The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 has surfaced in code before Samsung has said a word about it, and the trail points to three watches rather than two. References to fresh9, wise9 and projectv2 turned up inside a recent Wear OS (Google’s smartwatch operating system) app update, and they line up almost perfectly with the naming scheme Samsung used last year for the Watch 8, its Classic sibling and the rugged Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Code is not a press release, though. Rival leakers disagree on whether the Classic actually returns this summer, and a string buried in an app build has been wrong before. The pattern is what makes the find interesting, because Samsung’s watch roster has been shuffling tiers in and out for half a decade.
What the Wear OS Code Spells Out
The codenames were spotted by Stephen Schenck, who writes as AssembleDebug at Android Authority, in a teardown published on May 28, 2026. Inside the latest Wear OS app update sat three internal labels that had not appeared before: fresh9, wise9 and projectv2.
Why does that matter? Because Samsung uses sequential internal names, and last year’s set is already on the public record. Matching this year’s strings against last year’s gives a clean read on what is being built.
- fresh9 maps to the standard Galaxy Watch 9, following fresh8 for the Watch 8.
- wise9 points to a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic, the successor to wise8, which shipped as the Watch 8 Classic.
- projectv2 reads as the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, stepping on from projectx2, the codename behind the first Galaxy Watch Ultra.
None of this is confirmation. A codename proves a device is in development, not that it reaches a store shelf on a given date or in every market. But three distinct labels, each tracking a named product from the prior year, is a stronger signal than a single rumor, and it lands months ahead of Samsung’s usual summer reveal.
Five Generations of Swapping Classic, Pro and Ultra
Anyone trying to predict Samsung’s watch lineup has learned to expect a moving target. The company has changed its second and third tiers nearly every year since it moved to Wear OS, which is exactly why a leaked Classic codename gets attention rather than a shrug.
The rotating bezel tells part of the story. It anchors the Classic models and disappears on the Pro and Ultra, so each year’s roster signals which buyer Samsung is chasing. Here is how the tiers have moved, drawn from Samsung’s own official Galaxy Watch series history and launch records.
| Generation (year) | Base model | Second tier | Premium tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch 4 (2021) | Galaxy Watch4 | Watch4 Classic | None |
| Watch 5 (2022) | Galaxy Watch5 | Watch5 Pro | None |
| Watch 6 (2023) | Galaxy Watch6 | Watch6 Classic | None |
| Watch 7 (2024) | Galaxy Watch7 | None | Galaxy Watch Ultra |
| Watch 8 (2025) | Galaxy Watch8 | Watch8 Classic | Galaxy Watch Ultra (refresh) |
Read down the table and the rhythm is obvious. The Classic shows up in even-numbered years, skips the odd ones, then the Pro briefly stood in for it, and the Ultra arrived in 2024 as a permanent top tier. If the leak holds, the Watch 9 generation would carry a base model, a returning Classic and a genuinely new Ultra, the cleanest three-tier setup Samsung has assembled to date.
Why a 2026 Classic Is Still an Open Question
Not everyone reading the tea leaves agrees the Classic comes back. Some leakers tracking Samsung’s roadmap have argued the rotating-bezel model sits out this year, which would leave a Watch 9 and an Ultra 2 and nothing in between.
The disagreement is not as contradictory as it sounds. A codename inside a Wear OS build confirms engineering work, not a launch decision. Samsung routinely scaffolds software for hardware that slips a year, ships in limited regions, or gets shelved late. The first Galaxy Watch Ultra refresh in 2025 was a minor update rather than a new design, a reminder that an entry in the code can still resolve into something smaller than buyers hope.
There is also the question of timing. The Watch 8 Classic only launched in 2025, and Samsung has rarely refreshed a Classic two years running. A 2026 Watch 9 Classic would break that habit, which is why the codename is notable and why a few watchers stay skeptical until Samsung shows the hardware. For now the safest reading is that the Classic is being built, with no guarantee on when or where it ships.
Raise to Talk, Borrowed From the Pixel Watch 4
The same teardown turned up a second clue that has nothing to do with model count. A setting labeled RttSettingsManager3pWearOs hints that raise-to-talk, a Pixel Watch feature, may be heading to non-Google smartwatches, with the “3p” notation reading as third-party support.
Raise-to-talk lets a wearer summon Google’s Gemini assistant just by lifting the wrist toward the mouth and speaking, with a small blue light confirming it is listening. Google framed it as a hands-free convenience when the feature debuted.
With Raise to Talk you can access Gemini by simply raising your wrist, so you can still get help or answers even when you’re carrying groceries or a coffee, or walking the dog.
That description comes from Google’s Pixel Watch 4 launch announcement. Until now the gesture has stayed a Pixel Watch exclusive, gated to recent Pixel hardware with Gemini set as the default assistant, per Google’s raise-to-talk setup guide. A third-party hook in the code suggests that wall could come down, which would make Samsung’s watches the obvious first beneficiary given how closely the two run Wear OS together.
What to Expect When Samsung Unpacks the Lineup
Samsung typically reveals its watches at a summer Galaxy Unpacked event, alongside its foldable phones. Leaks point to a late-July showcase this year, where the watches would share the stage with the next foldables, including the device covered in our look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra naming plan. Until Samsung sends invitations, the date stays an estimate.
Based on the codenames and the prior generation’s structure, here is the lineup the leak implies, ranked by how firmly the evidence supports each.
- Galaxy Watch 9 is the near-certainty, the mainstream model that anchors every generation and carries the fresh9 label.
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 looks highly likely as the first true second-generation Ultra, replacing the 2025 refresh with new hardware.
- Galaxy Watch 9 Classic is the wildcard, supported by the wise9 codename but contradicted by leakers who expect it to skip the year.
Software is the other thread to follow. The watches will run Samsung’s Wear OS build layered with its own interface, the wearable cousin of the phone software covered in our report on the One UI 9 beta on Android 17. If the raise-to-talk hook ships enabled, it could become the headline feature buyers notice first, ahead of any chip or battery upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Galaxy Watch 9 models is Samsung expected to release?
Three, based on leaked codenames. Strings labeled fresh9, wise9 and projectv2 in a Wear OS app update point to a standard Galaxy Watch 9, a Watch 9 Classic and a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung has not confirmed any of them.
Is the Galaxy Watch 9 Classic confirmed for 2026?
No. The wise9 codename strongly suggests a Classic is in development, but some leakers expect it to skip this year, and a codename does not guarantee a retail launch. Treat it as likely but unconfirmed until Samsung shows the hardware.
When will Samsung reveal the Galaxy Watch 9?
Samsung usually unveils its watches at a summer Galaxy Unpacked event held with its foldable phones. Leaks point to a late-July reveal this year, though Samsung had not announced an official date as of early June 2026.
What is the raise-to-talk feature in the leak?
Raise-to-talk lets you summon Google’s Gemini assistant by lifting your wrist toward your mouth and speaking. It launched as a Pixel Watch 4 exclusive, and a code reference suggests Samsung’s watches may gain it next.
How is the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 different from the previous Ultra?
The projectv2 codename signals the first genuine second-generation Ultra. The 2025 Galaxy Watch Ultra was a minor refresh of the 2024 model, so a true Ultra 2 would be the first substantial hardware update to that premium tier.
If the wise9 codename turns into a shipping product in July, Samsung walks on stage with its widest watch roster yet. If it quietly disappears the way the Pro once did, the Watch 9 generation reverts to the familiar pair, and the code will have been a draft Samsung never published.
