Samsung has released a new software update for the Galaxy Watch 3, the company’s latest Tizen-based smartwatch. The update adds two new watch faces that were previously exclusive to the Galaxy Watch 5 series, which runs on Wear OS 4.
New watch faces
The new watch faces are called Gradient Number and Pro Analog. They offer a variety of customization options, such as colors, complications, and backgrounds. Gradient Number features a large digital clock with a gradient effect, while Pro Analog has a classic analog design with a second hand.
These watch faces were first introduced with the Galaxy Watch 5 series, which debuted in August 2022. Samsung had promised to bring them to the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 as well, as part of its commitment to support its older Tizen wearables.
Other improvements
The update also brings some improvements to the Samsung Health app on the Galaxy Watch 3. The Daily Activity Indicator now syncs better with the data from the smartphone, and the snore detection feature is now available. The snore detection feature uses the microphone of the smartphone to record the snoring sounds while the user sleeps and provides feedback and suggestions to improve sleep quality.
The update has the firmware version R8x0XXU1DVH4 and is rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 3 users worldwide. Users can check for the update by opening the Galaxy Wearable app on their smartphone and tapping on the Watch software update.
Galaxy Watch 3 vs Galaxy Watch 5
The Galaxy Watch 3 is the last Tizen-based smartwatch from Samsung, as the company has switched to Wear OS 4 for its latest Galaxy Watch 5 series. Wear OS 4 is a collaboration between Samsung and Google, and it offers a smoother performance, better battery life, and more app compatibility than Tizen.
However, the Galaxy Watch 3 still has some advantages over the Galaxy Watch 5, such as the physical rotating bezel, the ECG and blood pressure monitoring features, and the support for MST payments. The Galaxy Watch 3 also has a more premium design and a larger battery than the Galaxy Watch 5.
Samsung has said that it will continue to provide software updates and security patches to the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 for at least three years. However, it is unlikely that these devices will receive any major features or UI changes from Wear OS 4.