Samsung is pushing forward with its wearable software ecosystem, leaving the popular Galaxy Watch 4 series behind. The company recently launched beta builds of the One UI 9 Watch operating system for newer hardware, leaving legacy devices out of the distribution loop. Having debuted alongside the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, the updated software introduces refined visual interfaces, wrist-raise AI assistant activation, and advanced health metrics including Daily Cardio Load and a Heart Health Score.
The decision marks a definitive closing chapter for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Released in 2021, the lineup historically transitioned Samsung smartwatches away from Tizen OS toward Google's Wear OS platform. Over its lifespan, the hardware successfully cycled through four major OS upgrades, running up to One UI 8 Watch. Special variants like the Galaxy Watch 4 Golf Edition and the Thom Browne Edition are similarly affected by the cutoff.
While newer models benefit from a five-year software support commitment, older generations were capped at four major OS upgrades. Devices starting from the Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and newer models will receive the One UI 9 Watch deployment before the end of the year. Owners of legacy hardware missing the upgrade window can still utilize their devices as dedicated sleep monitors, smart home controllers, or trade them in for modern upgrades like the Watch 8 Classic or Watch 9 series.
Samsung Leaves Galaxy Watch 4 Behind as One UI 9 Watch Rollout Begins
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