Samsung is rolling out a major update to its Galaxy Wearable app in July 2026, according to leaked screenshots obtained by tech insiders. The redesign, which appears to be the most extensive in years, overhauls the home screen with a One UI aesthetic, integrates Gemini artificial intelligence for voice commands directly from your wrist, and introduces dedicated health tiles for faster access to fitness metrics. The update is expected to land alongside new Galaxy Watch models, marking a significant shift in how users interact with Samsung’s wearables.
A New Look: One UI Takes Over the Galaxy Wearable App
The leaked screenshots reveal a home screen that closely mirrors Samsung’s One UI design language, previously reserved for smartphones and tablets. The interface swaps the current tabbed layout for a card-based view, with larger previews of connected Galaxy Watch devices. Quick settings and device management options are now more prominently displayed, reducing the need to dig through menus.
The main screen shows a prominent “Watch Preview” card that displays the watch face, battery status, and shortcuts to key settings. Below it, a row of recommended watch faces and apps sits in a horizontally scrollable strip, similar to the home screen on a Samsung phone. The bottom navigation bar has been simplified to three tabs: Home, Discover, and My Page, mirroring the navigation in other Samsung apps like Samsung Health and Galaxy Store.
For longtime users, this will feel familiar yet fresh. The redesign seems aimed at making the app more intuitive for newcomers while giving power users quicker access to frequent tasks. The one downside? The revamp buries some advanced settings deeper; you’ll now need to tap “Watch Settings” and then scroll to find options like software updates or connectivity toggles.
Gemini Integration: AI Comes to Your Wrist
One of the standout features in the leak is the deep integration of Google’s Gemini AI assistant. A new “Gemini wrist activation” toggle appears in the app’s settings, enabling users to summon the AI directly from their Galaxy Watch without touching their phone. Once activated, a long press of the watch’s home button launches Gemini, allowing voice commands for smart home control, web searches, and even on-device app actions.
The integration goes beyond basic voice commands. The Gemini service on the watch can tap into your Samsung account data to offer personalized suggestions—like reminding you of upcoming calendar events or suggesting a workout routine based on your past activity. It also ties into Bixby and Google Assistant, letting you choose your preferred default assistant for quick tasks while reserving Gemini for more complex queries.
Privacy controls are built into the app, with a dashboard that shows which data Gemini accesses and when. Users can disable the feature entirely or restrict it to only work when the phone is unlocked. This privacy focus is a welcome addition, given the sensitivity of always-listening devices.
Health Tiles: A Smarter Way to Track Fitness
The leaked Galaxy Wearable app also introduces a new “Health Tiles” section, which appears as a separate card on the home screen. Unlike the current health overview, which offers a simple list of metrics, these tiles are interactive and customizable. You can rearrange tiles for heart rate, sleep, steps, blood oxygen, and stress levels, and each tile expands to show a mini chart when tapped.
This mirrors the widget approach found in Samsung Health but brings it directly into the wearable companion app, reducing the need to switch between apps. Samsung seems to be acknowledging that users want a unified health dashboard where they can manage both watch settings and health data in one place. The tiles sync in real time with the watch, so the data is always up-to-date.
For fitness enthusiasts, this means less time navigating menus and more time analyzing trends. The sleep tile, for example, now includes a sleep animal icon that represents your sleep type, along with a quick view of your sleep stages. The heart rate tile shows a live reading and a resting heart rate trend line for the past week. These at-a-glance insights make the Galaxy Wearable app a more compelling health hub.
What the Redesign Means for Everyday Users
If you’re a Galaxy Watch owner, the redesigned app will change how you interact with your device. The card-based layout makes it easier to see your watch’s status at a glance, and the Discover tab aggregates watch face recommendations, app suggestions, and tips for getting more out of your wearable. It’s a more curated experience compared to the current app, which often feels utilitarian.
For users with multiple Samsung devices, the integration with One UI and Samsung account services promises a seamless handoff. For instance, you could start a voice query with Gemini on your watch and have the results appear on your Galaxy phone or tablet. The app also supports new watch faces that sync with your phone’s wallpaper and color palette, a feature previously limited to stock One UI experiences.
Windows users who pair their Galaxy Watch with a PC via Samsung Flow or the Phone Link app won’t be left out. While the Galaxy Wearable app itself isn’t available on Windows, the enhanced AI features and health tracking will indirectly improve the cross-device experience. For example, Gemini on the watch could follow up on a Microsoft Teams message you read on your PC, or set a reminder that syncs across your Microsoft account. Samsung has been steadily improving Windows integration, and this update further bridges the gap.
