This Galaxy Watch gave Samsung an edge over Apple, and it's coming back
There's nothing quite like the Galaxy Watch Classic out there
Should Samsung bring back the Galaxy Watch Classic for good?
Yes – it's Samsung's most iconic and stylish smartwatc
Maybe – only if it gets the latest sensors and features
I prefer the sporty base models like the regular Watch 8
I'm more into rugged designs like the Watch Ultra
No – the rotating bezel feels outdated to me now
Yes – it's Samsung's most iconic and stylish smartwatc
0%
Maybe – only if it gets the latest sensors and features
0%
I prefer the sporty base models like the regular Watch 8
0%
I'm more into rugged designs like the Watch Ultra
0%
No – the rotating bezel feels outdated to me now
0%
The rumored Galaxy Watch 8 Classic gets the formula right
Galaxy Watch 8
The Galaxy Watch Classic fills a real gap, and Apple doesn't have an answer
The Galaxy Watch Classic is the one design that stuck, the model that gave Samsung a distinct presence. And in many ways, it's Samsung's best shot at rivaling Apple's dominance in the smartwatch market.Scheduled to launch at the next Unpacked event on July 9 , theClassic could be the comeback moment the Galaxy Watch lineup has needed.The Galaxy Watch Classic is Samsung's most distinct watch design, built around a mechanical rotating bezel that sets it apart from nearly every other smartwatch on the market. It's tactile, intuitive, and — more importantly — it looks like a regular watch. In contrast, Apple's watches stick out like a sore thumb, and can hardly pass for anything more than a 'casual' look. Google's Pixel Watch looks a bit better and more low-key than what Apple offers, but it lacks when it comes to features and software.Last year, Samsung decided to replace the rotating bezel for a touch sensitive one with the Galaxy Watch 7 , but the experience didn't quite measure up. Even with upgrades like the new Energy Score and dual-band GPS, the Watch 7 felt a bit too plain, too safe — missing the charm that made the Classic stand out.The Galaxy Watch Ultra, on the other hand, was a daring attempt from Samsung — one that it did in its effort to rival Apple's popular Apple Watch Ultra. This new model brought some welcome firsts to the Galaxy Watch lineup, like a titanium build, a 3,000-nit display, a large battery, and the much more powerful Exynos W1000 chip. But it felt more like an Apple copy than an original product imbued with Samsung's spirit of innovation and experimentation.That's why the return of the Classic matters. It's a statement that Samsung remembers what made its watches recognizable and great.According to leaked renders and reports, theClassic is coming back with all the right ingredients: a stainless steel body, a 46mm size, a large battery, and that iconic mechanical bezel. It's expected to carry the same sensor array as the standard Watch 8 — including ECG, skin temperature, and SpO2 — and it will likely ship with One UI Watch 8 atop Wear OS 6.That also means it should support all of Samsung's newest AI tools, like smarter workout suggestions, sleep coaching, and even more advanced tracking in the future. Vascular load and blood glucose monitoring are both rumored to be in development.But the Classic isn't meant to be the fitness-first model — and that's exactly the point. The standard Watch 8, with its thinner aluminum case and lighter design, is arguably better suited for a more active lifestyle. The Classic, on the other hand, is for those who want their smartwatch to look and feel like a real watch — not just a screen that counts steps.And when I say 'real watch,' I am referring to a design rooted in dive watches and tool chronometers — all built for with a specific purpose. The rotating bezel wasn't just for show, it helped divers track time or pilots measure intervals. On the Classic, that same bezel becomes a smart and satisfying way to scroll through apps, menus, and widgets.Part of what makes the Apple Watch so successful is its unwavering consistency. The shape, buttons, and user experience remain largely the same year after year, making it instantly recognizable and universally understood. Samsung, on the other hand, has wavered. I'd say the Galaxy Watch lineup really doesn't know what it wants to be right now.But the Galaxy Watch Classic is the one design that stuck, and with the Watch 8 Classic reportedly making a comeback, Samsung has the chance to re-anchor its identity around something truly its own.I'd even say that the Classic shouldn't be a side option. Samsung should make it the face of its smartwatch brand. It has the hardware, the distinct design, and the practical advantage of a rotating bezel. It also offers something neither the Ultra nor the base Watch 8 can: a premium smartwatch that looks normal.Apple doesn't really compete in that space. Its watches are either sleek and square, or bulky and rugged — and always unmistakably 'smart.' They stick out like a sore thumb and look out of place when paired with anything besides casual. That gives Samsung a real shot to own a smartwatch category Apple hasn't tapped into.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GSM Arena
