Samsung’s latest smartwatch interface, One UI 8 Watch, has officially gone stable for the Galaxy Watch 7 — bringing the much-anticipated Wear OS 6 to last year’s model. The rollout begins in Korea for users who participated in the beta program, with a global expansion expected soon.
Interestingly, the Galaxy Watch 8 was the very first smartwatch — even ahead of Google’s Pixel Watch lineup — to ship with Wear OS 6 out of the box. Now, Samsung is extending that experience to its previous-generation flagship, following more than three months of beta testing. According to SamMobile, the stable update has begun arriving for Korean beta testers, signaling that a broader release may be just around the corner.
The Watch 7 lineup did not include a “Pro” or “Classic” variant, but its sibling from last year — the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) — received One UI 8 Watch back in July. Samsung has also been running beta programs for the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic for several weeks. Meanwhile, owners of older models like the Watch 5 and Watch 4 can rest assured that One UI 8 Watch is on the roadmap, although hardware limitations may cause slower rollout timelines.
On Galaxy Watch devices, One UI 8 Watch is far more than a minor revision. While One UI 8 for phones and tablets primarily focuses on performance optimization and efficiency over One UI 7, the smartwatch version delivers deeper functional upgrades:
- Wear OS bumped to version 6 for smoother performance and compatibility with new features.
- Introduction of the Now Bar, a new way to access critical information at a glance.
- A redesigned watch tile interface that improves usability over stock Wear OS.
- Enhanced AI-powered fitness tracking algorithms for more personalized coaching and activity insights.
With Samsung leading the pack in bringing Wear OS 6 to its wearables ahead of Google’s own Pixel watches, Galaxy Watch users worldwide have a lot to look forward to as this update makes its way to more regions.
