Samsung’s Galaxy Watch lineup has long been praised for combining powerful health features with a classic circular design. It mirrors the look of a traditional watch, adds smart functionality, and differentiates itself from the Apple Watch’s square aesthetic. However, reports suggest that Samsung may pivot from its signature circular design to a squircle shape on the upcoming Galaxy Watch 8 Series, similar to the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
This could be a bold move by Samsung that can change the fate of the entire Galaxy Watch lineup. Now, the main question arises: Does this possible redesign actually improve usability, or is it just a visual shakeup for the sake of novelty?
The Case For Squircle
When Android Authority conducted an APK teardown on One UI 8 Watch firmware, they spotted some renders of the upcoming Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Project X2 (Galaxy Watch Ultra). The images suggest that the Galaxy Watch 8 Series will feature a squircle shape with thicker bezels, drawing inspiration from the Ultra variant.
This is a hard pill to swallow. In a time when brands are moving towards slimmer bezels (except you, Google. Go fix your Pixel Watch first), Samsung is opting for a squircle-shaped body while retaining a circular display. In simple words, the size of your watch will increase, but the screen size won’t, and you get thicker bezels. It’s like slapping a photo frame on the Galaxy Watch 7 and calling it a day.
Before we start questioning Samsung’s design choices, let’s step back a little and look at the broader picture. What good does a larger form factor watch bring? It could have a larger battery, better durability, and a muscular look, something that G-Shock users love.
Apart from this, it’s tough to draw positives for the design change. Since the screen shape itself will remain circular. The overall menu, UI, and ways to interact with the watch are expected to remain the same. If Samsung had opted for a squircle-shaped screen, then it would make a different argument, but that’s not the case here.
Samsung’s watch UI has been optimised for a circular screen for ages. So it makes sense for the company to keep the screen unchanged to prevent a major software overhaul. However, this also means that the watch itself won’t change much in terms of software features.
Galaxy Watch 8 Series: Just a Visual Change
While a squircle-shaped design has some merits, it’s not a game-changer by any means. Samsung made this move out of desperation, as the Galaxy Watch Series has not seen any major shape-based design changes over the years.
However, Samsung tends to experiment a lot with its smartwatch. The company removed the fan-favourite rotating bezel on the Galaxy Watch 5, brought it back on the Galaxy Watch 6, but ditched it again on the Galaxy Watch 7. The Galaxy Watch Ultra also lacks it, and considering that the Watch 8 Series is getting a similar design, the rotating bezel is more likely to get skipped.
If we collect all of these points, it appears that we are losing more than we are gaining on the Galaxy Watch 8, compared to its predecessor. Maybe Samsung will bring some sporty features from its Ultra variant to the base model, but we don’t know for sure.
