Wearables
Samsung Pay coming to Galaxy Watch in South Korea
As Apple Pay went official in South Korea, Samsung is reportedly considering bringing the Samsung Pay payment service to Galaxy Watch users. Starting the original Galaxy Watch, the company launched new wearable devices without NFC-based Samsung Pay service in its home ground.
According to Korean media via (SamSWUpdate), Samsung started the review phase to launch the NFC-based Samsung Pay payment feature on the Galaxy Watch models in South Korea. Since all Galaxy Watch models are packed with NFC, there will be wider availability of this feature.
Exclusive: Galaxy Watch with NFC to support Samsung Pay in South Korea, software development is underway. Thanks #ApplePay đ
— Samsung One UI Software Updates #SamsungUnpacked (@SamSWUpdate) March 28, 2023
The company is reportedly developing a new firmware update, which will enable the Samsung Pay feature on compatible Galaxy Watch models. The Gear S3 was the last wearable launched in Korea, which was equipped with MST (magnetic secure transport) to support Samsung Pay.
It’s worth mentioning that Samsung Pay is already available in various global markets, thanks to the widespread availability of NFC-based payment terminals. Meanwhile, the number of stores that accept NFC payment is very small in South Korea.
Since NFC-powered Apple Pay just entered the Korean market, Samsung believes that the use of NFC terminals will significantly increase in the country. That is why, the company is reportedly bringing back the Samsung Pay function to Galaxy Watch models.
As Apple Pay is expected to attract Galaxy users to switch to iPhones, Samsung needs to prevent Apple Pay by promoting convenience, and a simple payment function for wearables. However, a Samsung official reportedly denied commenting on the matter, saying:
“It is difficult to officially confirmâ the plan to apply Samsung Pay, and ânothing has been decided yet.â
In terms of versatility, Samsung Pay is evaluated to be superior to Apple Pay in South Korea. Apple Pay uses the internationally accepted EMV (Euro Pay Master Card Visa) NFC method, but older NFC terminals do not recognize it, making it impossible to make payments through Apple Pay.
On the other hand, Samsung Pay adopts the MST (magnetic secure transport) method, which can be used at most stores in South Korea. Notably, Samsung Pay recently gained the ability to store digital student identity cards in select high schools, read more here.
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Google has confirmed the release of Wear OS 5.1, the latest version of its wearable operating system. This new update is based on Android 15, which changes how Wear OS works. Meanwhile, Samsung has just started the official One UI 6 Watch rollout based on Wear OS 5 for Galaxy Watch 6 after a long beta testing.
Wear OS 5.1 builds on Wear OS 5, which was based on Android 14. Google announced the update in a developer post and suggested that developers test their apps on the new version using the Android emulator.
Google has confirmed the Wear OS 5.1 update but it is not yet available for physical devices like smartwatches, including the Pixel Watch. It’s likely that Wear OS 5.1 will eventually come to devices but thereâs no exact date yet.
Notably, Private Space feature support is not available with Wear OS 5.1. This feature was introduced with Android 15 on phones and tablets and caused problems when used with Wear OS watches. Notifications that were meant to stay private were showing up on the smartwatch, even if they shouldnât have. Google acknowledged this issue and decided to remove the feature from Wear OS 5.1 instead of trying to fix it. We can expect that in upcoming updates.
Currently, if you want to try out Wear OS 5.1, youâll need to use the Android emulator, as the update isnât available on any smartwatches yet. The official rollout date for this new version is still unknown, but itâs expected to reach devices in the future.
On the other side, Samsung started rolling out the Galaxy Watch 7 series feature based on Wear OS 5 to the Galaxy Watch. It is expected that more Galaxy Watch models will get this major update in the coming days or weeks. Samsung will also start developing its One UI Watch update based on Wear OS 5.1 soon. Stay tuned for more details as Google continues to develop Wear OS 5.1.
Official One UI 6 Watch update live for Galaxy Watch 6 series in the US
Samsung finally started the Stable One UI 6 Watch update rollout today. The company revealed all the eligible Galaxy Watch models for the update. There are many new features, Galaxy AI advancements, and functional improvements.
The Stable One UI 6 Watch update update will first rollout to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series and then become available sequentially to previous generations. Feature availability and support may vary by market, carrier, model, and paired device.
Pay attention, the One UI 6 Watch is based on Google’s Wear OS 5. It aims to expand Watch 7 and Watch Ultra features to previous generations of Galaxy Watch including the Watch 6 series, Watch 5 series, Watch 4 series, and Watch FE.
The best features of One UI 6 Watch update:
Sleep Tracking
You will get a deeper and more accurate understanding of sleep with a detailed analysis powered by an advanced AI algorithm and new sleep metrics.
Sleep Apnea
- It helps users proactively spot potential signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Race
- Monitor progress in real time when running or cycling with Race.
Workout Routine
- This feature lets users combine various exercises and create personalized routines.
Energy Score
- Users can better understand their physical and mental conditions through an intuitive score calculated from various health metrics.
New Watch Faces
- The One UI 6 Watch also brings a handful of new watch faces namely Spatial Number, Simple Digital and Ultra Info Board.
- Simple Digital watch face reflects a minimalist design
- Ultra Info Board watch face to check info at a glance without sacrificing style
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While the One UI 6 Watch update contains Galaxy AI features, Samsung does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the output provided by AI features.
It is also advised that users should not treat any health-related info accessed through the Galaxy Watch as medical advice. Medical advice from a physician is highly recommended in case of any health-related sign shown on your wrist device.
Samsungâs new XR glasses are expected to launch in the second half of 2025. These glasses are being made in partnership with Google. A new report reveals that the glasses will share some features with the popular Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses but will not have a display.
According to the information, the upcoming XR glasses of Samsung will be powered by Qualcommâs AR1 chipset, the same used in Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While details on the specific AR1 version remain unclear, the use of Qualcommâs chip suggests a focus on lightweight, efficient computing.
Like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Samsungâs XR glasses will reportedly sport a 12MP camera and a 155 mAh battery, giving them a similar form factor. It also claims to weigh around 50 grams slightly heavier than the Ray-Ban model.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
There has been much speculation about whether these glasses would feature a display, and the fresh report suggests they will not. It would be hard to add a display while keeping the glasses lightweight, so Samsung is likely skipping this feature.
Even without a display, the Samsung XR glasses will still include some smart features. These include AI functions for making payments, scanning QR codes, recognizing gestures, and even identifying people.
Although the full details arenât clear, it seems the glasses will offer more capabilities than the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The Samsung XR glasses are expected to be released in late 2025, but Samsung might tease them off earlier.
Samsung crafting mixed-reality smart glasses with Qualcomm, Google