Samsung Galaxy Watch Active detailed in new report w/ smaller 1.1-inch display, no rotating bezel

Ben Schoon | Feb 11 2019 - 8:26 am PT

The watch we’ve recently been hearing rumors is coming closer, as the Samsung Galaxy Sport has just been outed in a big way. A new report this week details the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active with some major design and hardware changes ahead of the watch’s official reveal later this month.

According to SamMobile, the next smartwatch from Samsung will actually be called the Galaxy Watch Active. This branding makes sense to an extent, as Samsung’s Galaxy Watch which launched late last year set a new standard for the company’s smartwatch branding. Still, this watch will be a successor of sorts to the Gear Sport from 2017.

Sadly, though, it seems previous leaks were correct in detailing that this new smartwatch would ditch Samsung’s signature rotating bezel. The feature which first debuted on the Gear S2 a few years ago has been present on every Samsung smartwatch since, making the Galaxy Watch Active the first to remove it.

As for other specs, the display gets a bit smaller at 1.1-inches from the Sport’s 1.2-inches. The same 360×360 OLED is being used, though. Samsung has also decreased the battery size from 300mAh to just 236mAh which is a bit of a shame. This new watch also apparently changes up the charging method, switching from the upright dock the Galaxy Watch uses for a “small pad” which the Galaxy Watch Active sits horizontally on. Apparently, Galaxy S10 users will also be able to use the reverse wireless charging feature to power up the watch.

Further, the Galaxy Watch Active will be powered by an Exynos 9110 chipset, offer Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC, as well as offering 5ATM water/dust resistance. Tizen will also be on-board and SamMobile’s report reiterates the addition of a Bixby Reminders feature. Most interestingly, this new watch is also thicker than the Gear Sport, with the Galaxy Watch Active measuring in at 13mm thick versus the previous 11.6mm profile.