The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra was unveiled in 2024 and is definitely the best smartwatch that Samsung has ever made. Thanks to its rugged titanium chassis, great battery life, and vibrant display, it’s also one of the best Android smartwatches on the market right now, especially for those who want an adventure watch for the great outdoors.
However, it’s not perfect, and there’s plenty of room for improvement in what we hope will be the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. We expect Samsung, like Apple, to iterate on the original design of its “Ultra” range and stick at it, rather than a one-and-done approach.
To that end, I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra after three years with the Apple Watch Ultra. With one eye on the future, I’ve put together some tweaks and improvements that I think Samsung could (and should) borrow from Apple in order to make its second-generation model a success.
As an Apple fan new to Samsung, the irony of Samsung borrowing features from the Apple Watch Ultra 2 isn’t lost on me, given the whole thing looks a bit like an Apple Watch clone. But if Samsung is going to have a crack at taking on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it might as well borrow some of its best features currently missing from Samsung's first attempt.
1. Digital crown
I was so flabbergasted by the lack of a digital crown on the Galaxy Watch Ultra that I actually wrote an entirely separate article about it. I’ll try not to repeat myself too much, but in short, I can’t believe that the Galaxy Watch Ultra doesn’t have a digital crown, and it’s high time Samsung added one in the next model.
A digital crown is crucial for scrolling and navigating a smartwatch, particularly one that you’re going to be using outside in mud, dirt, sand, rain, and more, possibly while wearing gloves - a flaw we highlighted in our review. This seems like a nailed-on pick for the next model and an easy fix to one of my biggest frustrations with the first-generation Ultra.
2. Trim the fat
Despite measuring up as officially smaller than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and weighing in a about a gram less, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra feels bigger in every way compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I can’t put my finger on why, but something about the design makes it feel comically large, like a Ben 10 watch or something you’d see a Power Ranger waving around.
I think Samsung has to do something to lower the profile of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, taking inspiration from the subtler, sleeker, yet still sturdy Apple Watch Ultra 2.
3. Ditch the circle
This is a software optimization nightmare and probably a pipe dream, but I think housing Samsung’s circular display design inside the square housing the Galaxy Watch Ultra was a big misstep. The display and housing combo works against itself, making the display look smaller than it actually is, and overemphasizing how large the bezels are.
I think it’s a large part of the reason the watch looks strange and disproportionate versus the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and if Samsung is going to stick to the squircle outer housing with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, I think it needs the display to match.
4. Diving and watersports
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 boasts an advantage over the Galaxy Watch Ultra thanks to its rating for watersports and diving, while both offer similar water resistance, only Apple’s offering can be used as a dive computer replete with a water temperature sensor and depth gauge. A quick internal upgrade could see the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra compete in the harshest ocean-going scenarios for the first time.
5. More Ultra watch faces
To my eyes, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and watchOS 11 have a clear advantage over the Galaxy Watch Ultra when it comes to specific Ultra watch faces. I think having a face that complements the rugged nature of the watch design is really important.
Samsung offers two “Ultra” faces with decent customization options, but neither can hold a candle to Apple’s Wayfinder array or indeed Modular Ultra, which is my face of choice. Apple has always enjoyed an advantage over Samsung when it comes to UI refinement, but I think a couple more dedicated Ultra faces would be a great starting point.
The future of the Galaxy Watch Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might well make an appearance in 2025, and with a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 expected in September, the company has its work cut out if it wants to stand out against the competition.
Of course, most customers already married to iPhone or Android won’t be choosing between the two, but these are just a few improvements I think Samsung could make in order to turn the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 into a bigger success than its forebear.
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