In late June, Samsung began beta testing its Wear OS 6-based One UI 8 Watch for the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 7 in the US and South Korea. In an unexpected move, the company closed this beta program without releasing a second test version. Instead, Samsung has rolled out the stable One UI 8 Watch firmware for at least one model from its upcoming 2024 lineup. During its Unpacked event earlier this month, Samsung revealed the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch Ultra (2025), which will be the first devices to come pre-installed with Wear OS 6.
Interestingly, the update for last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is being released prior to the retail launch of the new models. This makes the Galaxy Watch Ultra one of the first existing Wear OS devices to receive the Wear OS 6 update. As part of the program’s closure, Samsung is distributing a 162MB stable update to users who participated in the beta program. Traditionally, there is a delay before the full stable update rolls out to regular users.
However, many Galaxy Watch Ultra owners, particularly those with T-Mobile and AT&T networks, have reported seeing the complete 1.9GB update available on Reddit. Even though the Wear OS 6 firmware launched in July, it already includes the May 2025 security patch. So far, there have been no reports of Galaxy Watch 7 owners receiving the stable One UI 8 Watch update, but this is likely to change soon. Currently, the stable firmware appears to be available only in the US, with plans for it to expand to other markets shortly.
One UI 8 Watch brings a suite of new health features to the Galaxy Watch Ultra and older models. Notable updates include Bedtime Guidance, which suggests sleep times based on individual circadian rhythms, and Vascular Load assessments to evaluate circulatory system stress. Additionally, the Antioxidant Index feature assesses carotenoid levels in the skin using a BioActive sensor to provide a health score.
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