Samsung’s newest wearable software is reaching back to some older hardware: the One UI 8 Watch beta is now showing up for the Galaxy Watch 6, according to SamMobile, which means that last year’s models are getting a taste of the company’s latest features and tweaks.
Early sightings are reported in posts on Samsung’s Community forums in South Korea, though there’s every chance wider availability will soon spread. The rollout also comes as Samsung concludes its beta testing period for the Galaxy Watch 7, a strong indication that we won’t have to wait much longer to see a stable release hit that lineup.
What’s new and improved in Samsung’s One UI 8 Watch
Gesture control gets smarter. Pinch gestures now go beyond basic navigation by allowing you to trigger actions such as snapping a photo via the phone’s camera, changing tracks or scrolling notifications without having to raise your wrist and tap on the screen. This is the type of subtle usability upgrade that makes a day-to-day difference during workouts, commutes or when wearing gloves.
A new Now Bar brings live activities to the foreground. Ride-hailing status, timers or workout progress may be surfaced persistently, so you don’t have to dig into apps. It’s a quality-of-life change to cut down on interruptions and micro-interactions.
Health features get a polish, too. Samsung’s sleep experience brings more intelligent warm-ups and guidance, as mindfulness nudges are there to help prompt short breathing or meditation exercises. None of these are reinventing the wheel, but together they make for a more cohesive wellness toolkit on the wrist.
Availability timeline and supported Galaxy Watch models
South Korea-based owners of the Galaxy Watch 6 are seeing the beta, and it should extend to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (which shares a platform and firmware baseline). And though Samsung is yet to lay out a global time frame, previous watch betas have hit the US and some European markets as soon as those initial impressions are in.
To provide some context, the Galaxy Watch 8 series and the standalone Watch Ultra launched with One UI 8 Watch in tow, so bringing them on board for the beta extends compatibility across Samsung’s ever-expanding wearable roster.
How to join the beta (or at least what you should know)
Sign-up is usually done through the Samsung Members app on your connected phone. Failing that, keep an eye out for a One UI Watch beta banner or head to the Notices section of your Galaxy Wearable app and agree to the terms before downloading the update. If you don’t yet see the option, it hasn’t made its way to your area.
Before you install it, make sure that your watch data is backed up and the Galaxy Wearable app, as well as its plugins, are up to date. Like all betas, it comes with an increased chance of bugs or battery life issues, and apps not working as expected. So take that into account if your watch is mission-critical for payments or safety features and wait for the stable version.
What owners of the Galaxy Watch 7 can expect
Samsung has confirmed that testing of the Galaxy Watch 7 is wrapping up in South Korea, so a stable One UI 8 Watch build could soon be right around the corner. That cadence — new software with the new hardware, a quick beta for the last generation, fast bug squash — lines up with how Samsung has updated its more recent phones.
Why this One UI 8 Watch beta rollout matters now
The Galaxy Watch 6 is still a well-liked wearable with a traditional design option and great battery life, so keeping it current lengthens the lifespan of devices currently on wrists. Industry trackers like Counterpoint Research always rank Samsung as one of the top smartwatch makers, and one key reason for that is their generous support for software updates.
But beyond the version number, One UI 8 Watch emphasizes fewer taps and more context at a glance — pinch to capture a quick photo, swipe up mid-run to browse songs or take note of the Now Bar as you navigate. Should Samsung expand availability rapidly and deliver the Watch 7’s stable build soon, the Galaxy Watch lineup will feel much more cohesive, no matter which model you’ve strapped on.
