- The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has been spotted again
- It's shown up in a Bluetooth regulatory database
- We didn't get a Classic model with the 2024 series
As we get closer to the expected launch of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 – most probably around July time – we're starting to get a fuller picture of what's going to be on offer, and the latest leak once again points to a return to the Classic model for the best Samsung watches.
The team at Xpertpick (via 9to5Google) spotted a device that most likely corresponds to the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic in a Bluetooth regulatory database, with the model number SM-L505U. However, the filing doesn't give us any more details about the wearable.
This isn't the first time that we've heard that the Classic could be making a comeback, and in fact these rumors stretch all the way back to last year. Earlier this month the same Galaxy Watch 8 Classic model was spotted in another official database.
If you haven't been following Samsung's watch launches closely, the Classic variation is usually bigger, made from better materials, and more expensive, compared to the standard smartwatch that Samsung puts out each year.
Bring it back
We didn't get a Classic model last year, but as our Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review will tell you, we did in 2023. Back in 2022 we got the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Samsung now seems to be alternating Classic model releases with Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Pro models – we saw the first Ultra appear in 2024, and we're still hopeful that we might see the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 break cover this year. However, if we're getting a classic, the Ultra 2 may be saved for 2026.
Another key feature of the Classic models is a physical, rotating bezel you can use to interact with the watch. It's an input option that often makes more sense than jabbing at the screen or pushing buttons, especially on the move or in tricky weather conditions.
In fact it's so useful, it might even make me consider switching over from my Garmin Instinct 3 – where working through menus and lists takes a lot of button pushing. I'll wait and see what else the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic brings to the table first, though.
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