Samsung recently launched the new Galaxy Watch FE this week, which is really just a 2024 "refresh" of the Galaxy Watch 4. The smartwatch features more or less the same specs, chipset, and design as the 2021 model, with the exception of a new sapphire glass over the display for better scratch protection. However, while a Galaxy Watch 4 reboot may seem like a strange move for Samsung, I think it's kind of genius. In fact, it's exactly what Wear OS needs: more affordable smartwatches.
I've been reviewing Wear OS smartwatches for several years, and I've often winced at the prices some of these companies charge for these devices. Fossil, which pulled an LG and left the smartwatch business earlier this year, used to charge $299 for the Fossil Gen 6, which didn't even run Wear OS 3 at launch and had very questionable performance. Samsung's Galaxy Watches now cost more than ever, with the Watch 5 Pro model priced in the same ballpark as a cheap Android phone and even the price of the Pixel Watch 2 giving me pause (don't even get me started on the Montblanc Summit 3).
