If Samsung sticks to the same timeline as last year, the Galaxy Watch 5 successor could be with us in August — and the latest updates from the rumor mill suggest the Galaxy Watch 6 could beat it in terms of battery life.
This is from GalaxyClub (via Phandroid), and according to upcoming smartwatch certifications, the Galaxy Watch 6 will pack either a 300mAh or 425mAh battery depending on its size (40mm or 44mm, if it’s tracking last year).
That’s up from 284mAh and 410mAh respectively, so while we’re not talking about a massive jump in terms of battery sizes, hopefully the extra capacity and some additional hardware and software tweaks will mean noticeable improvements in battery life.
See this space
Officially, Samsung says you can expect “up to 40 hours” between charges for the 40mm and 44mm Galaxy Watch 5 models, so we’re talking about a day and a half before you start reaching for your charger again.
Check out our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review, and you’ll see we managed to make the smartwatch last a day with a built-in workout session. If you want to get more than that, you have to be careful how you use your wearable.
There is no mention in this leak of the Galaxy Watch Pro 5, which offers about twice the battery life of the cheaper model, thanks to a 590mAh battery. We’ll have to wait and see if Samsung can improve on that this year.
Analysis: Wearables have an issue with battery life
Long battery life is always better, of course, whether we’re talking about smartphones, laptops, or any other type of electronic device. With wearables, it’s especially important: These gadgets are designed to be worn at all times, not on a charging stand.
With smartwatches, for example, they monitor your steps, heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. When you’re not wearing them, there are gaps in the data that is collected, which makes these devices less useful.
However, these wearables are small and lightweight in nature. No one wants a bulky smartwatch that weighs down their wrist — that means there’s not much room for a battery. Manufacturers are basically at a disadvantage right now.
Perhaps the best approach in terms of smartwatches is something like the Garmin Instinct 2: it uses a monochrome display and can last up to a month between charges, while the solar option may never need a recharge if you live somewhere sunny.
- The best feature of the Galaxy Watch that the Apple Watch does not have