With One UI 6 Watch beta out, new features and UI elements are starting to surface

We’re excited to see what Samsung has for us with the Galaxy Watch 7 series, which is expected to launch next month, in July. We’ve seen some leaks, which you can check out in our Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 rumor hub, but if you care more about software updates, the new device should also come with One UI 6 Watch.

Samsung opened the One UI 6 Watch beta program on June 12, 2024. It’s available for Galaxy Watch 6 users in the US and South Korea, and will soon be opened to Galaxy Watch 5 users. That said, it’s no surprise people have started playing around with the new software, and some have discovered some upgrades and exciting bits we didn’t know about. Videos and photos of cool, known features have also started surfacing. Let’s take a look at some of them.

UI changes and new apps

The most exciting changes are likely to be UI improvements. Most major upgrades will come with improved looks, and One UI 6 Watch won’t be the exception. Let’s take a look at some of the general UI elements first.

In these, you can see the new app drawer, which now comes with a transparent, blurred background. The second image showcases the new Find My app for watch, which is definitely an excellent addition. Then there’s also a sample of the improved tiles. You can check out @BuligaDavidCri1 on X (formerly Twitter) if you want to see more.

@TheGalox_ also took the time to showcase some fantastic new elements. The most interesting one is likely the video above, which displays a new charging animation that might make you a bit more excited to juice up your smartwatch. He also took some screenshots, though. And you can get a better look at the new font here.

Universal gestures

Gestures are becoming a bigger focus with One UI 6 Watch, including the ability to double-pinch for quick actions and screen-free navigation through wrist movements. Previously part of the Accessibility settings, these are now becoming more universal. We’re also discovering you can opt to use either the default gestures or the universal gestures, though. Reddit user Fearless_Winner1084 is showcasing it in a video.

One UI 6 Watch Galaxy Wearable app changes

Our friends from SamMobile also got a hold of some Galaxy Wearable app changes.

Of course, the general UI looks cleaner and better organized. You may also notice the app will show the case of the actual watch you own, which isn’t the case in the previous version. The app will also highlight some of the improvements in One UI 6 Watch, such as the always-on display being touch-sensitive, the ability to double-pinch to control your watch, and more.

What else is coming?

Keep in mind this is the first version of the One UI 6 Watch beta, so more could be added. It’s also true some things could be removed, though. Leaks suggest the Galaxy Watch 7 event will be on July 10, 2024. We should learn more about the final One UI 6 Watch release and changes then.