Everything we know about Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5

We’re getting pretty close to the expected announcement of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5, and as usual, there’s been plenty of leaks to satiate our curiosity about the fifth-gen smartwatch. We’re hearing rumors of new features like temperature checking and improvements to battery life.

More recently, leaked renders, courtesy of @evleaks and 91mobiles, give us a full 360-degree look at several colorways. Visually, the renders don’t appear too different from the Galaxy Watch 4, so we’re hoping Samsung has a few rumored upgrades in store to make the next-gen smartwatch more competitive.

Rumors

What will the Galaxy Watch 5 look like?

Thanks to exclusive renders obtained by @evleaks and published on 91Mobiles, we have a complete look at the Galaxy Watch 5. According to 91Mobiles, these renders are of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the base model version.

If these renders are accurate, it looks like Samsung is opting to skip a Galaxy Watch 5 Classic model, perhaps replacing it with the Pro edition. From the renders, there doesn’t appear to be a physical rotating bezel like we saw with the previous Galaxy Watch 4 Classic model. Samsung didn’t really change up the look of its smartwatch, but the loss of a physical bezel is somewhat disappointing. Physical buttons and bezels are always superior to digital counterparts, especially when you consider sweaty hands and fingertips when working out.

Will the Galaxy Watch 5 check temperature?

Initially, we heard rumors that Samsung was looking to incorporate a way to measure your temperature on its smartwatches. TF Securities analyst and reputable leaker Ming Chu-Kuo later cast some doubt on that claim, tweeting that it’s unlikely that the Galaxy Watch 5 will support body temperature measurement due to “algorithm limitations.”

However, an eagled-eyed Redditor who was beta testing the Samsung’s One UI Watch 4.5 revived our hopes for a temperature sensor. Apparently, there’s an option to track “Skin temperature during sleep.”

Galaxy Watches already offer health features like ECG sensor, blood oxygen measuring, and a sleep tracker, so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to add a temperature sensor. Plus, it would be helpful as a way to potentially detect early symptoms of COVID-19, considering we’re entering a seventh wave. Yep, we’re on wave number seven.

Will the Galaxy Watch 5 have better battery life?

The Galaxy Watch 4’s battery already outperforms Apple’s Watch Series 7, but that’s not really saying much. The two smartwatches are still way behind other fitness trackers out there that can last roughly a week before needing to recharge.

We’re seeing rumors that Samsung could be upgrading the purported Pro version of the Galaxy Watch 5 with a 572mAh battery, though. That’s a huge upgrade from the Galaxy Watch 4’s 247mAh battery. There’s also rumors that the fifth-gen smartwatch will support 10W fast charging, up from the 5W of the previous generation. A battery like that would hopefully get nearly double the juice for the Galaxy Watch 5, which would definitely address one of the weaker points that we saw with the predecessor.

What colors will the Galaxy Watch 5 come in?

The leaked renders from 91mobiles shows us the two Galaxy Watch 5 models we can expect to see, but there’s plenty of variation within each. The higher-end Pro edition will come in black or gray titanium, but the base model will come in two case sizes and four colors, adding white and blue to the mix. Both the base and Pro models will be available in LTE or Bluetooth trims.

How much will the Galaxy Watch 5 cost?

We still don’t have that much information on how much the Galaxy Watch could cost. It makes it particularly hard to tell since Samsung will be switching the model lineup around a bit. A tweet from Roland Quandt did reveal some pricing details about the fifth-gen smartwatch, ranging from the least expensive option of the base 40mm version at €300, or roughly $300, to the most expensive 45mm Pro version with LTE that clocks in at €540, or around $550.

The variety of models means that anybody can find a Galaxy Watch 5 within their budget. It also keeps the Samsung offering around the same price as the competition. The tweet did note that the pricing could be different due to currency conversions and taxes, so we can’t really rely on this anymore than a general range.

When will the Galaxy Watch 5 be released?

If Samsung follows the same pattern for its previous smartwatches, it’s likely to announce the Galaxy Watch 5 in August during its Unpacked event. Looking at the past announcements, both the Galaxy Watch 3 and 4 were announced in August. More specifically, notable industry leaker Jon Prosser tweeted out that it would be announced on August 10 and hitting stores on August 26.