Galaxy Watch8 Classic appears on Samsung test servers with One UI 9 Watch beta firmware

Samsung appears to be preparing One UI 9 Watch testing for the Galaxy Watch8 Classic after a new beta firmware build was spotted on internal test servers. The build suggests Samsung is moving toward bringing its Wear OS 7-based software to older wearables following the launch of Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2. A public beta date has not been confirmed, so users should not assume the software is immediately available. Test firmware can also contain bugs or changes that never reach the final release.

One noteworthy detail is the use of a newer bootloader, which may make downgrading difficult once testing begins. One UI 9 Watch is expected to bring interface refinements and software features from Samsung's latest watches to supported earlier models. Extending major updates to existing hardware is important because wearables are increasingly used for health monitoring, notifications and payment functions over several years.

Samsung's growing watch ecosystem now competes directly with Google's freshly announced Pixel Watch 5. Keeping older Galaxy Watches current helps the company retain users who may not want to upgrade their wearable every year simply to access the newest software.