The one thing I hope Samsung gets right with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

Word on the street is that Samsung has some new smartwatches around the corner, and it’s excellent news for Galaxy Watch Classic fans. Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra last year instead of a new Classic, but a recent Bluetooth certification mentioning the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic strongly suggests Samsung’s classier smartwatch series will return in 2025.

As a Galaxy Watch Classic fan myself, I couldn’t be happier. I liked the Galaxy Watch Ultra quite a bit, but the absence of the Classic last year was disappointing. However, as excited as I am for the Classic’s return, I’m slightly worried Samsung may not include one of my favorite features.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra was a big risk for Samsung, and in many ways, it paid off. I personally loved the squircle design and big case size. Battery life was great, LTE connectivity by default was a nice touch, and the new action button (as Apple-inspired as it may be) was convenient.

Unfortunately, the Ultra also omitted one of my favorite Galaxy Watch features: the rotating bezel. The rotating bezel has been a staple of Samsung wearables since the Gear S2 launched in 2015, and whether on that old watch or the Galaxy Watch 7 Classic, the genius of the rotating bezel is unmistakable. Having that physical input method to scroll through menus, notifications, apps, etc. is an incredible feature — and easily one of the best things about any Samsung smartwatch with it.

While the rotating bezel’s absence on the Galaxy Watch Ultra wasn’t a deal-breaker, it was something I regularly noticed (and missed) whenever I used the watch. It’s fine relying on the touchscreen for navigation, but there are instances where rotating the bezel is objectively better.

When I’m out running, I’d much rather move a rotating bezel to cycle through my workout data, rather than sliding my sweaty finger across the touchscreen. If I’m doing dishes and want to read a notification, using the bezel is much preferred vs. getting water and soap suds on the display.

Beyond those functional use cases, there’s also just something fun about the rotating bezel. It’s such a unique input method that you don’t see on any other form factor, and it helps blur that line between a smartwatch and a legitimate timepiece.

We haven’t heard much about the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic regarding its specs, features, design, price, etc. It’s easy to assume the rotating bezel will return, especially considering that Samsung has never launched a Classic smartwatch without the feature. But we also expected the Galaxy Watch Ultra would have a rotating bezel leading up to its release, and as we now know, that didn’t happen.

Samsung has created a precedent where its top-tier smartwatch model doesn’t have a rotating bezel. In fact, none of Samsung’s smartwatches launched last year had one. Not the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch 7, or Galaxy Watch FE.

Part of me wants to think there’s no way Samsung would launch the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic without something so critical to its identity. But when I look back at last year’s Galaxy Watch family, there’s a sliver of doubt. Samsung got away with selling the Galaxy Watch Ultra without a rotating bezel for $650, so what’s to stop the company from launching a (presumably) cheaper Galaxy Watch 8 Classic without one? I don’t want that to be the case, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if that’s what happens.

While there’s much more to a smartwatch than whether or not you can navigate the UI with its bezel, it’s a big part of Samsung’s smartwatch DNA. It’s why the Gear S2 stood out all those years ago, and it’s kept watches like the Galaxy Watch 7 Classic feeling fresh and unique in the modern smartwatch landscape.

Bringing back the rotating bezel for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the obvious outcome, and it’s the one I ultimately think we’ll see. I just hope Samsung agrees.