Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic Launched in India, First Smartwatch with Google Gemini

Samsung launched the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic at the Galaxy Unpacked event on July 9. The watches feature new designs, various sizes, and advanced health tracking capabilities. Pre-orders are available, with general release set for July 25.

Introducing Galaxy Watch 8:

In India, the Bluetooth-only Watch 8 starts at Rs 32,999 for the 40mm model and Rs 35,999 for the 44mm. The LTE variants are priced at Rs 36,999 and Rs 39,999, respectively. The Galaxy Watch 8 will be available in Graphite and Silver.

The Watch 8 uses an aluminium case with a Sapphire glass coating. Battery capacities vary by model, with the 40mm and 44mm Galaxy Watch 8 offering 325mAh and 435mAh batteries, respectively

Now let's go Classic:

Watch 8 Classic starts at Rs 46,999 for the Bluetooth version, and the LTE model priced at Rs 50,999. the Classic version comes in Black and White

Watch 8 Classic sports a stainless steel frame and rotating bezel. The Classic model also includes a Quick Button for launching apps or features. The Watch 8 Classic is backed by a 445mAh unit battery.

Both watches feature Super AMOLED displays with a pixel density of 327ppi and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The 40mm and 46mm variants house 1.34-inch screens with a resolution of 438x438 pixels, whereas the 44mm model features a 1.47-inch panel with 480x480 pixels resolution.

All models are MIL-STD-810H certified for durability and carry an IP68 rating.

Samsung's vision, AI and Gemini:

The Watch 8 series continues Samsung’s focus on health tracking, with sensors capable of monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, ECG, sleep patterns, stress, and body composition. New additions include the AGES Index, and existing safety features such as fall detection remain intact.

The Galaxy Watch 8 series got Google Gemini before Google could add it to its own Pixel Watches.

At Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung introduced the Watch 8 series, all of which have Google Gemini integrated into its One UI 8 Watch operating system. During the livestream, Samsung touted Gemini as a useful hands-free way to operate its health and fitness features.

Asking Gemini to "start a 300-calorie circuit training workout" activates Samsung Health behind the scenes, so you can track your workout without navigating the app.

Other examples include using Gemini as a voice assistant to send messages or schedule calendar events. Whether as a health and fitness coach or personal assistant, Gemini on the Watch 8 series introduces an exciting new use case for AI wearables.