The local version of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event revealed more than the two new foldable smartphones that will lead its premium portfolio in the Philippines. Focusing on durability and tracking improvements, the electronics company also introduced the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro wearables.
Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch4 series, the Galaxy Watch5 devices will feature raised edges and sapphire crystal material for better protection against scratches, a more comfortable curve on the bottom part of the wearable that makes contact with the skin, and a 15% increase in battery life.
Only the base Galaxy Watch5 arrives in two size variants – 40mm and 44mm, while the Pro version is only available in a single 45mm design. While the smartwatches represent the next generation of Samsung’s modern wearable technology, the Pro version leans towards outdoor adventurers and athletes while the non-Pro model is designed for casual users shooting for everyday wellness goals.
“We’re dedicated to giving our Galaxy Watch community the tools, data and resources needed to not only understand their overall health and wellness better, but to coach them on their journey. With Samsung’s groundbreaking BioActive Sensor, we’re empowering users with the most complete picture of their health-related insights yet,” Dr. TM Roh, president and head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics said in a prepared statement.
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro
So far, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro is arguably the first Samsung wearable with a rugged design which is why it is also equipped with GPS route tracking functionality, the biggest battery life yet for the entire Samsung Galaxy Watch roster, twice the hardness of its Sapphire Crystal display based on Vickers hardness measurement.
While the Route Workout feature lets users import GPX format workout routes to the device, the Track Back function assists in returning to the origin point via turn-by-turn navigation guided by vibrations or voice.
The rated capacity of the Watch5 Pro is 573mAh, followed by 398mAh for Galaxy Watch5 (44mm), and 276mAh for Galaxy Watch5 (40mm). The Pro version also highlights a 3-in-1 Samsung BioActive Sensor which has control over the optical heart rate, electrical heart, and bioelectrical impedance analysis sensors.
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro also comes with conventional smartwatch capabilities like body composition measurement, activity and sleep tracking, the WearOS interface platform, Smart Switch data migration, an IP68 dust and water resistance, and wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Watch5
The cheaper and lighter Watch5 is a fitness lifestyle device that focuses on health-centric features that provide data-based insights to users. It is also powered by the Exynos W920 processor with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
Similar to most fitness wearables, users can take advantage of the non-Pro Watch5 to plan bedtimes, detect snoring, understand and track sleep stages, and measure progress when working out.
The bioelectrical impedance analysis sensor helps with body fat and skeletal muscle weight monitoring, the ECG tracker watches out for heart rate and rhythm irregularities, and the optical heart rate sensor zeroes in on unusual heart rates and blood pressure.
From 0% to 45%, it takes the Watch5 30 minutes of wired charging while also allowing Qi wireless charging at 10W capacity. The Watch5 also features an armor aluminum frame, reinforced sapphire crystal, always-on AMOLED display, MIL-STD-810H durability compliance, and Samsung Pay.
The pre-order period for the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series is already ongoing, with full availability in Samsung’s experience stores and partner retailers starting on September 2. The Watch5 LTE is priced at P19,990 (40mm) and P21,990 (44mm) while the Bluetooth variant is sells for P16,990 (40mm) and P18,990 (44mm) respectively. Meanwhile, the premium Watch5 Pro retails for P26,990 (Bluetooth) and P29,990 (LTE).
