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Samsung has released a new beta version of One UI Watch 5 for its Wear OS-powered smartwatches. It’s the second beta update and comes just over a week after the initial release. The latest update is available for Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 series in the US and South Korea, the only two countries where Samsung has launched a beta program.
Samsung is rolling out One UI Watch 5 Beta 2
One UI Watch 5 is a major platform update for Samsung’s smartwatches. Based on Wear OS 4, it brings functional and aesthetic improvements to the devices, along with a host of new features. The Korean firm is expected to debut the new version with the Galaxy Watch 6 series, which will launch at the end of July.
In the meantime, Samsung is testing the update for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 models. The first beta release last week came with a massive changelog bringing tons of new features and improvements. Unsurprisingly, it contained some bugs as well. The company is now fixing some of those with Beta 2.
According to a screenshot shared on Twitter, the new beta version is rolling out with the firmware build number R8**XXU1ZWF4. The update has an OTA (over-the-air) size of 188MB and brings the June 2023 security patch. The changelog states that this update improves the sluggishness of the watches usually notices just after powering them on.
Additionally, Samsung has fixed an issue that prevented Samsung Pay from working properly. It has also fixed the battery drain issue and a few other minor bugs. As for new features, the company has added automatic detection of the Bicycle Riding exercise on the Galaxy Watch 4. This update also improves some existing functions.
If you’ve enrolled your Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 5 in Samsung’s One UI Watch 5 beta program, you will receive this update soon. You can check for updates from the Watch settings menu of the Galaxy Wearable app on your connected smartphone. Go to the Watch software update section and tap on Download and install.
The stable update may arrive after the Galaxy Watch 6 launch
Samsung hasn’t revealed when the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 series will receive the stable One UI Watch 5 update. Since the new version will debut with the Galaxy Watch 6 series, the company may update older models to it after the upcoming watches hit the market. Stay tuned for more information about the big update for Samsung’s Wear OS smartwatches.
