Summary
- Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic at its Fall 2023 Unpacked event, but there was no sign of a Watch 6 Pro model.
- The brand's release schedule suggests that it may alternate between launching Watch Classic and Watch Pro models each year.
- If that happens, Samsung may skip directly to the Galaxy Watch 7 Pro in the fall of 2024.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic at its Unpacked event in July 2023, but does the brand plan on launching a Galaxy Watch 6 Pro model? Samsung's fall Unpacked event was headlined by its fifth-generation of foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. The event also saw the release of the Galaxy Tab S9 series of flagship tablets, the successors to the Galaxy Tab S8 launched in early 2023.
As to whether Samsung will launch the Galaxy Watch 6 Pro or drop the model entirely, the answer is maybe. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro was the first 'Pro' series smartwatch launched by Samsung. In 2021, Samsung released the Galaxy Watch 4 alongside its first Classic model, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. In 2022, a Classic model was omitted from the lineup, and instead, Samsung released the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro. Cut to 2023, and a Watch 6 Pro has been skipped this time around in favor of the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic.
Samsung May Skip Straight To The Galaxy Watch 7 Pro
Going by Samsung's launch schedule over the last three years, one thing is clear. Every year in the fall, Samsung launches a new Galaxy Watch generation. In 2021, it was the Watch 4, in 2022 it was the Watch 5, and in 2023, it's the Watch 6. However, the Watch 4 Classic didn't receive a successor for two years. There was no Watch 5 Classic, since Samsung continued selling the Watch 4 Classic alongside the Galaxy Watch 5 series.
It's possible that Samsung is alternating the release of its Watch Classic and Watch Pro models every year. If that is the logic being used, we may not see a Watch 6 Pro at all. Instead, Samsung will likely skip right to the Watch 7 Pro in the fall of 2024 alongside a standard Galaxy Watch 7. Consequently, a Galaxy Watch 7 Classic may not launch at all, with Samsung keeping the Watch 6 Classic on sale until 2025.
It's also possible that Samsung will entirely switch up its schedule in 2024, and launch a Galaxy Watch 6 Pro at its next Galaxy Unpacked event. That's expected to take place in early 2024, where Samsung will also release its Galaxy S24 series of flagship smartphones. Samsung hasn't launched a smartwatch during its Spring Unpacked event since the Galaxy Watch Active in 2019, so this does seem unlikely.
As it stands, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still Samsung's most premium smartwatch. Priced at $499, it's more expensive than the $299 Galaxy Watch 6 and $399 Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The Watch 5 Pro is a rugged smartwatch, that like the Apple Watch Ultra, only comes in one large size. It offers days of battery life, a lighter titanium case, and more outdoor exercise modes. For adventure-focussed smartwatch wearers, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still the best Samsung smartwatch to buy, at least until the Galaxy Watch 6 Pro (or Watch 7 Pro) is eventually released.
Source: Samsung