Samsung originally planned to commence the One UI 5 Watch beta program for compatible Galaxy watches at the end of May, but it has been delayed for over a week for an unknown reason. Nonetheless, the availability of the final version could likely be announced alongside the upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 launch in July.
How to download and install the One UI 5 Watch beta software
The One UI 5 Watch beta update is available for last year’s Galaxy Watch 5 (review) duo as well as the 2021 Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic. If you’re residing in the USA or South Korea with any of these watch models, you can head to the Samsung Members app to enroll in the program. Subsequently, installing the hefty firmware can be done through the watch or the Galaxy Watch app on your Android or iPhone.
New features in the One UI 5 Watch Beta: Timers, medical info, folders, etc.
Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch is based on Google’s Wear OS 3.5. Among the features planned to be added are improved sleep tracking, expanded routes in GPS and maps, and personalized heart rate zones. The latter is important for athletes when they manage their exercise and training as it lets them choose a specific mode along with a detailed view of workout results.
However, not all listed changes and features will be shipped at once with the first beta. As highlighted in the current release notes, the update only includes support for up to 20 timers, attached medical info for emergency SOS, new gestures to control your watch, and organizing apps in folders. In addition, there is also an expanded diagnosis app for the watch, so you can learn the details such as battery health and remaining storage.
Do you plan to join the Samsung One UI Watch beta program? Which of the new features are eagerly awaiting to test? Let us know your plans in the comment section.
