Galaxy Watch 8 to rock an Apple Watch-like squircle design

When Samsung revealed it was planning an innovative new design for this year’s Galaxy Watch update I wondered aloud whether that might include the new shape for the watchface.

That now appears like a distinct possibility for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, according to clues found within Samsung’s firmware.

Android Authority busted open an APK for One UI 8 that would sit on a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and found an icon showing the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic identified by the codenames Fresh 8 and Wise 8.

The images within the firmware show a squarer body with rounded edges while keeping the display itself circular, unlike the Apple Watch which has a body uniform to the display.

The design floated within the firmware is similar to the current Galaxy Watch Ultra. The report also speaks of a potential additional button for the Classic watch. That may be a customisable action button.

Recent reporting has suggested support for the Now Bar that first arrived on the Galaxy S25 Series in One UI 7. The AI powered feature shows context-aware information in pill-like notifications. You might see sports scores, flight details, the weather forecast, currency conversations and more.

At the end of last month, Samsung revealed part of its plans for this year’s update. The company said: “For wearables, we will expand our market presence with a strengthened premium experience while expanding our lineup across all price segments. We plan to launch a new Galaxy Watch with an innovative design and enhanced health-related features.”

We expect Samsung to refresh its wearable lines at an Unpacked event later this summer. If the updates continue in the same vein of form as their predecessors, they’re a shoo-in for our best smartwatch line-up.

Opinion

It’s unclear why Samsung would make this change now, especially while maintaining the circular display. Surely that just adds a little unnecessary bulk? You can understand it with the Watch Ultra as that’s designed to be used in rough and tumble activities.

Maybe it’s simply the company feeling like it needs freshen up a design that feels tired?

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