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July 29, 2025 Meet the Watch That Thinks Ahead

Galaxy Watch8 Series Design Story

In the dark, the rounded edges of the Galaxy Watch8 catch the light, highlighting the soft silhouette of its cushion-inspired design.
In the dark, the rounded edges of the Galaxy Watch8 catch the light, highlighting the soft silhouette of its cushion-inspired design.

Galaxy Watch combines the unique symbolism of a watch with a range of functional advantages, and has established a deep connection with users across generations. Now, Galaxy Watch returns as a truly ‘smart wearable’, evolved with enhanced usability, AI-powered health insights, and features optimized for all kinds of activities. Get to know the upgraded Galaxy Watch8, an evolution that continues to build on the originality of Galaxy Watch.

Content images simulated for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual product. Product specification may vary by country, region, model, and carrier. Galaxy Watch8 Series Design Film
A close-up of the side of the Galaxy Watch8, highlighting the sleek metal frame, precisely finished button, and softly curved cushion design.

Holistic Design Identity with ‘Cushion Design’

The Galaxy Watch8 Series debuts the Galaxy Watch8 optimized for everyday health management, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic with a rotating bezel and Quick Button bringing convenience to the analog watch aesthetic, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra in Titanium Blue that represents the innovation of Galaxy.

The design team focused heavily on making the Galaxy Watch8 aesthetically refined as a lifestyle product, and also more stable and comfortable to wear. As a result of this effort, the cushion design was first introduced on last year’s Watch Ultra and became the face of the Galaxy Watch. The cushion design has been added to all models with the Galaxy Watch 8 series, establishing it as a defining identity of the watch and completing the unified look of the Galaxy Watch family.

A front close-up of the Galaxy Watch with a white strap and metal bezel, displaying an analog watch UI with white hour and minute hands and an orange second hand on a black screen.
A detailed shot of the bottom of the watch showing the strap attachment mechanism, accompanied by a variety of strap designs.

Sleek & Slim Design with Ultra Comfort

The Galaxy Watch8 series shares the design concept of ‘Ultra Sleek, Ultra Modern,’ with the Galaxy Z series. Incorporating this concept into the cushion design establishes a consistent and distinct design direction unique to Galaxy. In particular, the Galaxy Watch 8 is the slimmest form factor in the series to date, now 11% slimmer than the previous model at just 8.6mm.

However, the innovation of the Galaxy Watch8 series goes beyond its slim design. Comfort has been improved, inside and out. The design offers a more snug, comfortable fit on the wrist and reimagines the connection between the strap and the body. The Dynamic Lug System, first introduced with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, has been introduced across the entire lineup. It minimizes the gap between the watch and the wrist, and allows users to fasten the strap with a single press of a button.

On a backdrop evoking the shadows of a black desert, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic with a black strap is displayed. To its right, the minimalist-bezel Galaxy Watch8 model appears against a simple gray background.
On a backdrop evoking the shadows of a black desert, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic with a black strap is displayed.

Galaxy Watch8 Classic

#Emotive Expressions

A design that captures the essence of a classic watch with a rotating bezel and refined details

the minimalist-bezel Galaxy Watch8 model appears against a simple gray background.

Galaxy Watch8

#Most Essential

A design focused on the most essential form to complement a variety of lifestyles

An image highlighting the Galaxy Watch 2025 Ultra model with a blue body and orange accents, set against a deep-sea background with rising air bubbles. An image highlighting the Galaxy Watch 2025 Ultra model with a blue body and orange accents, set against a deep-sea background with rising air bubbles.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025

#Into the Blue

The Ultra model is refreshed with blue, symbolizing the spirit of change, innovation, and new challenges

This background image has been created by generative AI (Midjourney).
In the center is a classic analog watch face with clock hands, flanked on both sides by various watch UI screens—showing messages, weather, music playback alerts, fitness, and more. In the center is a classic analog watch face with clock hands, flanked on both sides by various watch UI screens—showing messages, weather, music playback alerts, fitness, and more.
Some elements shown are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual product.

Redesigned for the Optimal Watch Experience, One UI 8 Watch

One UI 8 Watch, newly introduced to the Galaxy Watch this year, was created to deliver a seamlessly connected experience, bringing together appealing design with flexible AI features, health management, and the convenience users expect from wrist-worn smart devices.

By analyzing big data, user research, and market feedback, the UX team identified the strengths and weaknesses of previous Galaxy Watch user experiences. This paved the way for bold and significant change in One UI 8 Watch. The interface has been completely redesigned to show key information at a glance, overcoming the limitations of a small screen.

