Samsung Unveils Galaxy Watch8 Series: AI-Powered Health Features and Sleek Design

Your Galaxy Watch is getting a big upgrade. The best features coming out of Galaxy Watch8

Samsung announced its eighth-generation Galaxy Watch lineup at its summer event in New York City on Wednesday. The Galaxy Watch8 lineup includes the base model smartwatch as well as the Galaxy Watch8 Classic with a rotating bezel. The Galaxy Watch8 is the thinnest smartwatch made by Samsung yet, with an 11% thinner design than previous devices, and brighter than its predecessors with a 3000-nit display. The smartwatches are built with Gemini AI for the first time, for handling more complex tasks and requests. Not every Galaxy Watch8 update is about hardware. There's a few feature updates earlier Galaxy smartwatches will get coming from the One UI 8 software update. From a running coach feature that appears to take notes from Apple Watch's "Workout Buddy" to a bedtime suggestion feature that calibrates your optimized sleep time based on activity and historical rest, here are some of the features Samsung will roll out on its next smartwatch (and which will come to earlier devices). Also: The best smartwatches you can buy right now For those interested in trying out these new features ahead of Samsung's new Galaxy Watch8 shipment, Samsung says they can access them through Samsung's beta program, which is available to users with the Galaxy Watch5 series or later. However, users who have received this update on their devices report that the features will only apply to Galaxy Watches 8 or higher. AI-powered health coaches are trending across wearables, from Whoop and Oura to Apple Watch's new Workout Buddy. Samsung is jumping on the trend with its AI-powered Running Coach, designed to help runners optimize their training program. Made for beginners, Running Coach fine-tunes its suggested intensity, providing motivation, guidance, and personalized training programs that incorporate a user's fitness data to help them reach their exercise goals. Whether they're training for a 5K or a full marathon, the feature provides a unique plan to get them across the finish line. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a big upgrade Users can activate Running Coach by wearing their Galaxy Watch on a 12-minute or longer run outside. Running Coach will analyze their pace and performance to deliver a score from one to ten. Then, they'll receive a personalized training plan geared toward their goal of completing a 5K, 10K, half, or full marathon. The feature resembles Apple Watch's Workout Buddy, which Apple released last week during its annual developers conference. Workout Buddy provides encouragement and aggregates fitness data before, during, and after a user's exercise session. Your Galaxy Watch is now going to tell you when it's time to go to bed. Bedtime Guidance analyzes your past three days of sleep to determine the best time to go to sleep every night. It takes into account "need for sleep pressure" and circadian rhythm to create a sleep schedule that works for the Galaxy Watch wearer. Samsung says this feature is great for those with irregular sleep patterns. How stressed is your heart while you sleep? Samsung's Vascular Load feature will tell you. Several factors impact a heart's ability to dip during the night and initiate recovery. Stress, that is, a higher heart rate, should decrease during sleep, and a higher heart rate throughout the night could signal overall poorer cardiovascular health, Samsung says in the press release. Vascular Load measures a user's heart rate throughout the night and uses the insights it gains through exercise and stress data during the day to encourage healthier habits and lifestyle changes. Certain activities and behaviors can inhibit recovery and fitness progress. Alcohol, smoking, UV exposure, stress, and poor sleep are a few of the factors that Samsung claims accelerate aging and increase free radicals. The solution? Antioxidants, Samsung says. Samsung's Antioxidant Index measures antioxidants found in green and orange fruits and vegetables (known as carotenoids). The brand says that these carotenoids promote healthy aging. Also: The best blood pressure watches you can buy: Expert tested The feature is activated when a user places the center of their finger on the Galaxy Watch's light-activated BioActive sensor, which can take the Antioxidant Index within five seconds. Samsung recommends using a thumb on the sensor for the most accurate results. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

[Galaxy Unpacked 2025] A First Look at the Galaxy Watch8 Series: Streamlining Sleep, Exercise and Everything in Between

On July 9, Samsung Electronics unveiled the Galaxy Watch8 series -- Galaxy Watch8 and Galaxy Watch8 Classic -- at Galaxy Unpacked 2025 in Brooklyn. As personal wellness becomes increasingly important, Galaxy Watch8 introduces smarter health features and the thinnest design that support everyday well-being. Evolving into a personal health coach, the Galaxy Watch8 series helps users build tailored routines with tools for sleep guidance, running coaching, antioxidant and vascular load tracking. A soft-edged cushion design and built-in Gemini, Google's AI assistant, offer both refined aesthetics and intuitive usability. The Monday blues often stem not just from fatigue but from a disrupted weekend sleep cycle. To help recalibrate daily routines, Bedtime Guidance analyzes sleep patterns over the past three days and recommends an ideal time to wind down. Vascular Load tracks stress on the vascular system while the user sleeps. The feature incorporates related data -- such as sleep duration, physical activity and stress levels -- to offer a more holistic view of overall wellness. To help prevent injury while running, proper pacing and real-time, personalized feedback are essential. After a 12-minute run with the Galaxy Watch8 series, Running Coach analyzes performance data, categorizes running ability on a 10-level scale and generates a customized three- to five-week training program. During runs, the feature provides personalized feedback guidance. Afterward, detailed workout summaries and motivational messages are shared. Healthy aging starts from within. The Galaxy Watch8 series introduces the Antioxidant Index -- a first-of-its kind smartwatch feature that measures carotenoid levels in the body. By placing a thumb on the BioActive Sensor on the back of the watch for five seconds, users receive both a numerical score and a color-coded result representing their antioxidant status. The feature makes it easy to monitor aging-related health, offering intuitive insights into dietary and lifestyle habits. For example, a sky blue reading indicates a sufficient intake of carotenoid-rich foods like leafy greens and carrots. The Galaxy Watch8 series is the world's first smartwatch to come equipped with Google's Gemini. Even when hands are full, voice control allows users to operate key functions -- offering intuitive support during workouts and daily routines. For example, saying "start a 300-calorie circuit training workout" prompts Gemini to launch Samsung Health for seamless exercise tracking. Debuting with this release, One UI 8 Watch introduces a redesigned tiles optimized for smaller displays -- making essential information easier to view at a glance. The Galaxy Watch8 series brings innovation to hardware as well. The Galaxy Watch8 features the thinnest design in the series to date, with an ultra-slim 8.6-millimeter profile. The lightweight build reduces strain on the wrist, while a cushion design -- first introduced on the Galaxy Watch Ultra -- gives the Galaxy Watch8 series a refined, modern look. The Galaxy Watch8 series includes two models -- Galaxy Watch8, with a minimalist design optimized for daily health tracking, and Galaxy Watch8 Classic, combining a rotating bezel and quick button with the appeal of an analog watch. In addition, the Galaxy Watch Ultra will be available in a new Titanium Blue color. From morning to night, the Galaxy Watch8 series supports full-spectrum health management -- spanning exercise to diet and beyond. Powered by AI, the Galaxy Watch8 series marks the beginning of a more personalized wellness journey.