Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: The 6 Things That Would Make It Amazing

Samsung's 2023 lineup has been pretty impressive so far, but more promising devices are expected in the second half of this year. Among them is the Galaxy Watch 6 series. Now, the Galaxy Watch 5 line isn't that bad, but it's not a very attractive upgrade compared to the Galaxy Watch 4 portfolio.

We have heard promising rumors about the Galaxy Watch 6 series. Here's a wishlist of changes that make the Galaxy Watch 6 series a truly compelling and powerful alternative to the venerable Apple Watch.

Reset the spinning wheel

© Digital Trends Galaxy Watch 4 courtesy of Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There is no shortage of smartwatches both below and above Samsung's asking price. The same goes for features related to tracking and discovery, where Apple seems to be a step ahead of Samsung. But one area that Samsung has left untouched is the excellent physical rotating ring, which is a very convenient and intuitive way to interact with the user interface.

After sticking with the rotating ring system for generations, Samsung decided to skip it for the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, instead focusing on a design that prioritizes durability. Of course, this decision has been widely criticized, and a rate correction by 2023 seems likely.

Various leaks suggest that the scrolling edge is making a comeback. Additionally, the Pro branding will reportedly be removed, making way for the return of the classic trim. The rotating ring is not only a striking design element, but also a practical value.

Interacting with small icons and other UI elements on the smartwatch screen is frustrating as errors occur all the time. The classic rotating bezel of the Galaxy Watch 4 was too good to pass up, which is why I personally resisted switching to the Galaxy Watch 5.

Not only is the latch a joy to interact with, it's also a godsend when you're working and your palms are sweaty, making touch or non-touch gesture interaction on a wet screen especially annoying. From adjusting brightness levels to managing calls, the rotating bezel is inextricably linked to Samsung's smartwatch identity.

New design, one stop choice

© Powered by Digital Trends Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

After the Galaxy Watch 4 series, Samsung's design team took a slightly more retro approach and went in a direction where the aesthetic difference between the base and premium models is barely noticeable. Apart from the different color tone and taller bezels, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Pro models share more or less the same basic design platform.

With the Galaxy Watch 6 series, it looks like the company is ready to flex its design muscles once again. Leaks suggest that the Galaxy Watch 6 could have a curved display similar to the Google Pixel Watch. Today, Samsung is no stranger to the curved glass aesthetic.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is actually one of the most beautiful smartwatches on the market thanks to its glass with gently curved edges. In addition, Samsung offers a capacitive bezel system on wearables that serves as a replacement for the physical rotating bezel on its more premium sibling.

If the rumors are true, the Galaxy Watch 6 series will not only find itself in two price points, but also in a limited technical gap. On the other hand, it will appeal to smartwatch enthusiasts who have design high on their priority list. Of course, the two models differ in size, so there's something for those worried that their wrist measurements aren't quite right.

It's a welcome strategy to allow buyers to choose between a larger watch with a bold curved display or a more classic watch with a physical rotating bezel.

However, it would be nice if Samsung introduced the upcoming Classic model as well. It would also be great to have a wider variety of bands like the Apple Watch.

Big battery... hopefully

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One of the biggest advantages of using a custom smartphone operating system based on a custom real-time operating system (RTOS) shell is that it is less CPU intensive. A healthy group of brands, especially those selling affordable devices, follow this formula. Samsung, on the other hand, has been loyal to Tizen for years.

On the Wear OS smartwatch side, things are pretty deplorable. Interestingly, Samsung joined the Wear OS platform last year with the release of the Galaxy Watch 5 series, and once again the peak battery life was reduced to a day or two. That won't change with the Galaxy Watch 6 series.

Fortunately, the battery capacity seems to have increased at least. Citing Samsung's home market confirmation database, the Galaxy Club 40mm Galaxy Watch 6 model is said to have a 300mAh battery instead of the previous device's 284mAh. The 44mm variant is expected to be backed by a 425mAh battery, which is slightly larger than the 410mAh battery in the Galaxy Watch 5 companion case.

