The affordable Galaxy Watch FE could be what Wear OS really needs

Samsung launched the new Galaxy Watch FE this week, which is actually just a “refresh” of the Galaxy Watch 4 for 2024. The smartwatch features more or less the same specs, chipset, and design as the 2021 model, with the exception of a new sapphire crystal over the display for better scratch protection. While a Galaxy Watch 4 reboot may seem like a strange move for Samsung, I think it's pretty genius. In fact, it's exactly what Wear OS needs: more affordable smartwatches.

I've been testing Wear OS smartwatches for several years and have often cringe at the prices some of these companies charge for these devices. Fossil, which followed LG in getting out of the smartwatch business earlier this year, used to charge $299 for the Fossil Gen 6, which didn't even run Wear OS 3 at launch and had very questionable performance. Samsung's Galaxy Watches now cost more than ever, with the Watch 5 Pro model in the same price range as a cheap Android phone, and even the price of the Pixel Watch 2 gives me pause (don't even get me started on the Montblanc Summit 3).

The only exception I've seen is the TicWatch E3, which came out a few years ago. That watch was built relatively cheaply and foregoes the best features of more expensive TicWatch models, like dual-display technology, but the price was somehow worth it. For $199, you got a smartwatch that was much cheaper than the competition and ran surprisingly well with the Snapdragon Wear 4100, even though Wear OS 3 came much later.

In fact, I'm a bit disappointed that we didn't get a TicWatch E4 or something similar, especially now that Wear OS 4 is here and Wear OS 5 is on the way, both of which will likely require newer chips like the Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1. But Samsung's launch of the Galaxy Watch FE gives me some hope that more affordable Wear OS watches could be possible again if companies play their cards right.

Anshel Sag, senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, agrees, saying that launching the cheaper smartwatch was a smart move by Samsung. “I think the Galaxy Watch FE allows Samsung and its partners to offer a more affordable option that can easily be discounted or given away for free as a bundle item, expanding the price range of products offered for wearables.”