Samsung might completely change how it brands its upcoming Galaxy Watch5 wearables

Last year, Samsung released theGalaxy Watch4 series, devices that many consider to be thegreatest Android smartwatches ever made. It’s safe to say that this year’s successors have a lot to live up to, especially with a potential Pixel Watch waiting in the wings. A new rumor points to a major rebrand for the gadgets, but it could come with the loss of one of the Galaxy Watch’s best features.

According toSamMobile, the “Classic” branch of the Galaxy Watch is dead, with the Galaxy Watch5 on track to be offered in standard and “Pro” models. This rumor lines up with earlier reporting from the site, which found aPro model with a massive battery in the worksfor this year. Dropping the Classic branding could help buyers tell the difference between models, especially if the Pro version has a bigger battery and other prosumer features.

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We don’t know much about what these two lines will bring to the table, though. Reportedly, the base Watch5 will come in two sizes, while the Watch5 Pro will stick to just one. It’s also coming with a new version of One UI running over Wear OS 3. In other words, don’t expect another overhaul for Google’s wearables platform at I/O in a couple of weeks — after all, other third-party devices are still waiting for an upgrade.

Unfortunately, there’s some bad news in today’s rumors for fans of the Galaxy Watch4 Classic. The rotating bezel around the screen is one of its best features, perfect for scrolling through the interface without covering the display. Unfortunately, it could go away with the Watch5 Pro. SamMobile is careful to note it’s not sure if it’ll leave the series behind for good just yet, but it’s certainly not the type of rumor wearable fans will want to hear. While the standard Galaxy Watch4 does use a capacitive bezel to replicate the same command, it’s just not the same.

A T-Mobile coverage map on a smartphone.

We expect to see the Galaxy Watch5 series launch later this summer. Until then, there’s plenty of time for new leaks.

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