Following its light 2025 update, a true successor is reportedly in the works for release next summer
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will arrive in 2026, with the company set to stick to its bi-annual launch cycle for its premium smartwatch models.
That’s the word from Dutch outlet Galaxy Club, at least, which suggests the upcoming smartwatch is internally codenamed ‘Galaxy Watch 9 Ultra’. As that would hint, it’s also reportedly set to coincide with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 9 series.
It would make sense, given what we’ve seen over the last three years, with Samsung operating on a ‘tick-tock’ cycle that sees it release distinct non-base models every year, but refreshing it every other year (Galaxy Watch 6 Classic; Galaxy Watch Ultra in 2024; Galaxy Watch 8 Classic in 2025).
The news also arrives after the 2025 Galaxy Watch Ultra refresh only delivered very minor tweaks to the current generation—an internal storage bump and a new color option, rather than a full hardware overhaul.
Though it’s still early days, the Ultra 2 is expected to build on the foundations laid by the original, retaining the rugged titanium casing and offering a longer-lasting battery than the standard Galaxy Watch models. It’s also expected to run on a new chipset, which could aid in battery efficiency.
The Wareable take
We praised Samsung’s decision not to rush the Ultra 2 earlier this year. Instead, it released the considered, design-oriented Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and updated a key internal spec, storage.
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After all, the original Galaxy Watch Ultra remains a great watch—and, relatively speaking, unparalleled in the broader Wear OS smartwatch landscape. In the 18 months since its release, no other brand—including Google—has delivered a more premium-feeling device for the platform.
Waiting until 2026 should ensure the Ultra 2 debuts with meaningful software updates and potentially new health sensors. Watch this space for more rumors, though, as we’re likely to see more concrete details emerge over the next few months.