Samsung Hints at Galaxy Watch 8—What Does “Innovative Design” Mean?
What can we expect from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series? While much of it is still under wraps, the tech world rarely stays quiet for long, especially when it comes to anticipated launches like this one. Leaks and industry whispers have already begun to shape a picture of what might be on the horizon, giving us just enough to speculate smartly (and maybe even plan our upgrades). As a longtime fan of the Galaxy Watch lineup, I’m genuinely curious to see how Samsung plans to level up this year. So, let’s dig into the rumor mill and see what it’s churning out.
Galaxy Watch 8 Series at a Glance
Samsung consistently launches two smartwatch models each year, and 2025 appears to be no exception. Based on the company’s established release pattern and credible industry sources, we can expect the standard Galaxy Watch 8 alongside a more premium variant. However, unlike last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra (review), current indications suggest Samsung won’t be releasing an Ultra successor this time around.
Instead, all signs point to the return of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, a fan-favorite known for its signature rotating bezel. That’s further supported by multiple leaks referencing bezel design elements, reinforcing speculation that the Classic line is making a comeback.
- Looking to upgrade? Explore the best Samsung smartwatches for every budget and lifestyle
In this Galaxy Watch 8 Series guide, you’ll find the most credible rumors and expert analysis to help you track what Samsung may be preparing—whether it's breakthrough innovation or a predictable iteration—for its 2025 smartwatch lineup.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Release Date
All indications suggest an official unveiling in early July 2025, in line with Samsung’s annual summer hardware cycle. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic are expected to launch alongside the company’s next foldables—the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7—as part of a coordinated ecosystem release.
That said, even as we head into May, Samsung has yet to confirm the official date for its second Unpacked event of 2025.
Confirmed Leaks and Official Details
At this stage, solid rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series are still limited, but as the expected launch date approaches, leaks are surfacing more frequently. Here are some of the more credible ones.
Samsung Hints at an Innovative Design
Samsung has quietly confirmed that the Galaxy Watch 8 is on the horizon—this time not just through a trademark filing, but also in its recent earnings call. Alongside talk of an AI-powered Galaxy Tab S11, Samsung mentioned “a new Galaxy Watch with an innovative design and enhanced health-related features.”
Although there’s no concrete information yet to support speculation about this so-called “innovative design,” my guess is that—much like what we’ve seen with the Galaxy S25 Ultra (review)—Samsung could be hinting at a new way to interact with the smartwatch, powered by AI. To me, that’s the most plausible interpretation of their statement.
Perhaps we’ll see Artificial Intelligence working in tandem with new sensors to deliver more intuitive health insights or smarter user experiences. I wouldn’t even rule out the possibility of Samsung exploring camera-based spatial interactions.
Samsung just talked up a number of upcoming products during its earnings call, including not just an AI-driven S11 tablet, but also "a new Galaxy Watch with an innovative design and enhanced health related features" pic.twitter.com/SiYn4pfiGh
— Bryan Ma (@bryanbma) April 30, 2025
Model numbers reveal variants
Leaked firmware and certification documents confirm multiple Galaxy Watch 8 variants in the works. The Bluetooth-only models are labeled SM-L320 and SM-L330, while the LTE-enabled versions go by SM-L325U and SM-L335U.
This “L3xx” naming scheme logically follows the Watch 7’s SM-L310 and L315 model codes—strongly suggesting we’ll see two case sizes, each with optional LTE, just like previous generations.
No surprises here, we know they're coming, Samsung's prepping for them
— Theordysm (@theordysm) March 29, 2025
Here are the latest test firmware info
BT/WI-FI:
SM-L320/L330 ("GW8"): U0AYC4
SM-L500 ("GW8C"): U0AYC4
LTE (US):
SM-L325U/L335U ("GW8"): U0AYC6
SM-L505U ("GW8C"): U0AYC6 pic.twitter.com/CA3HZoc52x
Okay, it might not be the most exciting leak—but until Samsung confirms the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup, this is the clearest hint we’ve got that the company is sticking to its usual formula: two sizes, each available in both Bluetooth and LTE variants. Sometimes, consistency is the real headline.
Return of “Classic” model
According to Xpertpick, a Bluetooth certification filing has confirmed the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic by name (model SM-L505U)—a strong sign that Samsung is bringing back the beloved rotating bezel alongside the standard Watch 8. It’s a welcome move for fans who missed the tactile charm of the Classic variant in last year’s lineup.
Battery capacity boost
Another scoop from the XpertPick team: regulatory listings from Safety Korea and TÜV Rheinland reveal two new battery models (EB-BL330ABY and EB-BL505ABY) for the Galaxy Watch 8 Series, likely corresponding to two different case sizes.
The larger cell is rated at roughly 435 mAh—a modest bump over the 425 mAh found in the Galaxy Watch 7 (review). In other words, we’re looking at a marginal ~2% boost in capacity, just enough to say “technically improved.”
To add more weight
- We recently reported on a rumor suggesting Samsung might ditch its iconic circular watch face in favor of a more “squircle” design—à la Apple Watch. Thankfully, that seems unlikely. One insider claimed Samsung did explore a non-circular form factor internally, but an executive reportedly pushed back, citing concerns of overlooking too much like Apple (as reported by Korean outlet Aju News). The result? Most sources now agree that the Galaxy Watch 8 will stick to the classic round design, with no major shakeups to the case or display. And honestly, long-time Galaxy Watch fans are probably breathing a sigh of relief.
- Yes, Samsung executives have been discussing non-invasive blood glucose monitoring for a while—and naturally, that’s fueling speculation around the upcoming smartwatches. But realistically, this feature still feels out of reach. While Samsung has publicly acknowledged progress in optical glucose sensing, there’s no published research yet to suggest the tech is ready for prime time. A more plausible step would be for Samsung to enhance its health algorithms to offer early diabetes risk prediction—similar to what Withings already does with its smart scales, like the Body Scan Scale we tested.
- Last but not least, I expect Samsung to keep refining the health and fitness software introduced with the Galaxy Watch 7 Series. Features like the AI-powered Galaxy AI Coach and deeper integration of sleep analytics with smart systems will likely take on even greater importance in the upcoming Galaxy Watch lineup.
Got a Leak? Share It With Us!
Heard something we haven’t? Whether it’s a tip, a leaked image, or just a juicy rumor, we’d love to hear it. Drop me a line on c.rinaldi@beebuzz.media and help keep the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 buzz going.
