Samsung releases One UI 8 Watch Beta and new features for Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra

Samsung confirmed in mid-June that One UI 8 Watch would be released in July for all Galaxy Watch models from the Galaxy Watch5 upwards. As several users have reported, Samsung has now released a public beta version in the US and South Korea exclusively for the Galaxy Watch7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra. As a rule, Samsung only offers beta versions in other countries shortly after the US release; interested readers can register for the One UI Beta Program.

In addition to the announced new health features, One UI 8 Watch also introduces a few smaller innovations. First and foremost, the home screen now displays six frequently used apps first, although this function can be deactivated. Apps can now also be displayed as an alphabetically sorted list instead of a grid. The 1.8 GB update also introduces the "Now Bar", which displays current background activities in a similar way to the Galaxy S25. A "double-pinch" gesture allows the user to execute a pre-selected function.

Samsung also introduces a new animation that plays when the Galaxy Watch is connected to a charger. Reminders can now be marked as "important" with a star and displayed at the top of the list. Notifications can be dismissed by shaking the wrist. One UI 8 Watch stacks multiple notifications from the same app for a more manageable view. All other new health and fitness features, including the Antioxidant Index, Running Coach, Vascular Load and Bedtime Guidance, are summarized in this article.