Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 won't get the One UI 9 update
Samsung will not bring One UI 9 Watch to the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, while the Watch 5 and newer models are due to get it by the end of 2026.
The facts
- According to Engadget, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will not receive the One UI 9 Watch update.
- The Galaxy Watch 4 range, released in 2021, has already had four major OS upgrades, and the Galaxy Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro and newer models are due to get One UI 9 Watch by the end of 2026.
- Engadget says the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, released in August, get five major OS upgrades, while their predecessors get four.
- Without the update, Engadget says the older watches will miss bug fixes, new features and security updates, and future app compatibility is uncertain.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
Update length is now part of what you pay for. Samsung's move to five years of OS upgrades on its newest watches puts pressure on rivals, and Engadget notes the Pixel Watch 5 only guarantees three. A watch that still works can quietly become a watch that is no longer safe or supported. Check the support window before you buy, not after.
For builders
If you build apps for Wear OS, expect the oldest Galaxy Watch models to fall behind on OS versions. Check which versions your users run before dropping support or adopting new features.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.