an hour ago
- GSM Arena
Honor freezes, bakes, and shoots the Magic V5 to prove how durable it is
Vlad, 04 July 2025 Honor made the Magic V5 official a couple of days ago, and today it's shared a new promo video for the phone, which is definitely different. It shows the Magic V5 withstanding a simulation of very forceful pouring rain, which isn't that unexpected considering its IP59 rating for protection from high-pressure water jets. The phone is then frozen, then subjected to a very high temperature. Then things get weird. Steel balls are being shot at the phone to make a point about its durability, and of course it withstands the impacts without any issue. See for yourself above. The Honor Magic V5 is thus billed as incredibly tough despite being a foldable. It comes with a 7.95-inch 2172x2352 LTPO AMOLED folding screen, a 6.43-inch 1060x2376 cover display, the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, 12/16GB of RAM, 256GB/512GB/1TB of storage, and a 5,820 mAh battery with support for 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. It has a 50 MP main camera with OIS, a 64 MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom, a 50 MP ultrawide with autofocus, and a couple of 20 MP selfie cameras.
Phone Arena
2 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Sony is forced to stop selling the Xperia 1 VII because of worrying issues
Sony has announced it's temporarily suspending the sales and shipments of the Xperia 1 VII in Japan. That's the company's latest flagship smartphone, which was announced in May, and it has been on sale in Sony's home country and some European markets only for about a month. Sony says (translated source) the reason for the suspension are multiple reports for Xperia 1 VII units that are turning off on their own, rebooting sporadically, or failing to turn on entirely. None of those issues sounds like a big deal on its own, but it appears that they're affecting a significant number of devices in the wild. The sales and shipments suspension is limited only to the Japanese market, and there is no official information if similar issues are happening with devices sold in other regions. The Xperia 1 VII is not available in the United States, and considering its predecessor was never sold there, a US release remains unlikely. For anyone who owns an Xperia 1 VII with some of the issues, Sony has a potential remedy. The company suggests the following steps: Hold down the power and volume up buttons for about 20 seconds Recover the device Apply the latest available software update On its Japanese support page, Sony has given detailed instructions for the update process for the affected models. If those steps don't resolve the problem, Sony's advice is to contact its customer service center. Sony Xperia 1 VII | Image credit — PhoneArena Interestingly, Sony's advice suggests that the issues could be fixed with only a software update, but the company still says that it is currently investigating the cause of the problems. The announcement states that the company will provide more information once it is available, and recommends that people back up their data.I think Sony doesn't really know what's causing the Xperia 1 VII to experience these types of issues, and the software update is more of a precaution. The best option for the owners of the faulty units and Sony would be if everything could be solved with only an update. However, there's also a chance that all this is caused by hardware problems, which could be the final nail in Sony's coffin. The Xperia 1 VII is already more expensive and less compelling than virtually all its competitors, so a major hardware issue and sales suspension could prove critical for Sony's mobile ambitions. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
2 hours ago
- Phone Arena
The promised Galaxy S26 battery boost could turn out to be an epic fail
The list of things that could surprise me gets shorter by the day. It could be because we're living in 2025 – what the ancient Chinese would call "interesting times", or it could be just me. But, my stoicism gets challenged big time (once again) by Samsung and the decisions the company makes for their upcoming flagship Galaxy I wasn't surprised when I learned about these two prospects:After all, it's not like we've anticipated anything different from Sammy for the foreseeable future, judging by the recent past – none of the Galaxy flagships (foldable or not) deliver big mAh (battery capacity) numbers. At least not when compared to Xiaomi, OnePlus phones, for out of the blue, this report surfaced: Is Samsung finally cracking the code on Galaxy S26 battery woes? My hopes took off, only to crash shortly after. And what seems like a potential win, I see as a missed opportunity. Will Samsung go after a wasp waist again? | Image credit – PhoneArena OK, so: for the Galaxy S26, Samsung could team up with South Korea's ITM Semiconductor to improve battery life and make the batteries more goal is to create batteries that last longer and can potentially charge faster, thanks to new protective