Watch 7 and adds a few new features that will presumably be incorporated into future Samsung wearables as well. The existing features include the Advanced Glycation End-products (AGE) index, which is a precursor to more accurate glucose measurement, and Sleep Apnea detection. These features are paired with three key new ones. First, there's new tracking of your heart's stress while asleep, something that's particularly important to me, given that my heart attack happened while I was asleep. The new Vascular Load while Sleeping feature will track your vascular system's performance and provide you with an indicator of performance each morning. Then there's the new Antioxidant level check. Remove the watch, turn it over, and place your thumb on the LEDs on the back. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic will then use the yellow, blue, violet, and IER LEDs to detect the carotenoids in your skin and provide recommendations on how to improve this. Data is not updated in real-time, as it can take considerable time for your skin to report changes in antioxidant levels. However, it's a useful feature that works fairly well, even if measuring from your thumb makes it less user-friendly. The last new health feature was announced in a small panel: the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the first smartwatch to measure ectopic beats. These are small, irregular heartbeats that are mostly harmless but can pose a problem if left undiagnosed and untreated for an extended period. Many smartwatches can display this as part of a regular ECG, but the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the first to identify it within the ECG results. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic introduces a range of new features to the Samsung Health ecosystem, while also offering the familiar features that previous Samsung users will be accustomed to. It does more than any other smartwatch, but certain features, such as recording ECGs and detecting Sleep Apnea, require the use of the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is only available in the Galaxy App Store on Samsung phones. Score: 9/10 The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is great for tracking sleep and energy Quick take: It's the most expansive sleep report you can find, at least among the major smartwatch makers, and covers a host of metrics you didn't even think to track. I've been on a mission to hack my sleep for years, and the sleep report provided by the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic goes a long way to providing the data necessary to do so. Like Apple Health — but unlike Google — these sleep reports are provided in full detail for free, and Samsung has confirmed that there are no plans to put these behind a paywall in the future. Sleep tracking on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is fairly accurate, and the resulting Energy Score matches the way you feel most of the time. Markers such as skin temperature while asleep have helped me identify when I'm feeling under the weather, while the tailored bedtime recommendations are prompting me to sleep much earlier, even though I haven't listened yet. While asleep, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic captures more data than any other wearable from a major phone maker. It is second only to dedicated trackers like the Whoop band or Oura Ring. Additional sleep data, such as heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep apnea, all help to ensure you have a detailed picture of your sleep. In the morning, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic provides an Energy Score designed to quantify your current state and offer helpful tips on whether to engage in strenuous activities or rest and recover. I've used this on previous Galaxy smartwatches, and I've found it's possible to improve my overall energy and mood by attempting to increase this Energy Score each day. That's entirely possible as there's a host of helpful explainers and tips to improve throughout the Samsung Health app. Score: 10/10 The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is built for fitness tracking Quick take: This is built for tracking activities and is ideal for runners. Naturally, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic also features a host of dedicated tracking capabilities that allow for a wider range of activities to be monitored with greater depth and accuracy. It mostly delivers here, although I've found that the heart rate monitor can sometimes report double the heart rate for a single reading erroneously. This is a problem that has existed in previous Samsung wearables, so it's fairly easy to dismiss, but it's still worth knowing, as it will skew some averages. Like the Sleep report, the features preloaded with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic are entirely free, and this includes Samsung's new AI-powered Running Coach. To start, you complete a 12-minute running analysis, and then Samsung Health assigns you a running level (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is equivalent to a marathon runner). From here, there are over 160 training programs, ranging from four to six weeks, featuring custom routes, AI-powered route recommendations, and multi-step routines with Gemini, which allows you to start a new activity and your favorite podcast simultaneously. It's a comprehensive suite of fitness tracking features, designed for all activities. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic proves to be accurate in automatically starting workouts, as well as allowing you to assign a specific new workout to the action button. Score: 9/10 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic software is top-notch Quick take: One UI Watch 8 on top of Wear OS 6 is slick, refined, and flawless The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic runs OneUI Watch 8 on top of Wear OS 6, and is one of the most optimized experiences you'll find on a Wear OS smartwatch. This is unsurprising, as Samsung worked closely with Google on building Wear OS, and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic demonstrates that Samsung knows how to integrate its elements with the core platform. Like every Wear OS smartwatch, you can swipe down from the home screen to access quick settings and swipe up to access your app menu. To the right, you'll find a range of different tiles — essentially, watch-sized widgets that contain pertinent information — that you can edit and add to. To the left of the home screen is a single hub for all your notifications. It's an instantly familiar layout that's easy to use, although I do find the available quick settings quite limiting on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is only compatible with Android phones — there's still no iPhone support — and requires several apps to run (some of which are preloaded on Samsung phones): Galaxy Wearable, Samsung Health, and Samsung Health Monitor (SHM). The first two are available on all Android phones, while the latter is only available for Samsung phones, but is only required for the most advanced health features. I've been testing the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7. Still, I've previously found that, aside from SHM-exclusive features, the experience and performance are mostly the same whether you're using a Galaxy Watch with a Samsung phone or another Android phone. