Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch releases have lost support for a useful charging feature, the ability to wirelessly charge your watch with your phone.
Since its early days, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series (and even the Gear lineup that preceded it) has used wireless charging. This came with the perk of being able to use “Wireless PowerShare,” Samsung’s branding for reverse wireless charging, to charge up a Galaxy Watch. It’s a handy feature in a pinch, though it did only work reliably with Galaxy devices.
Now, though, that feature is gone.
Spotted by @JordyV27 on Twitter/X (h/t SamMobile), a Samsung support page directly confirms that the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra both do not support wireless charging from your smartphone.
Why?
Samsung explains that this is due to the upgraded health sensors on this watches, which changes the shape of the glass on the bottom to the point that wireless charging is no longer possible. Samsung says:
However, the new sensor design required changing the shape of the back glass. The alteration increased the distance between the internal wireless charging coil of your Watch and the wireless charger, so the Wireless power sharing feature available on the previous model is no longer supported.
Top comment by Kaptain75329
It was only a matter of time before the charging hardware would have to change.. Samsung has maintained the same standard since the very first Galaxy Watch and even with the still older Galaxy Gear S2.. that's compatibility going back almost 10 years.
Thankfully old chargers will work still until they can be upgraded, but as someone who has actually depended on Wireless Power Share in several tight spots even as recently as just a couple of days ago, losing this feature is a gut punch. I hope Samsung will find a way to bring it back, but I probably shouldn't hold my breath.
Maybe Apple will "invent" Wireless Power Sharing for the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then Samsung can go ahead and "copy" this revolutionary feature.
This also applies to older chargers.
The charger for Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra, Samsung says, is the only one that will charge the new models at full speed. Older chargers may work, but they’ll be slower and generate more heat.
Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra are both available for pre-order now and ship later this month.
More on Samsung:
- Galaxy Watch Ultra wants to be the ultimate Wear OS 5 smartwatch, starts at $649
- Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 delivers Wear OS 5 and health tracking upgrades from $299
- Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. Apple Watch Ultra: Who’s the most rugged of them all? [Video]
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