Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra preview: An Apple Watch Ultra for Android

The upcoming Galaxy Watch Ultra will feature a pretty distinct design, Unlike previous Galaxy Watch devices, which have always utilized mostly circular cases, the Galaxy Watch Ultra will have a squircle case paired with a circular screen. Imagine a mix between the Apple Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch 6, and you'd be on the right path. 

Our expectation is that the smartwatch will use lots of titanium and sapphire in its build. This combination is synonymous with super premium smartwatches these days, and while the sapphire crystal ensures your screen will remain scratch-free for a long time, the same can't really be said about the titanium case, which will most likely attain a scratchy patina with longer use.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra will most certainly be an IP68-rated device with possible water resistance of up to 10ATM. This means the watch could dive in up to 100 meters of water, which is more than most people will ever dunk it that deep. 

Like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Galaxy Watch Ultra will have a customizable button situated on the right side of the watch. Possibly carrying the "Quick Button" name, this one will possibly allow you to map different apps and shortcuts for quick access. 

The hardware rotating bezel seems to be making a return on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is something we are thankful for. This is a signature feature of Samsung smartwatches that sets them apart from the competition. It's also quite useful!

The device will be available in a single 47mm size. The OLED screen will reportedly feature a maximum brightness of up to 3,000 nits, which will greatly help with outdoor legibility (and match the Apple Watch Ultra 2).

We don't know if Samsung will unveil new bands with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but the company usually does this with new smartwatch releases, so the chances are pretty high. 

One thing we are mostly certain of is that the Galaxy Watch Ultra will use Samsung's new One-Click band latch mechanism, which makes it oh-so-easy to switch bands on the go. This system was unveiled last year with the Galaxy Watch 6 generation, so it's going nowhere. 

The Galaxy Watch Ultra will come with Google's Wear OS 5. In it, an optional new grid-based app launcher will be available. Users will also be able to select their media output device using Wear OS 5. Additionally, there will be enhancements to watch faces, including new themes, updated complications, a new heart rate data source, and more.

We expect that the smartwatch will come with the same roster of health features and functionalities as the Galaxy Watch 6 generation. This means the watch will possibly come with sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring with irregular rhythm detection, BMI body measurement, blood oxygen, and many more.