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic will receive four years of software and security updates, meaning it'll be supported until Wear OS 10 is released in 2029. Score: 10/10 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic battery and performance Quick take: Two-day battery life and slow charging aren't terrible, but are far from the best, while performance is excellent. If there's one area I could immediately improve about the Galaxy Watch 8, it would be the battery and charging. Neither is particularly bad, but the competition has already proven it's possible to offer much faster charging and longer battery life. Granted, many of these aren't as feature-rich, but this is still an area that Samsung can improve. The battery consistently lasts close to two days on a single charge with AOD turned on, automatic workout tracking, and no notifications. This is more than acceptable, but the Pixel Watch 3 lasts almost an additional day, while the OnePlus Watch 3 lasts for several days longer thanks to its dual architecture. The charging speeds are a key area for Samsung to improve, as the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic takes over an hour and a half to fully charge. This is almost double the charging speed of the OnePlus Watch 2 and slower than the Apple Watch Series 10 and Pixel Watch 3, which take around an hour. These speeds are achieved with battery charging optimization disabled, as well. Disabling this feature will further slow your charging and prevent the battery from charging above 90% to increase its longevity. Overall, the battery life is sufficient for most people, but the charging speeds are slower than expected, and Samsung needs to improve this aspect. The competition charges much faster and offers better battery life, which are two key areas in which the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic still falls short. Score: 7/10 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic price, deals, and availability Quick take: Fairly pricy, and more costly than the previous generation. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic starts at $499.99 for the Bluetooth version, while the LTE-enabled version costs $ 549.99. It's available in Black or White colors only, with Samsung forgoing the vibrant neon orange brand from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Unlike the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, there's only one watch size to choose from. Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 that it launched alongside, there are several Galaxy Watch 8 Classic deals worth considering. Samsung is offering up to $250 via trade-in, plus an additional $50 instant credit when you pre-order. Amazon is offering a $100 gift card with no further requirements. Then there are the carriers. AT&T is offering $100 off the wearable, but if you pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7 — with savings of up to $1,100 with trade-in — you'll also save a total of $370 on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Verizon has a similar deal, while T-Mobile is offering $400 off the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic when you add a new line to the Galaxy Watch. This makes it just $150, which is an excellent price, although it requires a watch line with T-Mobile to qualify. Should you buy the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic? The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a fantastic watch, whether you're a first-time Samsung smartwatch user or seeking the ideal companion for your new Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7 folding phone. The new design won't be for everyone, but it is stylish, and the single size means it's only suitable for larger wrists. The new health features ensure the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic remains one of the best smartwatches, but this comes at a cost. The battery life and charging are average compared to the competition, the new lug system makes changing bands considerably more tedious than it should be, and some advanced features require a Samsung phone, not just an Android phone. If these negatives don't deter you, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is probably the best smartwatch for most Android users. It's a fantastic wearable device and one that I'm going to keep on my wrist for the detailed sleep and health reports. Why not try…? If the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic doesn't appeal to you, then you should consider the Pixel Watch 3. Google is expected to launch a new Pixel Watch 4 in the coming weeks. Still, the Pixel Watch 3 is a fantastic wearable device with unique health features, such as measuring your cardio load and integrating with your Peloton bike. It's also available for $100 less than the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as it starts at $349 for the Wi-Fi model of the smaller version. Then there's the OnePlus Watch 3, and if you're looking for a wearable that prioritizes longevity over detailed health features, this is the one for you. A dual architecture featuring Wear OS and the simpler RTOS system for low-power tasks ensures that the battery can last for five days in full smartwatch mode, and up to 16 days in power-saving mode. It offers the best balance of battery and features of any smartwatch readily available in the US. Unlike phones, there are far more wearables available from global phone makers, and one of my favorites is the Huawei Watch 5. It runs the HarmonyOS platform — so there's no Play Store and limited third-party app support — but it has a fantastic design, a range of health features available with a single tap, and a comprehensive fitness tracking suite. The innovative X-TAP feature can also be used to capture a 60-second health check that's detailed, informative, and genuinely helpful. The Huawei Watch 5 is more expensive than the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic at $559, but it's a worthy alternative that's compatible with both iOS and Android. How we tested Samsung provided this Galaxy Watch 8 Classic unit for review purposes, but had no input into this review. I've worn the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for seven nights over the past nine days since its launch in New York City. This has involved several full charges, a few automatically tracked workouts, and keeping the Always-on-Display enabled. The homescreen also always had four auto-updating complications, and the display brightness was set to roughly half. I paired the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, although no notifications from the phone were passed through to the smartwatch. There was some light GPS use during workouts, but otherwise, this device was mostly used connected to Wi-Fi and within Bluetooth range of my phone.

