Samsung could face an import ban on its Galaxy Ring in the United States because of a patent dispute with smart ring maker Oura. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is expected to announce its initial decision on November 20, 2026.

Oura accused Samsung of using its patented technology without permission. It initially raised concerns over eight patents but later withdrew four claims. The dispute now focuses on the remaining four patents.

The main concern for Samsung is whether the ITC will find that it violated Oura’s patents. If the decision goes against Samsung, the commission could stop the company from importing Galaxy Rings into the U.S. This could affect its sales in the country.

However, the immediate impact may be limited because Galaxy Ring sales have reportedly been low. Samsung launched its first Galaxy Ring in 2024 but has not released a new model since then.

The ITC is expected to announce its final decision around four months after the initial findings. Samsung can appeal if the ruling goes against it. The company is also challenging Oura’s patents through separate proceedings at the US Patent Office.

Samsung has also filed its own patent complaints against Oura. The ITC is expected to announce its initial findings in Samsung’s case in January 2027.

Even if Samsung avoids an import ban, it could face another financial challenge. If Oura wins the dispute, Samsung may have to pay royalties for future Galaxy Ring sales. The case could become important for Samsung’s future in the smart ring market.

Samsung may revise its major OS updates policy for older Galaxy watches, potentially stopping Wear OS version support early. This move is triggered by spiking reports of problems occurring after major OS upgrades on select models.

Rumor has it that Samsung is evaluating a policy shift that could see older Galaxy Watch models left behind when it comes to major Wear OS upgrades.

According to details shared by tipster kro_roe on X, the South Korean tech giant is weighing whether to cap legacy smartwatches at their current OS versions, transitioning them exclusively to routine security maintenance.

Samsung is reportedly reviewing whether to end major OS upgrades for older Galaxy Watch models and provide only security updates. There doesn’t seem to be a clearly defined upgrade policy for the Galaxy Watch series. Samsung also appears reluctant to address longstanding issues related to the AP and persistent bugs, even with major OS upgrades.

While the company aggressively markets up to seven years of Android platform upgrades for its flagship Galaxy S smartphones and Galaxy Z foldables, its policy for the Galaxy Watch line has remained noticeably loose.

Samsung promises up to five years of updates to its Galaxy Watch models released in 2021 and later. This involves all Galaxy Watches shipped with Wear OS, and the Watch 4 was the first to lose major OS support last year.

Galaxy Watch 5, released in 2022, is expected to receive the Wear OS 7-based One UI 9 Watch upgrade. The lineup is away from the Beta Program, as the company is expected to drop a Stable version, skipping the Beta Program.

The move could risk alienating long-time users who expect software parity across Samsung’s ecosystem, particularly as competitors like Apple maintain broad watchOS backward compatibility. However, from an operational standpoint, cutting off heavy OS iterations allows Samsung’s software teams to focus their optimization efforts on its latest 3nm wearable platforms, avoiding the persistent performance bugs that have plagued older builds.

Samsung is reportedly working to launch the Galaxy Fit 4. A teardown of its companion app has revealed several features expected to arrive with the new device, including health tracking, new watch faces, and software improvements.

The Galaxy Fit 4 may include a Find My Phone feature that lets users make their connected smartphone ring when they cannot find it. The app also shows improved notification settings and a new software update banner. Users may be able to access important information through up to 12 tiles. The tracker could launch in three colors: Black, Silver, and Light Green.

The new fitness tracker is expected to support step counting, calorie tracking, activity tracking, and heart-rate monitoring. It may also offer high and low heart-rate alerts, stress monitoring, sleep tracking, sleep scores, and personalized sleep coaching after seven nights of recorded sleep. Blood oxygen monitoring and snoring detection are also mentioned in the app.

Image via SammyGuru

Other expected features include workout tracking, automatic activity recognition, breathing exercises, cycle tracking, and water and food tracking through Samsung Health.

Image via SammyGuru

However, the app suggests that the Galaxy Fit 4 may not have built-in GPS. Users might need their smartphones for location tracking during outdoor workouts. It suggests that its launch could be getting closer. Samsung has not yet confirmed its launch date, price, or full specifications. Stay tuned for more information.

