Samsung’s Galaxy Watch8 series adds Sleep Apnea detection and thoughtful design updates

Note: This article was first published on 9 July 2025.

The new Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic are now official, and while they don’t scream for attention, they mark one of the more deliberate design shifts Samsung has made in a while. The Classic brings back the on-and-off-again physical rotating bezel — a feature dropped in last year’s Watch7— and the overall fit and finish feel more thought-through in my opinion.

Now, this isn’t a full hands-on—I’ll be reviewing the watches properly soon. But I did get to spend a couple of hours with both models during a behind-closed-doors session Samsung held last week. Swapping between the sleeker, more modern Watch8 and the chunkier, more traditional-looking Watch8 Classic gave me a good sense of how different they wear, especially with the Classic’s returning physical bezel (yes, it’s still fun to fidget with). The Watch8, in contrast, is clearly built for minimalism and comfort. The new cushion-shaped back and thinner profile help it sit flatter against the wrist, and the 40mm version in particular feels like something you could wear to sleep without even noticing.

Both watches run on the same 5-core Exynos W1000 3nm chip. Admittedly, I’ve never used the Watch7, but I found animations on the Watch8 and Watch8 Classic pretty snappy, apps load fast (enough), and most importantly, Samsung says battery life isn’t impacted despite the watches sporting a brighter 3,000-nit display. We’ll know better once the new watches land in our hands and after giving both a good shakedown.

Where things start to feel a little more “2025” is in the health features. The Watch8 series now includes Sleep Apnea detection – a feature that’s actually certified by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority. As someone who has been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, this function is more than interesting for me, and I can’t wait to test it out too.

There’s also the new Antioxidant Index. I’m not going to pretend I fully understand the science behind measuring carotenoid levels from a smartwatch, but the idea is that it gives you a sense of your body’s antioxidant status, certainly geared towards the very health-conscious Singaporeans who want to see how their lifestyle choices may influence their overall wellbeing.

Other features feel more polished than groundbreaking. Samsung’s AI-powered Energy Score tries to sum up how ready you are to tackle the day, based on a mix of sleep, heart rate variability, and activity data. How useful this can be, I don’t know. Personally, I don’t think I need to rely on a score to check my mood for the day, but hey, you do you. There’s also Vascular Load and Bedtime Guidance now to help you sleep better and recover smarter.

Fans of the Galaxy Watch Ultra will also be happy to know that the 2025 edition comes with a storage capacity of 64GB, doubled from 32GB. In Singapore, a new Titanium Blue colour will be introduced as part of the launch.

Availability and pricing

Prices of the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 will start at S$498. This goes up to S$988 for the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Here’s how much the other variants cost:

The Galaxy Watch8, Galaxy Watch8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) will be available in Singapore for purchase from 1 August 2025, Friday, at local telcos (Singtel, StarHub, M1), Samsung Online Store, Samsung Experience Stores, and Samsung Official Stores at Shopee and Lazada.

Pre-Order Specials

However, pre-order begins now from 9 July 2025, 10pm and is valid till 31 July 2025.

Benefits include the following:-

• Consumers who pre-order the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025), Galaxy Watch8 Classic, and
  Galaxy Watch8 can enjoy promotions of $80, $60 and $40 off, respectively.
• Those who pre-order via the Samsung Online Store or Samsung Shop App can enjoy an additional Enhanced Trade-in value of up to $100, $80 and $60, respectively.

For more information, please visit Samsung’s trade-in page.