Galaxy Watch 4 models won't get Samsung's One UI 9 Watch update, Engadget reports

The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will not receive One UI 9 Watch, according to Engadget's report of Oct. 31. Engadget says the exclusion covers the limited editions too: the Galaxy Watch 4 Golf Edition and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic Thom Browne Edition.

We could not find a Samsung eligibility list or a Samsung statement on the exclusion. The July press release for the newest watches does not include one, and Samsung's US software-update page returned an error when we checked. The list below comes from outlets that cite Samsung's update policy.

Which watches are skipped

Engadget names the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic as the models that won't get the update. Gizmochina published the same four-watch list "based on the update policy" in an article its web address dates to Aug. 14, and says both models had already reached the end of OS update support with One UI 8 Watch.

Engadget says the Watch 4 lineup has received four major OS upgrades: One UI Watch 4.5, One UI 5 Watch, One UI 6 Watch and One UI 8 Watch. Gizmochina says the older excluded watches were offered five years of security updates, which ended in August 2026.

Android Authority reported on Sept. 9, citing SamMobile, that Samsung had removed both models from its Mobile Security work scope schedule after the September 2026 security bulletin. It says the August 2026 security patch was the last one for both watches.

Who gets One UI 9 Watch

Engadget says the Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and newer models will receive One UI 9 Watch by the end of 2026. It gives no Samsung date, and we found none. Engadget also notes that a sixth One UI 9 Watch beta went out in late October to Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic owners in South Korea.

The Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, which Samsung announced on July 22, launched with One UI 9 Watch, Engadget says. It adds that Samsung has committed to five major OS upgrades for those two watches, one more than the older models got. The Samsung release we read does not include that commitment.

What owners of the excluded watches can do

Keep using the watch. Engadget says the lack of One UI 9 Watch won't affect performance. The trade-off is that the watch won't get bug fixes, new features or security updates. Android Authority puts it the same way: the watches keep working but get no security patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities. Engadget calls future app compatibility "another question mark".

Give it another job. Engadget suggests turning an older Galaxy Watch into a dedicated sleep tracker, smart home dashboard or media remote, or handing it down to someone else.

Upgrade. Engadget points to the Galaxy Watch9, which it says promises five years of upgrades, and to the Watch8 Classic for owners who want a physical rotating bezel. Our Galaxy Watch guide compares the current lineup. As of Oct. 25, it lists Samsung's US prices as from $379.99 for the Watch9 and $699.99 for the Ultra2. The Watch9 and Ultra2 went on sale Aug. 7.

What we don't know

• Samsung's position. We found no Samsung notice listing eligible or excluded models, or commenting on the Watch 4 decision.
• Trade-in offers. We found no Samsung trade-in credit or discount aimed at Galaxy Watch 4 owners.
• LTE versions. The reports we read don't say whether the LTE versions of the Galaxy Watch 4 are handled the same way.
• Exact release dates. The "by the end of 2026" timing for Watch 5 and newer is Engadget's. Samsung hasn't confirmed a date in anything we read.