While Samsung is working on the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update for smartphones and tablets, the company is also developing a new firmware update for its Galaxy Watch smartwatches. Google will release Wear OS 4 in the second half of 2023, and Samsung will roll out this update with a new version of One UI Watch (5) on top.
The Wear OS 4-based One UI Watch 5 update could be available for the upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 series out of the box. However, it will also roll out as a firmware update for the existing Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
This article serves as a One UI Watch 5 update tracker. More information regarding the upcoming firmware will be added to this article as it becomes available. SamMobile readers can bookmark this page for future reference. Here's everything we know so far.
Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5 series
June 7, 2023: The changelog for all the features introduced through the first One UI Watch 5 beta for the Watch 4 and Watch 5 is now available.
June 7, 2023: Samsung officially launched the One UI Watch 5 beta program in the US and Korea. Interested users can enroll through the Samsung Members app on their phone.
May 31, 2023: Samsung confirmed through its Community forums that, indeed, it had to delay the One UI Watch 5 beta. The Community Manager added that the developers are doing their best to prepare a more stable version of the firmware and open the beta program.
May 31, 2023: The end of May came, and One UI Watch 5 beta wasn't released. The beta program appears to have missed Samsung's official deadline.
May 9, 2023: Samsung announced that the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 series will be invited to a One UI Watch 5 beta program before the end of May. The beta program would be available to Galaxy Watch users in the USA and South Korea.
May 8, 2023: Another One UI Watch 5 feature was revealed on May 8. Samsung confirmed that the IHRN (Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification) component of the ECG (Electrocardiogram) feature got approved by the FDA. The FDA-approved IHRN is planned to debut on the Galaxy Watch 6 series, supposedly in late July, and then expand to previous smartwatch models as One UI Watch 5 expands.
May 4, 2023: Samsung broke the silence and made its first One UI Watch 5 announcement. The company revealed several upgraded features that will be offered by the update, including better sleep tracking and on-watch Sleep Coaching, personalized heart rate zones for fitness activities, always-on Fall Detection, and an improved SOS system.
