Galaxy Watch 7 Might Skip Stable Update for Now, Beta 2 in the Works

A few days ago, Samsung rolled out the stable One UI 8 Watch update for the Watch Ultra, officially ending the beta program. Many expected the Watch 7 to follow suit, but not. The company seemingly plans another beta release for the latter, as new beta builds have recently surfaced on its servers.

Galaxy Watch 7 may get another One UI 8 Watch beta update

Fresh evidence from Samsung’s FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) servers reveals that the company is preparing a new One UI 8 Watch beta build for the Galaxy Watch 7. The latest internal beta build carries firmware version ZYH2. We do not have the changelog, but expect this release to bring system refinements and performance improvements based on early user feedback from Beta 1.

More importantly, this suggests Samsung is continuing its beta testing cycle for Watch 7 users instead of jumping to a stable release. As said, it has already rolled out the stable build for the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which entered the beta phase alongside the Watch 7 in late June. Samsung is currently running One UI 8 Watch beta programs in the US and South Korea.

If Samsung indeed pushes a second beta update to the Galaxy Watch 7, this could mean a delayed release of the Wear OS 6-based update for other models. The Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 5, Watch 6, and Watch FE are all eligible for this update. Samsung officially introduced the new version with the Galaxy Watch 8 series last month. It brings a UI overhaul and a host of new features, including advanced health monitoring tools.

As of this writing, Samsung hasn’t officially announced the next phase of its One UI 8 Watch rollout. While it previously hinted at beta releases for the Galaxy Watch 5 and newer models, this long delay could force a change in plans. We shall find out in the coming weeks.