Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Misses Out on One UI 9 Watch Update

Samsung will not bring its One UI 9 Watch software to the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, according to Engadget. Both models arrived in 2021 and have already taken in four major operating system releases, which is the limit for watches sold before this year's hardware.

The cutoff covers every variant of that generation, including the Golf Edition and the Thom Browne Edition of the Classic. The two watches marked Samsung's move away from its own Tizen platform toward a customised version of Google's Wear OS.

Samsung launched its newest wearables in August, the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Watch Ultra 2, and those ship with the current software. Owners of the Watch 7 and Watch 8 families have been testing early builds, with a sixth beta of One UI 9 Watch arriving in late October for Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic users in South Korea.

The Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro and anything released after them are scheduled to get the update by the end of 2026. Samsung has raised the upgrade commitment on its latest hardware to five major releases, while earlier models were promised four.

Missing the release does not slow a Watch 4 down. It does mean no further bug fixes, no added capabilities and no security patches, and it leaves open the question of how long existing apps will keep working on the device.

The new software brings a tidied-up interface, the option to lift your wrist to summon an AI assistant, and health readings including Daily Cardio Load and a Heart Health Score.

Engadget suggests that anyone still wearing a Watch 4 should consider newer hardware. The Watch 9, which also adds sleep apnea detection and skin temperature tracking, is positioned as a long-term buy, and the Watch 8 Classic is the option for people who want a physical rotating bezel. Owners who would rather not spend can keep the old watch as a sleep tracker, a smart home display, a media remote or a hand-me-down.