A Samsung Galaxy Watch has reportedly developed a Green Line on its display, and the recent One UI 8 Watch update is allegedly the culprit. This is a widespread problem across Galaxy phones, primarily in Korea, but select Galaxy Watch units have also started to be the victim of the display defect.

Samsung Galaxy Watch develops Green Line

Reddit user HKNworld posted two images, revealing the Samsung Galaxy Watch screen has developed a thin vertical green line. The line expands from the top to the bottom on the right side of the screen of the smartwatch.

Another image from the same source shows a more prominent OLED defect. A dead pixel has also appeared on the display, which is worse than the line itself.

Notably, the victim is a Galaxy Watch 4 model, and the disaster happened after the One UI 8 update. The user should reach out to an authorised service center to get the watch inspected and get a repair quotation.

Samsung offers free screen replacement to Galaxy smartphone users in India. The policy says you are eligible for a one-time display repair at no cost. However, there are some requirements that your device must fulfill:

• Not older than three years
• No physical or water damage
• No prior complimentary OLED replacement

Like phones, replacing the watch’s display will cost a lot. Even if it’s a quality issue, the company is less likely to offer a complimentary replacement. Offering it once will open the floodgates of replacement demands from consumers.

The smartwatch market is entering a different phase. Design refinements and battery improvements still matter, but companies are increasingly competing over how intelligently their watches understand the user’s health. Samsung is gearing up to challenge Apple with its upcoming Edge AI Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 this Summer.

According to Counterpoint Research, Edge AI smartwatch shipments grew 70 percent YoY during the first quarter of 2026, with their market share rising from 15 percent to 25 percent. The firm expects Edge AI devices to account for more than 32 percent of smartwatch shipments by the end of the year.

Edge AI

Edge AI allows machine learning tasks to run directly on the smartwatch instead of sending sensitive biometric information to cloud servers.

Apple dominates Edge AI segment, accounting for roughly 90 percent of shipments. Apple already uses its Neural Engine architecture to power health features including blood pressure alerts, sleep scoring, and Workout Buddy.

Samsung, however, appears ready to answer Edge AI with its Galaxy AI-powered Watch models. The company has already previewed several Samsung Health additions expected to arrive with its next Galaxy Watch.

Rather than simply displaying numbers, Samsung’s approach is shifting toward explaining what those numbers mean and suggesting practical actions.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, featuring a dedicated NPU for on-device AI, could also help accelerate adoption across Wear OS devices.

Samsung is expected to unveil the new Galaxy Watch alongside its latest foldables during Galaxy Unpacked later this month, with pre-orders reportedly opening immediately after the event.

Samsung launched One UI 9 Beta, but reserved its wearable iteration. Galaxy Unpacked is officially set for July 22, and the Android 17-based One UI 9 and Wear OS 7-based One UI 9 Watch will go official with new foldable phones and smartwatches.

One UI 9 Watch is set to deliver intelligent capabilities. The next-generation smartwatches are tailored for offering more personalized and adaptive experiences. Samsung will share these new advancements with existing models as well.

One UI 9 Watch enters testing for existing smartwatches

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 will ship with One UI 9 Watch. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Watch Ultra are the primary contenders for the One UI 9 Watch software update.

That said, Samsung has started internal One UI 9 Watch testing for the Galaxy Watch 8 series. This info is derived from an early firmware discovery for the standard model, carrying build version L320XXU2BZG2 (via Alfaturk).

The lineup includes a Classic variant as well, which should soon enter the streak. Samsung would take a couple of weeks for internal testing, and then a Beta Program will be opened for general users to help shape the firmware.

As of July 8, 2026, these Galaxy Watches are testing One UI 9 Watch:

• Galaxy Watch 8

Which Galaxy Watch models are eligible?

1. Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, 44mm, and 46mm)
2. Galaxy Watch Ultra
3. Galaxy Watch 7 (40mm and 44mm)
4. Galaxy Watch FE
5. Galaxy Watch 6 (40mm and 44mm)
6. Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (43mm and 47mm)
7. Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm and 44mm)
8. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

Galaxy Watch 4 also runs Wear OS, but the lineup is unlikely to receive one more major upgrade. The firmware support is already on the verge of ending, and if you are still on the Watch 4, it’s time to consider upgrading to a newer model.

Samsung is rolling out new July 2026 reliability improvements to the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 7, and Watch 6 smartwatches. This rollout makes the wearables the first in Samsung to have the latest patches; even mobile phones are yet to join the party. The company has also shared the details (bulletin) of its July 2026 security patch.

Galaxy watches receive a new security update every quarter. Samsung consistently releases these updates, and sometimes provides additional patches. July patch has arrived, but a global expansion would take some time to spread.

Users of the Galaxy Watch 8 and Classic can identify the July 2026 update via a PDA build version ending with AZF4. If you own the Galaxy Watch 7, the firmware version ends with BZF4, and it would be the same for the OG Watch Ultra.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic users are also receiving the latest firmware update, which carries a build version ending with CZF5. Notably, the updates weigh around 170 megabytes for the wearables.

July patches apart, the latest firmware also cleans the operating system. Users should experience a better user experience and performance. You can download the latest OTA update using the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.

Is One UI 9 Watch Beta coming next?

Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 later this month. The new wearables will be equipped with One UI 9 Watch, based on Wear OS 7.

The new platform should have already been released in Beta for existing models. However, it’s now highly likely to expand to existing models around the official reveal of the software.

One UI 9 Watch will bring new features and performance improvements. Google touts performance and efficiency gains in the new wearable platform, applicable to Galaxy Watch models too.

Related post:

• Samsung starts One UI 9 Watch testing for existing smartwatches

Samsung Wearable app leak has just revealed a plethora of new Galaxy AI and Health features for the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2, along with a set of fresh watch faces included in the One UI 9 Watch wearable software.

Galaxy AI and Health Features in Watch 9, Ultra 2

A leaked version of the Galaxy Wearable app has revealed several new Galaxy AI and health features headed to the Galaxy Watch 9 with One UI 9 Watch, via SammyGuru.

Galaxy AI may be able to generate personalized Tiles based on user interests, such as sports scores, stock prices, and news, while a new wrist-raise gesture could launch Gemini hands-free.

Samsung is also preparing new health tools, including Daily Cardio Load, Vitals for overnight health tracking, and Sound Exposure monitoring to help protect hearing.

The leak also points to new outdoor features like Trail Run, Trackback, Waypoints, and Dive Mode, with some likely exclusive to the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

One UI 9 Watch Faces

In addition to Galaxy AI and Health features, the Wearable app leak has also revealed five upcoming watch faces that Samsung is expected to introduce with the Galaxy Watch 9 series and One UI 9 Watch.

The lineup includes, extracted by SammyGuru, Analog Balance, Dual Digit, Radial Dashboard, Ultra Performance, and Dual Clock Info Board, each featuring refreshed designs and expanded customization options.

The new faces support multiple complications for health, fitness, weather, battery, navigation, and more, while the Dual Clock Info Board adds dual time zone support for travelers.

Meanwhile, the Ultra Performance face appears to be exclusive to the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, offering a complication-rich layout and a Low Light Mode with a red nighttime interface.

Source – SammyGuru