Check out the oddly familiar renders and specs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
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Update:
Shortly after answering most of our Galaxy Watch FE-related questions, X leaker Sudhanshu Ambhore has just about completed the puzzle with an all-important pricing piece. Samsung’s budget-friendly Apple Watch alternative will apparently cost “under €180”, presumably in Europe. Although that converts to almost $200 at today’s rate, we’re fairly certain the device’s official US price point will be set around the $180 mark or perhaps even lower.
An entry-level Apple Watch SE 2 from 2022 normally starts at $250, mind you, not to mention how much costlier the Galaxy Watch 6 is than we now expect the Galaxy Watch FE to be. Simply put, this massively raises our excitement for the oddly familiar intelligent timepiece rendered below, making us keen to overlook that undeniably outdated design.
The original story follows below:
Apart from working on a “regular” new Galaxy Watch 7 that we don’t really know much about and an aptly named Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra rival for the rugged Apple Watch Ultra family with a pretty bizarre design, Samsung is clearly also preparing a first-of-a-kind Galaxy Watch FE model with a presumably affordable price tag.
This latter device has been making the rumor rounds for a few months now, first under a name that didn’t make a lot of sense for a “modern” product with contemporary software onboard. While all recent signs are pointing to a Galaxy Watch FE marketing label rather than an awkward Galaxy Watch 4 (2024) moniker, a fresh and detailed leak on X seems to confirm the upcoming wearable’s close connection with a gadget from nearly three years ago.
Yes, it appears that the first-ever Fan Edition smartwatch will look virtually identical to the (non-Classic) Galaxy Watch 4 released back in 2021. Although rehashing an old but undeniably attractive design is not necessarily a bad thing, we have to admit we’re a little disappointed to hear that Samsung could clone all of the Watch 4’s specs for this year’s Watch FE as well.
If Sudhanshu Ambhore is correct, the Galaxy Watch FE will pack a homebrewed dual-core Exynos W920 processor and 1.5GB RAM into an aluminum case measuring 40mm in diagonal. Just like the small and relatively affordable Galaxy Watch 4, this variant of Samsung’s direct Apple Watch SE 2 rival is expected to sport a high-quality circular AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 396 x 396 pixels.
Then you’ll apparently have an unchanged 247mAh cell capable of delivering an improved 30-hour battery life rating with the help of a more frugal One UI 5.0 interface based on Google’s Wear OS platform. Certified to resist water immersion up to 50 meters deep, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is also purportedly equipped with its very own microphone and speaker, and perhaps more importantly, an optical heart rate monitor, ECG technology, and a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sensor for body composition analysis.
The bezel, which will apparently be available in black, pink gold, and silver colorways, is almost surely not equipped with fancy rotating functionality, so the only way Samsung can turn the Galaxy Watch FE into a bigger box-office hit than the original Galaxy Watch 4 is with the help of a truly aggressive price point.
That (along with the product’s release date) are basically the only missing puzzle pieces right now, which is why it’s probably wise to reserve judgment on this seemingly inexplicable decision to bring back a 2021 smartwatch from the dead before we get the full picture.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
