Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
I’ve used several smartwatches throughout my career, switching between devices to match my changing priorities. However, the one smartwatch I always return to is my Galaxy Watch 4. Now paired with a Galaxy smartphone, it’s become the center of my ecosystem.
Samsung’s first new-generation Wear OS watch launched in 2021. Now, nearly four years later, I still feel little temptation to upgrade. While the watch is starting to show its age, as its chipped exterior suggests, it still serves me well as a fitness tracker and a smartphone companion.
What will get you to upgrade to the Galaxy Watch 8 series? 22 votes It’s a new device. I’m upgrading regardless. 5 % Much better battery life. 55 % More accurate and reliable fitness tracking. 14 % Another feature entirely (mention in comments). 5 % I wouldn’t upgrade for any reason. 23 %
With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 set to launch in a few weeks, I’d normally be eager to see the new features and advancements, but recent launches have been underwhelming. I’ve realized that only two upgrades would genuinely enhance the Samsung smartwatch experience and draw me away from my Galaxy Watch 4. They aren’t flashy or marketable, but they underpin almost every other experience on the wearable.
Two fundamental upgrades, one hugely improved smartwatch experience
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
It’s safe to say that my Galaxy Watch 4 is no longer as efficient as it used to be. I could stretch the battery to last three days between charges in its early days. In 2025, I can barely get two days per charge. I’ve even tried to eke out more performance and endurance through smarter use of Samsung Routines.
Of all possible improvements, increasing a smartwatch’s battery capacity is an easy win.
While I expect the Galaxy Watch 8 to have a more efficient chipset and a larger battery than the Galaxy Watch 4, the Galaxy Watch 7 certainly has — I need to see significant improvements to be convinced to upgrade. The Galaxy Watch 7’s battery capacity is about 18% larger than my device’s, but it’s still 49% smaller than the OnePlus Watch 3, one of Wear OS’s battery kings.
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