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It's not that big of an improvement, but for something as small as a smartwatch, every extra drop of chemical juice counts. We wish Samsung had done more to optimize resources so that users can get at least two to three days of battery life with moderate use without sacrificing too many basic features when the battery is low.

The best way to achieve this is to give users finer control over which features they want to wake up daily and which systems should be left in sleep mode. An update to the companion app could go a long way toward achieving this elusive goal.

Improve loading status

© Digital Trends Galaxy Watch 4 Classic by Samsung Mobile

I love the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and I'm also a big fan of Samsung's reverse wireless charging feature; This is a very cheap convenience. I almost always charge my headphones, the aforementioned watch and even my iPhone 14 Pro on the back of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

I was able to do the same with other Xiaomi and OnePlus phones that support reverse wireless charging, with the exception of the Galaxy Watch. Samsung Galaxy Buds or any other Samsung phone can easily get juice from other brand phones. But not the Galaxy Watch. Samsung tries to explain the situation using some WPC-Qi charging standard incompatibility terminology, but frankly, I can't stomach this argument satisfactorily.

I hope Samsung overcomes this limitation and opens up reverse wireless charging options for smartphones from other brands. It's a comfortable environment where Samsung gets a real edge over the Apple Watch.

Universal ultra model

© Provided by Digital Trends A yellow circle indicates that the Apple Watch Ultra is in low power mode.

Last year, Apple wowed sports fans with the Apple Watch Ultra. Yes, they're big and bulky, but the features Apple has managed to cram into them are unprecedented for a smartwatch. He is very strong and has some serious tricks for serious sports fans.

More than just a showcase of Apple's engineering prowess, it is currently the only smart wearable for extreme sports situations. But the $899 asking price is low. Samsung might get a little disappointed by launching its own extreme smartwatch that comes with a rugged look and offers the core features that Apple Watch Ultra audiences love at a burnt price.

Samsung also now has a good partner in Google after integrating Tizen with Wear OS. Google has done a great job of improving the health and wellness of its smartphones with its Google Fitness platform. And, of course, thanks to the acquisition of Fitbit.

It will be interesting to see the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which offers the power of Samsung hardware and the latest Google Wear OS. Combine that with the discounted price of the Apple Watch Ultra and Samsung could turn the tables — and potentially turn the tables — on its offerings.

New sensor or at least available

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Over the years, Samsung has kept pace with Apple in the biological sensory capabilities of its phones. Blood oxygen levels, EKG, error detection and (more recently) blood pressure measurements that rely on a heart rate sensor are pulse wave analysis. But there is room for improvement in two key areas.

First, there has been a lot of talk about studying biomarkers based on sweat analysis. Apple has reportedly made significant progress in non-invasive blood glucose measurement technology for its smartwatches. Samsung has been officially working on this technology for some time now. It will be a great opportunity for Samsung to showcase this revolutionary technology with the Galaxy Watch 6 series.

In addition, the development of clothing-based electrodermal activity analysis (EDA) and even the possibility of measuring blood alcohol content have been reported. This year, Samsung may want to jumpstart the generation of touch technology in its smartwatches. But first, the company needs to figure out how to roll out features like crash detection and blood pressure monitoring across all of its markets.

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I don't want to pay $500 for a watch that can't be second in my country, same goes for the US market. In this respect, Apple is much better. But when we talk about Apple here, we end up meeting the gates of a brutal ecosystem. Samsung is no different.

You need a Samsung phone to use some of the advanced navigation features and other features like camera shutter control, customizable AR emoji faces, and the ability to handle calls. A Samsung phone is required to monitor BP and blood pressure.

Both are serious health problems and Samsung blocks them on their phones. But they need some technical knowledge to make them work with other phones. Besides, it's just more of a problem. I hope that Samsung will be generous with the Galaxy Watch 6 generation and rectify the situation.