While 2025 has already heralded some very impressive smartwatches, such as the Garmin Instinct 3 and the OnePlus Watch 3, the best is yet to come, with a plethora of new releases set for later this year.
Thanks to leaks, rumors, and companies' regular update cadences, we can make educated guesses with varying degrees of certainty what the rest of the 2025 wearables calendar has in store.
So if you're in the market for one of the new best smartwatches, pause and have a look at what we expect to drop later this year from all the major players.
1. Apple Watch SE 3
The Apple Watch SE 2 turns three years old in September and is ripe for an upgrade. According to top insider Mark Gurman, Apple will unveil the SE 3 at its September iPhone event, with a major redesign planned.
Leaks indicate this could be a shift to the 41mm and 45mm chassis sizes, reflecting the design of the Series 8 and Series 9 models. This will be an exciting refresh to Apple's budget offering, and is practically a certainty.
2. Apple Watch Series 11
Accompanying the Apple Watch SE 3 will be a new Apple Watch Series 11, the latest instalment in Apple's mainstream line-up. While we're not expecting a major redesign, rumor has it that blood pressure monitoring could feature for the first time.
As with the Apple Watch SE 3, this release is foretold by Mark Gurman, and also lines up with Apple's existing release schedule.
3. Apple Watch Ultra 3
The final Apple Watch expected in September is the Ultra 3. Like the Series 11, no redesign is expected, but blood pressure alerts are again likely to appear.
Other upgrades should include Reduced Capacity 5G, and an improved OLED display to reflect the upgrades brought to the Series 10.
4. Galaxy Watch 8/8 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 has leaked in various database filings, alongside a mystery model we believe to be the return of the Classic model due to Samsung's cadence of regularly releasing Classics every two years. That should mean a more premium model with Samsung's iconic rotating bezel.
The bombshell news is that Samsung may adopt the squircle design of the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch, eschewing the circular design that has served it so well for the first seven generations. The Galaxy Watch 8 should land in July 2025.
5. Pixel Watch 4
The Pixel Watch 4 leaked in renders in April, revealing a design almost identical to that of the Pixel Watch 3. The Pixel Watch 4 will reportedly be slightly thicker than the previous one, possibly hinting at better battery life.
Other changes include slightly thinner bezels and possibly wireless charging. The Pixel Watch 3 debuted in September 2024, so it's likely Google will wait the full year before dropping the new one.
6. Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Something of an enigma, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 may well debut in the middle of the year alongside the Galaxy Watch 8. However, we've heard almost no leaks and rumors to hint at that.
Ultra 2 speculation is based purely on a one-year release cycle, which Samsung may or may not stick to. This is the least likely candidate for a 2025 release in our book.
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