Samsung begins rolling out Wear OS 7 software to older Galaxy Watch models

Samsung has started distributing its One UI 9 Watch update, built on Google Wear OS 7, to older smartwatches including the Galaxy Watch8, Galaxy Watch8 Classic, and Galaxy Watch Ultra. The software release, which initially launched on the Galaxy Watch9, is rolling out first to beta participants in South Korea and the United States. For users jumping from older public builds, the download measures roughly 2GB, while former beta testers are seeing a smaller package of around 158.50MB bundled with the October 2026 security patch. [1][2][3]

The update overhauls Samsung's smartwatch interface with refreshed circular charts for vital signs and sleep scores, alongside unified color coding for tracking health metrics. Samsung also added smoother animations during heart rate and stress checks, new quick-access tiles for sleep coaching, and extra modes for remote camera controls. Outdoors, the native Compass app now allows wearers to save locations like parked vehicles as waypoints to assist with navigation. [1]