Honestly, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Plays It a Little Too Safe

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 9 takes a conservative approach to hardware changes while emphasizing internal upgrades and AI features, continuing a similar look to earlier models. The company introduced the Galaxy Watch 9 alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 at its Unpacked event, with both watches slated for store availability on August 7 after preorder. Samsung kept the outer design largely unchanged, including the “squircle” shape, while adding a new chip and more AI-powered health and fitness tools. Battery capacity is only slightly increased, according to the article, making the new wellness features central to the upgrade. Pricing starts at $379.99 for the Galaxy Watch 9, up from $349.99 for the Watch 8, while the Ultra 2 starts at $699.99. The Watch 9 retains 40mm and 44mm sizes, with optional LTE for $50 extra, and uses Super AMOLED displays reaching 3,000 nits. The Ultra 2 is a 47mm model with Bluetooth and LTE built in by default and highlights scuba-diving safety certification.