What To Expect: Wearables In 2026 #shorts

From flagship smartwatches to advanced smart rings and affordable fitness trackers, we're forecasting the 7 biggest releases set to arrive by 2026.

Transcript

00:00I'm a smartwatch expert, and these are seven new wearables I'm expecting to arrive in 2026.

00:05Numbers one to three are the Apple Watch Series 12, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, and the Google

00:10Pixel Watch 5. New versions of all of these watches are basically guaranteed, with Apple,

00:15Samsung, and Google committed to releasing devices on an annual cycle. In terms of features,

00:21I don't think we can expect another battery life increase from Apple, but I'm expecting

00:25Samsung and Garmin to push the limits a bit further here, along with more AI features.

00:30I'm also hoping, like the Google Pixel Watch 4, these flagship smartwatches start to become

00:34repairable, as Google's proven it can be done, and you don't have to contribute too much to

00:39e-waste when your smartwatch's battery or display gives out. Number four is the Samsung Galaxy Watch

00:44Ultra 2. Last year, Samsung skipped upgrading the Ultra in favour of bringing out a new Galaxy

00:49Watch classic, so I expect this year Samsung's second watch will be an Ultra sequel. It's

00:54going to retain that weird, squircle, titanium cushion design, but I predict it's also

00:59going to adopt satellite communication features to compete with the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

01:03Number five is my last Samsung pick on this list, the Galaxy Ring 2. The Galaxy Ring was

01:08a big deal when it first dropped, but it hasn't been updated even after Aura debuted its Aura

01:13Ring 4 with redesigned heart rate sensors. Because the Galaxy Ring 2 is based on a slightly

01:18older design with internal skin contact nodes, I expect Samsung to copy Aura's homework again,

01:24and launch a new ring with an updated design to reflect this and nicer colours.

01:28Number six is the Garmin Fenix 9. The Garmin Fenix 8 dropped in September 2024 and has been

01:35enormously popular, so I'm expecting two years later, Garmin will look to replicate that success.

01:40We've had a ton of Garmin releases this year, so I'm not expecting the Kansas Space Smartwatch

01:45company to fire new watches out at the same pace, but I predict the Fenix 9 will arrive in September

01:51time 2025. Lastly, number seven on my list is either the Fitbit Inspire 4 or the Fitbit Charge 7.

01:58We've heard new Fitbit devices are in fact coming in 2026, and with the cost of living tough on

02:03everyone, the Fitbit range is the perfect cheap and cheerful fitness tracker to update. I don't

02:08think screen updates matter very much, but I predict a redesigned heart rate sensor for more accuracy

02:13efficiency and a price freeze to stay as affordable as possible, to get as many users into the Google

02:19ecosystem as Google can manage. If you're using a Fitbit, after all, you're not using an Apple Watch.

02:24What releases are you looking forward to in 2026? What devices do you expect? Let us know in the

02:29comments below, and we'll see you next time.