Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung released the Watch 7 and Ultra models with no rotating bezel.
- With the Watch 6 series before them, Samsung offered a rotating bezel option through its Classic model.
- New evidence points to the possibility of Samsung returning to the form with a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.
There is something just so enormously satisfying about a good, tactile, physical interface. How many of you are touchscreen-keyboard pros but also love the feel of a nice mechanical keyboard? Or really like your car’s modern dash and all the info it provides, but still carry a torch for old dashes covered in knobs and switches you could actuate without even taking your eyes off the road?
When it comes to wearables, probably the most prominent example of this kind of conceit has been the rotating bezel on Samsung Galaxy Watch models over the years. While a touchscreen works just fine in a pinch, and is much more practical from an engineering standpoint, being able to navigate your Watch’s UI with just a twist feels so incredibly natural. And that’s why so many Samsung fans were disappointed to see the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra arrive with no rotating bezels at all.
Samsung’s been a little back-and-forth on these rotating bezels over the years, skipping the option for the Watch 5 series, only to bring it back with the Watch 6 Classic. And while the company skipped it with this latest generation, a recent find is offering hope that Samsung could bring it back next year.
A recent entry in the GSMA’s device database makes reference to a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as spotted by Smartprix. It’s attached to model number SM-L505U, which appears roughly in line with the numbering convention Samsung moved to with this year’s Watch 7 and Ultra models.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Beyond the name and model number, though, there isn’t much to go on at the moment — but even those may be all the insight we need. Samsung’s only used the “Classic” branding with the Watch 4 and Watch 6, and both times that corresponded to the presence of a rotating bezel. While nothing’s certain, it would be surprising to see the company return to offering a Classic option without also bringing back its single most iconic design element.
Did you skip this year’s Galaxy Watch models because of the lack of any spinny bezel goodness? Would a Watch 8 Classic convince you to give Samsung wearables another shot? Let us know in the comments.