As a result, the structure is simplified, the information is richer, and it’s much easier to use.

Galaxy apps arranged in three horizontal columns scroll downward, with the Photos, Alarm, and Heart Rate apps lighting up in sequence. The video ends with the apps displayed inside a watch frame.

Some elements shown are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual product.

Tiles have also been redesigned to be more compact, so users can see key information at a glance with minimal interaction. They display combined information without needing to open the app and have continued to evolve with each new version of the Galaxy Watch Series. In the new One UI 8 Watch, tiles that were once spread over more than 10 pages are now organized into 3 default pages. Users can freely and conveniently customize and combine tiles to display the information they want to see, like health or fitness.

A Now Bar appears at the bottom of the watch screen, with the Voice Recorder, Timer, and Running apps appearing in sequence. Then the Now Bar disappears, and the Duration, Distance, and Pace UIs are shown together on a single screen.

Notifications have been significantly reorganized, too. Important alerts are now grouped by app and can be expanded, allowing users to check them easily and quickly without having to open each one individually as before.

Additionally, the newly introduced Now Bar on the home screen provides quick access to frequently used or currently running tasks, so the watch experience feels more convenient and efficient.

Multiple Galaxy Watch8 models displayed at various angles, featuring white and gray straps and showcasing a variety of watch faces and app screens. Multiple Galaxy Watch8 models displayed at various angles, featuring white and gray straps and showcasing a variety of watch faces and app screens.
At the top left, vertical gradients of blue and ambient tones are displayed. On the right, various health notifications from the Watch8 app—such as Energy Score, Sleep, Breathing Exercise, and Heart Rate—scroll downward.

Some elements shown are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual product.

Enriching the User Experience with a Signature Color System and Motion Effects

With One UI 8 Watch, the watch experience feels richer than ever, featuring a new structure, a fresh signature color system, and smooth motion effects.

On the Galaxy Watch8, the Now Bar area features a Blur Gradient effect to enhance the continuity and consistency of the user experience. An Ambient Gradient effect using each app’s signature color has also been introduced to make each type of content more visually distinctive, resulting in a more immersive and enriched user experience.

Whether it’s an incoming alert or a prompt from the Health app, notifications now appear with Galaxy Watch’s playful and smoother animations, making the experience more enjoyable for users. The micro-animations introduced in Galaxy Watch7 and other wearable devices have been further refined and expanded in One UI 8 Watch.

Daily routine scenes such as eating or sleeping appear in the background, while on the right, related Watch8 apps and notifications are actively running in real time.

Emphasizing the Premium Brand Image with a Watch Face

We aimed to showcase a new design identity unique to Galaxy Watch by designing the cushion with a sense of premium style. The look and feel of the watch face was also given special consideration, and there are seven different watch face designs for users to choose from and express their individuality.

The Sporty Classic and Heritage Classic reinterpret the traditional feel of a luxury watch, while the Daily Gradient Dashboard is inspired by the beauty of nature that reflects the time of day through sky and earth tones. The Circle Dashboard is the optimal layout for a round display, with bold colors and speed.

An array of Galaxy Watch8 watch faces displayed in a row, featuring styles ranging from traditional luxury to bold and sporty designs. An array of Galaxy Watch8 watch faces displayed in a row, featuring styles ranging from traditional luxury to bold and sporty designs.

(From top left) Sporty Classic, Minimal Analog, Heritage Classic, Minimal Digital, Dynamic Digits, Daily Dashboard, Circle Dashboard

A rounded-square watch frame houses a central circular clock UI with a ticking second hand, overlaid on a background of multiple versions of the same clock UI in various colors.

Minimal Analog / Minimal Digital

These digital styles combine a modern analog design with a clean, minimalist layout that complements the newly updated product form. Simple numerals, bold colors, and subtle embossed and debossed effects work together to create a refined and visually engaging look.

An image featuring a classic watch design UI set against the backdrop of the moon's surface in space.

Sporty Classic / Heritage Classic

The Sporty Classic watch face enhances realism with detailed expressions of light, material, and shadow while offering a stylish and sporty chronograph complication. The Heritage Classic watch face reinterprets the guilloché pattern, a hallmark of luxury watches, to deliver a refined and elegant premium experience in a classic style.

Galaxy Watch8 presents a lifestyle experience where AI innovation fits seamlessly into daily life. Even as it pursues newness, it’s instantly recognizable as a Galaxy Watch, and has further enhanced its unique user experience. We look forward to the future of Galaxy Watch as it continues to evolve and refine its distinct identity.

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