Update: The new forthcoming Samsung smartwatch has been revealed as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active. Head over to our dedicated page for a complete guide.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch may have only recently landed on wrists, but it looks like we won't have to wait too long to see another new smartwatch from Samsung.
Early rumours suggest this could be called the Samsung Galaxy Sport - a mash-up of the previous two watches released by the Korean giant. The name has also been busy getting certified in countries it's likely to go in sale on, adding further weight this should be the name. But, there's also talk it could be called the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active according to one usually reliable Samsung leaker.
Read this: What is the best Samsung smartwatch?
It's not just about the name, either. Below, we'll be diving into all the biggest rumors, potential new features and design changes we could be looking at from Samsung's new smartwatch. Be sure to check back, too, as we update this investigation with all the latest industry whispers.
Samsung Galaxy Sport: The rumors
No rotating bezel
The folks over at 91Mobiles acquired a render of what should be the Galaxy Sport, showcasing a sleek new look with a lack of rotating bezel. This mirrors the renders reliable leakster @OnLeaks shared earlier, based on factory data and third parties, that might show the Galaxy Sport. We can see from the images that it's got a minimalistic look with two buttons on the side.
There's also what could be a heart rate sensor on the back. One interesting thing is that this smartwatch doesn't appear to have Samsung's rotating bezel, which is one of its smartwatch lines best features. Could Samsung be looking to ditch the unique input method? Why?
Just to be clear: These aren't official, and it's wholly possible that things have changed and that the new smartwatch will in fact have a rotating bezel. Or maybe even a rotating bezel that's touch based rather than mechanical.
New colors
Joining that render up top is this one, which the folks at Tigermobiles.com managed to get hold of. It shows the same watch, but this time in three more colors. The most interesting model here is the pink gold one here, which appears to adopt the same color combo as the 42mm Samsung Galaxy Watch adding weight we could be looking at Samsung's new watch here.
It's all in the numbers
As initially reported by Sammobile, the new Samsung watch's model number is SM-R500 and in development its codename was 'Pulse'. Work on the new smartwatch reportedly began in January, with the site also reporting that it believed the new watch is likely to be a successor to the Samsung Gear Sport, and not the Galaxy Watch 2 that we initially presumed.
Why? Well, if we're working from the model numbers, the supposed Galaxy Sport carries a similar model number to the original Gear Sport, which was SM-R600. Now, it's admittedly a little unusual to see a company go backward in model numbers - for reference, the Galaxy Watch held the model number SM-R8xx, while its predecessor, the Gear S3, was SM-R7xx - but this could be down to the Gear Sport and Galaxy Sport holding different monikers.
Taking your pulse?
As the Galaxy Watch approached, rumours consistently pointed toward Samsung developing a smartwatch that could take a blood pressure reading. Of course, only the Omron HeartGuide has so far been able to receive the required FDA clearance to perform such a task, and it always felt a little unlikely that Samsung would provide such a feature in its mass market smartwatch.
However, is 2019 the moment we'll see the company take a stab at such a prized wearable feature? At this stage, we wouldn't rule anything out - particularly with a potential sport-focused smartwatch likely to take health and wellness features into account.
Another potential hint may also come through that codename we just mentioned - Pulse. We admit it's more likely this refers to the general use of a heart rate monitor in say, activity monitoring, but it's still a little curious. We'll continue to monitor any movement on this one, including if any of Samsung's C-Lab spin-offs are cooking up anything related to the feature.
A fingerprint scanner
This is a bit of a stretch, as most patents typically are, but a recently granted filing from Samsung details a built-in fingerprint scanner.
Currently, of course, if you want to open up a device with a security wall on a Samsung smartwatch, you're required to enter a four-digit pin code. And with most top-tier smartwatches now harnessing the ability to pay from the wrist, having this kind of passcode is essential.
With a potential fingerprint scanner, however, the chance of a lost or stolen watch being compromised could be greatly reduced. And, let's be honest, it'd just be cool to open your smartwatch with a fingerprint, wouldn't it?
As we say, the chances are probably pretty low that this appears on the Samsung Galaxy Sport, and there are some logistical issues we can think of (like, you know, smudging) that would make it difficult to pull off, but the fact it's even a consideration for the company is noteworthy.
Bixby's time to shine
It feels like we've spent the best part of the last two years wondering whether Bixby, Samsung's smart assistant, will be incorporated into one of the company's smartwatches in a serious way.
However, progress on this front has been slow, as has been Bixby's development on other platforms. A Samsung spokesperson previously told Wareable: "Bixby is the assistant that we're going to empower many other Samsung devices with - the watch, the TV, the fridge."
It's becoming increasingly unlikely that's the case, with Bixby features missing from the latest generation, but Sammobile hints that the Galaxy Sport could prove to be the first true wearable landing spot for Bixby.
Included in the outlet's original report was news that the watch will ship with the assistant locked inside and a feature called Bixby Reminder, which lets the helper ping notifications to your wrist.
Will it run Wear OS?
Before we knew that the Galaxy Watch would come featuring Samsung's proprietary Tizen OS, there was wild speculation that the company would turn to Google and get Wear OS to run the software show.
At one stage, it even appeared that Samsung may release two smartwatches - one running Tizen and the other featuring Wear OS. Of course, that second watch never materialised, but we expect to hear more rumours that Samsung is leaning toward a change in operating system.
Is it likely? We'd say not. Samsung's Tizen OS may not be perfect, but it's certainly seen less turbulence than Wear OS over the past couple of years. And really, as it stands, there'd be no tangible benefit in Samsung making the switch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Sport release date
The Galaxy Watch debuted at Samsung's big Galaxy Note Unpacked event, and it's very likely that Samsung once again uses an Unpacked event to debut the Galaxy Sport. It just so happens that there's an Unpacked event around the corner on 20 February. Out biggest indication that the new watch will be shown off then comes courtesy of those renders we included up top where two of the watch faces display the 20 February date.
We should also add there's also talk of Samsung Galaxy Fit and Fit e fitness trackers and even a set of Galaxy Buds smart earbuds that could join the new Samsung watch. So it could be a busy next few months for Samsung fans.
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.