Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 leaks: boxier design, bigger battery, no Classic
Samsung's next smartwatch lineup is taking shape ahead of a reported July 22 Unpacked event in London. Leaked renders and regulatory filings reveal a redesigned Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, a refreshed Galaxy Watch 9, new color options—and confirm there will be no Galaxy Watch 9 Classic this year, per TechCabal.
The look
Insider Galaxy Techie posted details on X showing both watches get updated band designs, new color combinations, and exclusive watch faces. Expected colors include a black body with a blue-tinted band, silver with a green band, and beige—possibly a Watch 9 exclusive.
The bigger changes land on the Ultra 2. It picks up a boxier shape and borrows the numbered bezel style from the Watch 8 Classic—though it's unclear whether that bezel will rotate. The screen bezels are thinner, the side buttons are improved, and the customizable Quick Button now carries an orange accent ring. Leaked UI screenshots also show an updated watch face selector, app menu, and compass app.
The chip and battery
Samsung has officially confirmed both new watches will run the Snapdragon Wear Elite, making the Ultra 2 the first Galaxy Watch Ultra to drop Exynos for a Qualcomm chip. The 3nm processor delivers 5x CPU and 7x GPU performance gains over the older W5+ Gen 2, according to Qualcomm. The standard Watch 9 may retain Samsung's Exynos W1000, reports Smartwatch Insight.
On battery, the Ultra 2 jumps to 784 mAh—a roughly 35% increase over the current 590 mAh. The Watch 9 40mm gets 382 mAh, up around 23%. Charging speed appears unchanged at 10W, based on regulatory documents.
No Classic, higher price ahead?
Regulatory filings with the FCC and CMIIT show no Galaxy Watch 9 Classic model has been submitted for certification—a strong sign Samsung is skipping the rotating-bezel option entirely for 2026. That removes a key choice for buyers who preferred the Classic's physical interaction style; previous Watch 8 Classic owners will be pushed toward the squircle design.
On price, the current Ultra sits at $649.99 in the US and £599 in the UK. A $50–100 increase on the Ultra 2 is possible given the chipset upgrade, though nothing is confirmed. The Watch 9 base model could hold closer to its predecessor's $349 / £319 price point. Both watches are expected to go on sale in early August, roughly two weeks after the announcement.