It's almost time for new Galaxy Watches.
It's almost time for new Galaxy Watches.

The Verge

time07-07-2025

  • The Verge

It's almost time for new Galaxy Watches.

Posted Jul 7, 2025 at 9:16 AM UTC It's almost time for new Galaxy Watches. Some images that reportedly show the new Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm/44mm dial size), Watch 8 Classic (46mm), and Watch Ultra (47mm) have leaked ahead of the Samsung Unpacked event on Wednesday, where they're expected to be officially unveiled. The round body of the Watch and Watch Classic has notably been updated to the round watch face and squircle body design used by the Ultra, alongside other changes and specification upgrades. 1/5 Leaker Roland Quandt posted what appear to be marketing images of the Galaxy Watch 8... Image: Roland Quandt

Major Garmin Update Brings New Features For Fenix, Forerunner, Venu
Major Garmin Update Brings New Features For Fenix, Forerunner, Venu

Forbes

time22-05-2025

  • Forbes

Major Garmin Update Brings New Features For Fenix, Forerunner, Venu

Garmin watch line-up Garmin Garmin has released a major software update that brings new features to many of the company's most important watches, including the Fenix 8. This is Garmin's big Q2 update. The company provides major upgrades each quarter, with more frequent upgrades available in the beta program for the more intrepid among you. Watches on the list include the Fenix 8 series, Forerunner models, the Instinct 3, Venu 3, Lilt 2 Active 'and others.' You'll find the longer list below. Here's a rundown of the new additions. The Rucking activity is being added to a fistful of watches. It's an activity made specifically for hikes when the weight of your pack is a big part of the exertion. This, of course, in turn affects your exertion level, calories burnt and so on. And previously doing exercise with a heavy pack your Garmin watch didn't know about could result in lower VO2 estimations. Pack Weight is also being added to existing activities as a field you can customize. It effectively gives the running, walking, trail running and hiking modes the same functional versatility as the dedicated rucking activity. The update also adds the Breathing Variations feature, which is part of the new Garmin Forerunner 970. It's intended to make better use of the watches' overnight breathing rate feature. 'Occasional or frequent breathing variations may be due to your individual lifestyle factors or your sleeping environment,' says Garmin. It's easy to glaze over at the mention of things like breathing rate, as they are often a bit dull or hard to parse. This should be able to flag up if something looks unusual, out of the ordinary. Many watches are also getting the Passcode feature, which lets you lock your watch behind a classic numerical password/pin. Garmin also offers the option to lock the watch as soon as it's removed from the wrist. Here's the full list of relevant watches for this May 2025 update, although bear in mind not all watches get all features. You can see a more detailed breakdown on Garmin's release PDF document: Garmin has also announced changes to how its paid services work including a slightly opening up of high-end Golf features and a new Garmin Trail feature. I'll cover those in a separate article.

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