The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active will feature a brand new exterior design language, and with it, the proprietary Tizen OS will have undergone some visible changes.
A series of leaked images published by SamMobile (and since removed) highlight parts of the new user interface for the upcoming smartwatch, and reportedly the revamped UI will fall in line with Samsung’s new One UI which replaced the company’s ‘Samsung Experience’ for some of its high-end smartphones late last year.
The leaked images reveal a number of new and colorful watch faces, ranging from those meant to imitate analog watches to those that embrace their digital roots. More importantly, several watch faces seem to be focused on providing the user with additional information related to fitness. An activity tracker employs color codes to inform users at a glance, letting them know whether they should burn more calories, perform more intense physical activities, or move hourly.
The One UI-inspired changes are said to be further enriched with improved animations as well as rewards for users who achieve their fitness goals, and the device should be able to detect additional fitness activities. Furthermore, the wearable will reportedly offer automatic continuous heart-rate tracking and alert users whose rates exceed a certain threshold after a period of inactivity of ten minutes.
On the most part, the leaked renders focus primarily on the health aspects of the upcoming smartwatch, but the new changes to the UI should expand across the entire operating system. The gallery below also offers a glimpse at the quick-toggle area containing the usual controls for brightness, timers, and other features, as well as a self-explanatory “missed call” notification screen.
Of course, even with these UI changes included in the mix, the most notable difference between the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and the OEM’s previous smartwatch models lies in the exterior design. This year’s smartwatch will abandon the physical rotating bezel, effectively scrapping the popular input method in favor of a cleaner, more stylish look, and two physical side buttons that seem to be too flush to be considered watch crowns.
Based on recent reports, the upcoming model is also going to have the smallest circular display ever to be employed by Samsung for its smartwatches. It will measure 1.1-inches and will still be an AMOLED panel offering a 360 by 360 pixel resolution, as well as Always-On functionality. It should also be the first Samsung smartwatch to support Bixby Reminders, further confirming that the OEM’s platform will continue to be a part of its upcoming Galaxy S10 flagship series.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is expected to be unveiled on February 20, five days ahead of MWC 2019, and most likely accompanied by the OEM’s new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S10. Previous leaks suggest that the wearable will launch in a handful of color options including gray, black, dark turquoise, and rose gold, but pricing details remain unknown.
Last year’s Galaxy Watch carried a launch price of $329 and $349 for the 1.2-inch and 1.3-inch variants, respectively, whereas the Samsung Gear Sport was released priced at $299.
