Your Samsung Galaxy Watch is getting a huge free update

If you have an Android phone, a Samsung Galaxy Watch is a fine choice for a wearable, and in recent years Samsung has worked very closely with Google to ensure its smartwatches are at the front of the queue for new software perks.

That’s truer than ever in 2026, and at Google’s I/O conference this month Google announced Wear OS 7, the newest flavour of software for Android smartwatches. This means owners of the Google Pixel Watch family and also recent Samsung Galaxy Watch models will be soon seeing new features in software updates.

One of the most annoying things about smartwatches is their battery life. Even the newest Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra can barely last two days on a single charge, such is the need for battery capacity to power all its functions and the bright OLED screen.

But T3 reports that Google says the Wear OS 7 update could give existing smartwatches up to ten percent better battery life.

If this comes to pass it’d be amazing, but I am sceptical. In a decade of reviewing phones, tablets and wearables, I’ve barely ever seen a software update massively improve a device’s battery life. But I’ll be keeping a keen eye out for what Wear OS 7 is trying to achieve here.

Meanwhile, Google said that “select smartwatches” are getting Gemini Intelligence, which is a new version of Google’s ever-growing Gemini AI product. IN a briefing, Google said Intelligence would only be coming to its most premium, high end devices, so it remains to be seen which Galaxy Watch models will get it, but my money is on the aforementioned Ultra and the Watch 8 and Watch 7 series at the very least.

Samsung usually releases its new Galaxy Watch model in July each year alongside its latest Z Flip and Z Fold phones. What is likely going to be called the Galaxy Watch 9 will surely be marketed on the presence of Gemini Intelligence, though it’s same to assume older watches will get the update.

Elsewhere, Wear OS 7 is getting Live Updates to show real-time information, like you may have seen on your phone’s lock screen. This is usually for things such as an incoming food delivery order.

The update will also bring a wholly new feature called Wear Widgets. Google says this way of displaying key information on Wear OS 7 is set to replace the old tiles. This is with a view to helping app developers achieve “greater expressiveness and consistency” with how apps look on smartwatches, and therefore giving your wearable a more unified look, no matter which apps you’re using or trying to find information in.

“Wear widgets support two card types—small and large—that align perfectly with the 2x1 and 2x2 formats on mobile, ensuring your designs feel cohesive across devices,” Google said.

Google will likely push out Wear OS 7 to its Pixel Watch models later this year, and Samsung will probably do the same come its July launch. It’s a safe bet that your existing Galaxy Watch will get the update before the end of the year, if it’s new enough to get the latest upgrades.