Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: Latest news, rumors, and what we want to see
If Samsung sticks to its usual schedule, there’s every chance we’re going to get a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 this year – but we’ve also seen leaks around a cheaper model, with the FE (Fan Edition) designation that Samsung has used before for more affordable electronics.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE leaks and rumors so far, and weighed up the chances of this particular device seeing the light of day. We’ll be updating this hub regularly, so check back for the latest information on this device.
The Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch FE are expected to launch alongside a bunch of other gadgets from Samsung, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 – and we’re likely to see the Galaxy Ring as well.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? A cheaper Samsung smartwatch
- When is it out? July 10 looks likely
- How much will it cost? Probably around $199 / £199 / AU$399
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: Expected launch date and price
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE launch date is tied to the launch dates of the Z Fold 6, the Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Buds 3, and the Galaxy Ring – because it’s widely expected that all of these devices are going to break cover at the same Samsung Unpacked event.
We’ve already had an Unpacked January 2024 show, and according to those in the know, the next one is scheduled for Wednesday, July 10. That’s still unofficial for now, but that date has been mentioned by a second source as well, giving us more confidence in it.
If July 10 is indeed the date when the Galaxy Watch FE and the Galaxy Watch 7 see the light of day, it’ll be almost exactly a year after the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 – so there is some consistency in Samsung’s scheduling.
When it comes to price, we know that affordability is the reason for the existence of the Galaxy Watch FE, but we haven’t seen a specific number leaked. It’s possible the model will be based on a refreshed Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which currently retails for $199 / £199 / AU$399.
As for the Galaxy Watch 6, prices on Samsung’s most recent flagship start at $239.99 / £259 / AU$549, so the new Samsung Galaxy Watch FE might be somewhere between those two price points. How much it costs is certainly going to be crucial to its appeal.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: Leaks and rumors
There haven’t been a huge number of leaks and rumors around the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: most of the advance information we’ve had so far has simply said that this device is on the way.
A little tidbit of information that has emerged concerns the charging speed, which is apparently a paltry 5W (less than the Galaxy Watch 6). That’s not particularly encouraging news, but of course Samsung has to make cost savings somewhere.
Other rumors have been swirling about the name of this wearable. One well-known tipster reckons it won’t be called the Galaxy Watch FE after all – instead it’s going to be branded as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (2024). We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
For reference, the Galaxy Watch 4 has a 1.4-inch, 450 x 450 px Super AMOLED screen. It runs an Exynos W920 processor, and offers 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. We’d expect at least some of those specs to get a boost if it’s being refreshed for 2024.
According to regulatory filings, the Galaxy Watch FE name is indeed the name Samsung is going to go with – so while the innards might be similar to the Galaxy Watch 4, it now seems more likely that the FE moniker is going to get an outing.
In terms of official news, Samsung has confirmed that future Galaxy Watches are going to get a wealth of AI features for more detailed, personalized health stats. It’s possible that some or all of these will be available on the budget model.
One final rumor worth mentioning: we might also get a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra edition this year. It would seem Samsung is keen to have its wearable line-up match Apple‘s, specifically in the structure of a flagship numbered watch, the Apple Watch SE 2 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: what we want to see
While we wait patiently for Samsung to unveil the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, we do have a few requests for the company. If there’s anyone from Samsung reading, here’s what we’d like to see from the Samsung Galaxy FE when it launches.
1. A low price
Let’s start with the obvious: the Galaxy Watch FE is being introduced to give consumers a cheaper alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, so it needs to be substantially lower in price than the flagship models. The smallest Apple Watch SE 2, without cellular connectivity, comes in at $249 / £259 / AU$399 – and we’re hoping that the Samsung equivalent is going to arrive at a price point that’s significantly lower than that.
2. Great battery life
A constant request from wearable owners of course, but if Samsung is going to give the Galaxy Watch FE a slower internal processor and perhaps a less vibrant screen, then that should also mean more time between battery charges.
We need some reasons to pick the cheaper model besides the lower price, and if Samsung is able to give this edition of its smartwatch a better battery life, this could be one of them.
3. A solid build
One of the dangers of bringing out a cheaper version of an existing product is that build quality can suffer – and that’s something we don’t want to happen with the Galaxy Watch FE. Samsung should aim to make the watch feel as high quality as possible, without feeling plasticky.
The Galaxy Watch 4 comes with IP68 water resistance as standard, and complies with the MIL-STD-810 military standard. We’re hoping for the same here.
4. Some options
It seems likely that the main Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is going to come in a couple of sizes, and we’re hoping for the same when it comes to the Galaxy Watch FE – bearing in mind that we don’t all have the same sized wrists.
While we’re talking about options, we wouldn’t mind seeing a few fresh colors that we can choose from: this is often something manufacturers do to make a cheaper product range seem more appealing.
5. Plenty of smarts
We’ve already talked about the AI features that Samsung is rolling out to its future smartwatches – and we’re hoping that a lot of them (or at least the most useful ones) end up making their way to the Samsung Galaxy FE.
There have been rumors that Wear OS 5 will be coming to the Samsung Galaxy Watch series very soon, so we’re hoping the Galaxy Watch FE isn’t going to be let down by its software.