How We Arrived Here: The Evolution of Galaxy Wearable
Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app has undergone several iterations since its debut alongside the Galaxy Gear in 2013. Initially a basic companion for transferring media and managing settings, it evolved into a full-featured hub after the switch to Tizen and later Wear OS. The last major redesign came in 2021 with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 4, when Samsung adopted the Wear OS platform unified with Google. That version introduced a more modern, but still tab-heavy interface.
Since then, Samsung has gradually added features like watch face customization, ECG and blood pressure monitoring, and deeper integration with Samsung Health. However, the app’s core design remained largely unchanged, leading to complaints from users about clutter and confusing navigation. The July 2026 update appears to address these pain points head-on, drawing inspiration from the success of the One UI overhaul on phones.
The timing aligns with the expected release of the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch 9 Classic. Samsung typically refreshes its wearable app alongside new hardware to showcase new capabilities. The inclusion of Gemini AI also reflects a broader industry push toward on-device AI, following Apple’s WatchOS 11 and Google’s updates to Wear OS 5. Samsung is positioning its watches not just as fitness trackers, but as AI-powered wrist companions.
Setting the Leaked Features in Context
Leaks of Samsung’s software updates are nothing new, but these screenshots appear credible based on their alignment with Samsung’s design roadmap and the fact that the Galaxy Wearable app already had dormant code hinting at Gemini integration. A datamine of the current app version in early June 2026 revealed strings referencing “wrist_ai” and “one_ui_home,” according to unnamed sources.
Samsung has not officially confirmed the redesign, but the company typically announces such updates at its Unpacked event in July. Given that the leaked material references a July 2026 rollout, it’s likely the redesign will debut alongside the next-generation Galaxy Watch series. If history is any guide, beta versions of the new app might appear in the Galaxy Store or via Samsung Members in late June.
Concerns and Limitations
While the redesign looks promising, not all changes may be welcomed. The new card-based layout could feel oversimplified to advanced users who prefer having all settings accessible from one screen. Additionally, the deep integration of Gemini raises questions about battery life and data usage, as always-listening AI features tend to consume more power. Samsung will need to balance functionality with efficiency, especially on smaller watch batteries.
Privacy remains a hot topic, too. Although the app includes permission controls, the fact that Gemini can access multiple data sources—emails, calendar, health stats—may give pause to users who are cautious about AI assistants. Samsung’s track record with Bixby’s privacy has been uneven, so the company will need to be transparent about data handling.
What to Do Now: Preparing for the Update
If you’re a Galaxy Watch user, you don’t need to take any immediate action. The redesign will likely roll out as an automatic update through the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store in July 2026. However, to ensure a smooth transition, there are a few steps you can take now:
- Clean Up Your Watch Faces: The new Discover tab will recommend watch faces based on your usage. Having a cluttered collection of unused watch faces might lead to irrelevant suggestions. Remove any you no longer use to improve the recommendation engine.
- Familiarize Yourself with Gemini: If you haven’t used Gemini before, consider enabling it on your phone to understand its capabilities. The wrist version will have a more streamlined interface, but the core functionality is similar.
- Check Compatibility: The new app is expected to require a Galaxy Watch running Wear OS 5 or higher and a phone with Android 13 or later. Ensure your devices meet these requirements. Older Tizen-based watches like the Galaxy Watch 3 won’t get the updated app.
- Join the Beta (If Available): Samsung often runs beta programs for its major app updates. Keep an eye on the Samsung Members app for an announcement. Participating in the beta will give you early access and the chance to provide feedback.
For Windows users, make sure your Phone Link app is up to date via the Microsoft Store, as improvements in the wearable app might rely on companion updates to the Windows integration components. Samsung Flow users should also check for updates to ensure seamless cross-device syncing.
Outlook: The Future of Samsung’s Wearable Ecosystem
The Galaxy Wearable app redesign signals Samsung’s ambition to turn its smartwatches into central hubs for AI-driven convenience. By blending One UI design, Gemini intelligence, and holistic health tracking, Samsung is taking on Apple and Google directly. The real test will be whether the execution lives up to the promise, particularly in terms of battery life and AI reliability.
Looking ahead, we expect Samsung to expand Gemini’s wrist capabilities with third-party app integrations, allowing developers to build actions that work directly from the watch. The health tiles may also pave the way for more personalized wellness recommendations, possibly tied to a subscription service like Samsung Health Premium. As Windows and Android continue to converge under the Microsoft-Samsung partnership, future updates could bring the Galaxy Wearable experience more deeply into the PC space, perhaps through a dedicated Windows widget or deeper Phone Link integration.
For now, the leaked redesign is a breath of fresh air for Galaxy Watch owners. It modernizes a crucial app and sets the stage for a smarter, more intuitive wearable experience. We’ll be watching closely for official confirmation at Samsung’s next Unpacked event.