Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 may feature Snapdragon Wear Elite for AI, while Watch 9 uses Exynos W1000. Expect improved battery life and premium features.
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Samsung is reportedly preparing significant changes to its smartwatch lineup. This year, the company is expected to introduce the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9, with a key difference potentially being their hardware platforms. Insiders suggest that for the first time, the manufacturer might use two different chipsets to more clearly distinguish between premium and standard models.
According to sources, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 could feature the new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor unveiled by Qualcomm at MWC. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 9 will likely stick with Samsung's proprietary Exynos W1000, which has been used in previous generations of the company's watches. This means the more powerful and modern chip would be reserved for the flagship Ultra version.
The Snapdragon Wear Elite is designed for devices with active AI use. The chip includes a dedicated Hexagon NPU neural processor, enabling on-device AI model execution. This would support features like intelligent message responses, text summarization, advanced fitness recommendations, and other scenarios that work without constant cloud connectivity.
Battery life could see equally important improvements. The current Galaxy Watch Ultra, with its 590 mAh battery, delivers about two days of typical use. Switching to a more energy-efficient chip could theoretically extend this to five days, which would be a significant advantage in the premium smartwatch segment. However, the more powerful hardware might also lead to higher prices—final conclusions will only be possible after the official announcement.