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Samsung is treating Galaxy Watch Ultra users to a big surprise

Believe it or not, last year's Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is scoring its stable One UI 8 Watch update mere weeks after the beginning of a public beta program.

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Jul 22, 2025, 2:05 AM

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Released around a year ago with One UI Watch 6 out the box, Samsung's first-ever rugged timepiece is today scoring its first-ever major software update. This is not One UI Watch 7, mind you, and I'm also not talking about some new beta build here.

That's right, Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) owners have suddenly and completely surprisingly started receiving notifications that the stable One UI Watch 8 promotion is now available for their Apple Watch Ultra-rivaling devices.

If you're interested in refreshing your wearable's user interface (which you absolutely should be), you'll need to exercise some patience, as the massive update tips the scales at close to 2GB, thus requiring quite a bit of download and installation time.

Of course, your patience will be rewarded with a fittingly huge list of new features, functionalities, and performance improvements officially detailed by Samsung last month. Bedtime Guidance, Vascular Load, Running Coach, and Antioxidant Index are clearly chief on that list of tweaks and add-ons, bringing the first-gen Galaxy Watch Ultra perfectly in line with its (repetitive) 2025 sequel from a software standpoint.

What's the most exciting thing about the One UI 8 Watch update?

Its swift delivery

16.27%

Bedtime Guidance

4.82%

Vascular Load

15.66%

Running Coach

3.01%

Antioxidant Index

12.95%

Performance enhancements

28.61%

Nothing exciting to see here

18.67%

After fumbling a lot of updates for many of its best phones, tablets, and smartwatches over the last year or so, we all expected Samsung to turn a new software support leaf, especially after hearing that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 were planned to run One UI 8 at launch.

But this is still a much faster stable update than anyone hoped, following mere weeks on the heels of the Watch Ultra's One UI Watch 8 beta program kickoff. For the time being, we only have confirmation that the update is rolling out over the air in the US on carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile, but I'm ready to bet a global expansion will take place in a matter of hours. Days, tops.

$263 off (40%)

Act fast and get the Galaxy Watch Ultra in White with $263 off its price. Only a few units are left, so this deal could expire soon. The watch offers great durability and packs a plethora of features. Don’t hesitate!

Buy at Amazon

$230 off (35%)

Alternatively, you can go for the Galaxy Watch Ultra in Gray, which is selling for $230 off on Amazon.

Buy at Amazon

With One UI Watch 8, the OG Galaxy Watch Ultra becomes even harder to turn down at hefty discounts across the nation... unless, of course, you think the non-rugged new Galaxy Watch 8 is the best smartwatch for you right now. Last year's frequently discounted Galaxy Watch 7 can also be a great option (with its own stable One UI Watch 8 update likely around the corner), while the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) is... unfortunately too expensive and too familiar-looking to prove a smart buy for a lot of people.

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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'.

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