Samsung is launching its new Galaxy Buds On in the US on November 6. The earbuds will cost $229. They are Samsung’s first open-ear earbuds and come with a new clip-style design that wraps around the ear.

Unlike regular earbuds, the Galaxy Buds On do not go inside the ear. This design allows users to listen to music while hearing sounds around them, such as traffic and conversations. Users can also adjust the angle of the earbuds for a better fit.

The earbuds include sound leakage reduction technology, which helps stop music from disturbing people nearby. Samsung says this feature works automatically without using extra battery power.

For sound quality, each earbud has two 11.3mm drivers designed to deliver clear sound and stronger bass. Samsung claims the earbuds can provide up to 9.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. Their charging case also supports wireless charging.

Other features include Google Gemini Live support, clearer phone calls, and an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water splashes.

However, the Galaxy Buds On have some drawbacks. They do not support active noise cancellation (ANC), which blocks outside noise. They also lack Bluetooth multipoint, so users cannot connect to multiple devices at the same time.

Samsung will sell the earbuds in only one size and one color, black. The Galaxy Buds On could be a good choice for people who want to enjoy music while staying aware of their surroundings.

Samsung has soft-launched the One UI 9 Watch release date. The Wear OS 7-based software is final on the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, in Beta on three older generations, and still without a stable release date for everyone else. A Samsung announcement on October 28 about an AI-powered sleep apnea feature adds a fresh clue about when older watches could catch up.

Samsung’s One UI 9 Watch update

One UI 9 Watch is Samsung’s interface layer on top of Wear OS 7, the version Google shipped in stable form alongside Android 17. Google says Wear OS 7 can deliver up to 10 percent more battery life than Wear OS 6, though results on Galaxy Watches may differ.

On the Google side, Wear OS 7 adds Live Updates for ongoing activities, easier control of compatible devices, a media output switcher, and music streaming to several speakers or headphones at once. We expect Live Updates to tie into Samsung’s Now Bar on Galaxy Watches.

Samsung’s own additions include a slightly more vibrant design, new widgets, quicker access to AI assistants such as Gemini, and new health and fitness tools. Early Beta builds for the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra added Antioxidant Index and Vascular Load, with a Blood Pressure Trend feature replacing both in the US.

The software also carries a longer promise. The Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 are confirmed to receive updates until July 2031, five years from launch.

Official debut in August 2026

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 at Galaxy Unpacked in London on July 22, with sales beginning on August 7. Both ship with One UI 9 Watch on Wear OS 7 and run on Qualcomm’s 3nm Snapdragon Wear Elite chip.

That makes August 7 the practical release date for the finished software, since it was the first day customers could use it without joining a Beta.

This is why the rollout reads as a soft launch. Samsung has said earlier watches will follow through its usual tiered approach, but it gave no stable window or Beta announcement on launch day.

Beta Program on several models

Samsung opened the One UI 9 Watch beta in South Korea in waves, working backward through its lineup. The Watch 8 beta reached the US within days, and enrollment runs through the Samsung Members app.

Recent builds carry the October 2026 security patch and fix issues with Always On Display, quick settings, and the Now Bar. Samsung has not announced a stable date. Global builds typically follow Korean ones by a week or two.

The Galaxy Watch 5 is not in Beta but has reportedly been in internal testing. Beta software can be unstable, so anyone who relies on their watch daily may prefer to wait for the stable version.

Older models may finally get it next month

A Samsung press release in Korea on October 28 offers the freshest clue. The company said its upgraded, AI-powered sleep apnea feature has won approval from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. It reaches the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Ring in Korea in November, then expands step by step through software updates to existing models running Wear OS 7.0 or later, including the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch 8.

The feature sorts breathing disruptions into three levels (mild, occasional and frequent) after at least five hours of sleep recorded on two nights within 10 days, through the Samsung Health Monitor app. Samsung positions it as a screening aid for adults 18 and older without a prior diagnosis, not a substitute for a doctor’s assessment.

What it means: Samsung is planning around Wear OS 7 reaching older watches. The release gives no date for that update, and it does not say older models get the feature in November. Given the late-stage beta builds, our reading is that stable One UI 9 Watch for the Watch 8 and Watch 7 could land in November or December, but that is an inference, not a commitment.