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Amazon is selling the 44mm Bluetooth version of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 for $249.99, an $80 reduction from its list price. The deal is open to all shoppers and does not require an Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon has cut the price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, LTE) to $269.99, down $80 from its $349.99 list price as part of a Prime Day sale. That matches nearly the lowest price the watch has seen, just $4 above the previous all-time low set during last year's Prime Day event. The deal requires an active Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon is selling Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the 46mm stainless-steel smartwatch with a rotating bezel, Wear OS, Galaxy AI and health tracking features, for $389.99 instead of its $549.99 list price. The discount, a 28% cut saving $160, requires an active Amazon Prime membership, though new users can sign up for a free 30-day trial.
Samsung has begun distributing the fourth beta of One UI 9 Watch for the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic in South Korea, including bug fixes and interface improvements. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is also receiving its third beta update, with similar changes. The rollout is expected to expand to other regions soon, with a stable release still pending.
Samsung has introduced new watch faces for the Galaxy Watch 9, notably the Radial Dashboard, which displays extensive information in a clear layout, and the Premium Analogue, offering a traditional look with smart features. Users can select from these options via the Galaxy Wearables app or third-party sources, customizing complications to suit their preferences.
Android Authority ran a reader poll asking how often people upgrade their smartwatch, offering options ranging from yearly upgrades to waiting until the device stops working. With seven votes recorded so far, 57% said they upgrade only when their smartwatch malfunctions, while 43% said they replace it every three to five years; no respondents chose annual, biennial upgrades, or not using a smartwatch at all.
Android Authority's three-week test of the Galaxy Watch 9 found a comfortable design, bright display, and expanded health and fitness tracking features. The reviewer notes pricing has risen about $30 over the Watch 8 at each tier, and there is no Watch 8 Classic successor this year, leaving the rotating bezel model available only in last year's Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Battery life remains the standout weakness, requiring nightly charging to use the watch's features fully.
Android Authority's Paul Jones argues that despite the $350 Moto Watch Ultra's strong feature set—LTE eSIM, Wear OS 6, a 1.5-inch pOLED screen and Polar health tracking—its weaker processor and limited two-generation OS upgrade path make it a risky buy. Instead, he recommends five alternatives including the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025), Google Pixel Watch 4, Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, Garmin Venu 4 and Amazfit Balance 2. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025, now around $330 on Amazon, is highlighted as the top pick for Samsung phone owners thanks to its rugged sapphire-glass build, 64GB storage, multi-day battery and four years of promised software updates.
A new wave of screenless wearable devices is gaining popularity as alternatives to mainstream smartwatches like the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Pixel Watch. These minimalist gadgets focus on health tracking without a display, appealing to users who want fitness and biometric data without the distractions of a screen.
Apple's Watch Ultra 4 introduces a revamped sensor system with five-second heart rate readings, an improved pedometer, and a new Readiness feature that combines recent activity and sleep data. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 counters with an expanded Vitals suite in its Health app, offering daily blood pressure estimates, a Heart Health Score, antioxidant readings, and trail-running hydration guidance. Both devices share core safety tools like Emergency SOS, fall detection, and alert sirens, though only Apple's watch adds crash detection.
Amazon is selling the 40mm Bluetooth version of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 for $259.99, a $40 cut from its $299.99 list price. The watch runs Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch, offers up to 40 hours of battery life, and includes health tracking features tied to Samsung Health and Galaxy AI.
Amazon is offering a 25% discount on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic's 46mm LTE model, lowering the cost of Samsung's premium smartwatch. The deal brings the flagship wearable down to a more accessible price point for shoppers considering a cellular-enabled smartwatch.