Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: the latest news, rumors and what we want to see
If Samsung sticks to its usual schedule, there’s a good chance we’ll get a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 this year – but we’ve also seen leaks around a cheaper model, with the FE (Fan Edition) designation that Samsung has previously used for more affordable electronics.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE leaks and rumors so far and weighed up the chances of this particular device seeing the light of day. We’ll be updating this hub regularly, so check back often for the latest information on this device.
The Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch FE are expected to launch alongside a number of other gadgets from Samsung, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 – and we’ll likely see the Galaxy too Ring.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? A cheaper Samsung smartwatch
- When is it out? July 10 seems likely
- How much is it? Probably around $199 / £199 / AU$399
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: expected launch date and price
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE launch date is tied to the launch dates of the Z Fold 6, the Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Galaxy Ring – as all of these devices are widely expected to break soon. the same Samsung Unpacked event.
We’ve already had a January 2024 Unpacked show and according to those in the know, the next one is scheduled for Wednesday, July 10. That is not official yet, but that date has also been mentioned by a second source, namely we have more confidence in it.
If July 10 is indeed the date the Galaxy Watch FE and the Galaxy Watch 7 see the light of day, it will be almost exactly a year after the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 – so there is some consistency in Samsung’s schedule.
When it comes to price, we know affordability is the reason for the Galaxy Watch FE’s existence, but we haven’t seen a specific number leaked. It’s possible the model will be based on a refreshed Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which is currently on sale for $199 / £199 / AU$399.
As for the Galaxy Watch 6, prices of Samsung’s most recent flagship start at $239.99 / £259 / AU$549, so the new Samsung Galaxy Watch FE may be somewhere between these two price points. How much it costs will certainly be crucial to its appeal.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: Leaks and Rumors
There haven’t been many leaks and rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: most of the preliminary information we’ve had so far simply says this device is on its way.
One small piece of information that has emerged concerns the charging speed, which is apparently a paltry 5W (less than the Galaxy Watch 6). That’s not exactly encouraging news, but Samsung obviously has to make cost savings somewhere.
There are other rumors going around about the name of this wearable. A well-known tipster thinks that it will not be called the Galaxy Watch FE after all, but that it will be called the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (2024). We’ll have to wait and see.
For reference, the Galaxy Watch 4 has a 1.4-inch, 450 x 450 px Super AMOLED display. It runs on an Exynos W920 processor and offers 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. We expect at least some of these specs to get a boost when it’s refreshed before 2024.
According to to registration filesThe name Galaxy Watch FE is indeed the name Samsung will opt for – so while the innards are similar to the Galaxy Watch 4, it now seems more likely that the FE name will get an outing.
In official news, Samsung has confirmed that future Galaxy Watches will get a wealth of AI features for more detailed, personalized health metrics. It’s possible that some or all of these will be available on the budget model.
One last rumor worth mentioning: we might also get a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra edition this year. It seems like Samsung is keen for its wearable range to match Apple’s, particularly in the structure of a flagship numbered watch, the Apple Watch SE 2 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: what we want to see
While we patiently wait for Samsung to unveil the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, we do have a few requests for the company. If anyone from Samsung is reading this, here’s what we’d like to see from the Samsung Galaxy FE when it launches.
1. A low price
Let’s start with the obvious: the Galaxy Watch FE is being introduced to give consumers a cheaper alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, so it should be significantly lower in price than the flagship models. The smallest Apple Watch SE 2, without cellular connectivity, costs $249 / £259 / AU$399 – and we hope the Samsung equivalent will come in at a price significantly lower than that.
2. Great battery life
A constant request from wearable owners, of course, but if Samsung is going to give the Galaxy Watch FE a slower internal processor and perhaps a less vibrant display, then that should also mean more time between battery charges.
We need a number of reasons to choose the cheaper model besides the lower price, and if Samsung can give this edition of its smartwatch better battery life, this could be one of them.
3. A solid construction
One of the dangers of launching a cheaper version of an existing product is that the build quality can suffer – and we don’t want that with the Galaxy Watch FE. Samsung should aim to make the watch feel as high-quality as possible, without feeling plasticky.
The Galaxy Watch 4 comes standard with IP68 water resistance and meets the military standard MIL-STD-810. We hope the same here.
4. Some options
It seems likely that the flagship Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 will come in a number of sizes, and we’re hoping for the same when it comes to the Galaxy Watch FE – bearing in mind that we don’t all have the same size wrists.
While we’re on the subject of options, we don’t mind seeing a few fresh colors to choose from: this is often something manufacturers do to make a cheaper range seem more attractive.
5. Lots of cleverness
We’ve already talked about the AI features that Samsung is rolling out to its future smartwatches – and we hope that many of them (or at least the most useful ones) will eventually make their way to the Samsung Galaxy FE.
Wear OS 5 is rumored to be coming to the Samsung Galaxy Watch range very soon, so we hope the Galaxy Watch FE won’t be let down by the software.