technology. ITM is said to be developing special battery protection circuits using something called epoxy molding compound (EMC), which helps control how the battery charges and technology adds a protective layer to block moisture, reduce interference from other parts inside the phone, and help keep the battery cool – all of which are key to preventing battery wear and heat is one of the biggest factors that shortens battery life, this new approach could make a difference, especially during heavy use like gaming or fast charging. The improved circuits are also getting smaller, which could free up space inside the phone and allow Samsung to fit in a larger battery. However, the report doesn't mention anything about the Galaxy S26 getting a larger capacity battery in addition to the EMC tech. And, not to play Cassandra here, but I think I know what's going to happen: Samsung will be extremely tempted to slim down the Galaxy S26 and if the EMC tech allows it, they'll do it. The way I see it, the Galaxy S26 will get the same ~3,900mAh capacity battery (from the Galaxy S25), but it will be presented as a major tech breakthrough ("See, we're innovating!") and a slim profile thanks to the EMC tech. I don't know if Samsung knows this, but people are not that crazy about super thin phones: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has a major problem: it does not sell Or, at least, they're not that crazy about the S25 Edge in particular. We'll see how the iPhone 17 Air performs, but I think we can all see where the iPhone 17 Air is headed, as my colleague Abdullah put it elegantly not so long ago. The Galaxy S25. | Image credit – PhoneArena Instead, what Samsung should do is not obsess with wasp waists, embrace a larger battery and then apply the EMC tech, potentially surpassing its rivals, if the new technology turns out to be that effective. Even if that doesn't allow for the Galaxy S26 to be slimmed down, I think Samsung should bite the bullet and just go with it. Think about it: would you have a marginally thinner phone with a mediocre battery cell, or a standard-sized chassis that houses a superior battery? The good news is that if you're on Team A, there's the Galaxy S25 Edge for you: it's thin, it's sleek, it's all about looks. Also, Samsung needs to hop on the silicon-carbon bandwagon as soon as possible. Such batteries can hold more charge in the same physical space, giving phones higher capacity without making them larger or heavier. Devices like the OnePlus 13 (6,000 mAh) already use this battery technology, offering higher mAh ratings while keeping a slim, compact design. As battery technology continues to advance, even bigger capacities are expected, with early rumors suggesting that the yet-to-be-announced OnePlus 15 could feature a 7,000mAh battery. The Galaxy S25 Ultra successor might not come with upgrades. | Image credit – PhoneArena As I mentioned above, the situation with the Galaxy S26 Ultra ("the best of the best" by Samsung) and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (the maxed-out innovative foldable) also seems to be in dire Ultra flagship will apparently inherit the 5,000 mAh battery from its predecessors. That's the exact same capacity that Samsung has been putting in its Ultra flagships for six consecutive years, starting with the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Now, chipsets get more power efficient, there are software optimizations on board and, let's be frank about it, five thousand mAh of capacity is nothing to whine about. But a company needs to check itself against what happens to your reputation, if you were able to put a 5,000 mAh capacity battery cell in your flagship in 2020, but can't seem to up that number in 2026? That's a shame. The iPhone 16 Pro Max successor might get things right. | Image credit – PhoneArena Hold on to your hats, because we have something at our hands that is nothing short of a pure miracle: Apple (of all companies) might also embrace the big mAh numbers for its next flagship: It's not the whole iPhone 17 line that's apparently going to get its mAh numbers boosted – just the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Allegedly, the biggest and baddest iPhone of 2025 could sport a 5,000 mAh cell. On its own, that's nothing special, you'd think, but given Apple's software optimizations, that could very well mean the battery life could be great on this expensive phone. The Nothing Phone (3). | Image credit – PhoneArena The Nothing Phone (3) – the first flagship by Carl Pei's industry disruptor company – also steps in the 5,000 mAh+ territory. The cool-looking Phone (3) packs a 5,150 mAh cell with 65W charging speeds that will get you from 0% to 50% in less than 20 minutes. What's more, its cell is a silicon-carbon one, which leaves Samsung, a company with – I dare to say – a slightly bigger budget, practically without excuses. So, the Galaxy S26 is still (more than) half a year ahead in time. Let's hope some positive rumors appear in the months to come – as they say, hope springs eternal in the human breast. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
