Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 leaks haven't revealed much so far, but we might've just learned about how the next generation smartwatch will be powered.
According to Korean tech website The Elec, the Galaxy Watch 4 will pack a 240mAh battery in the the 41mm model and a 350mAh battery in the 45mm model. Those capacities are slightly different than those of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 lineup, which featured a used 247mAh and 340mAh batteries, respectively.
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The Elec doesn't say why the battery capacities have changed in the new Galaxy Watch, but the website revealed that Samsung is using a third-party supplier for the 45mm model's component. While Samsung SDI is supplying batteries for the 41mm version, the larger option will reportedly feature batteries from China’s Amperex Technology Limited (ATL). The Elec doesn't clarify whether the spec leak applies to the rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 4 as well.
So what do these different battery capacities mean? Since the spec variation is so small, it's unlikely the Galaxy Watch 4 battery life will be better or worse compared to the previous Galaxy Watch's, at least based on the battery capacity alone.
Instead, the power demands of the display, chip or other internal circuitry could cause changes to the Galaxy Watch's official battery life estimate. The next Galaxy Watch could have the exact same battery life claims of last year's model, too.
Of course, we hope that's not the case. We were disappointed about the Galaxy Watch 3's battery life, which Samsung said should last up to two days. Based on our display settings and activity, we ended up charging our test unit every 24 hours.
The original Samsung Galaxy Watch lasted up to four days, which at the time blew the Apple Watch's 18-hour battery life away. Now the two leading smartwatches — the Galaxy Watch 4 and Apple Watch Series 6 — are nearly neck and neck in terms of stamina.
If Samsung's smartwatch could once again outlast Apple's, it'd have a major advantage.
As of now, we don't have any reason to suspect the Apple Watch 7 will get a battery life boost. That could change as we get closer to the launch of the new smartwatch flagships. Both are expected to arrive in the last summer or early fall. In the past, the Galaxy Watch update has taken place in August, while new Apple Watch generations are typically announced in September.
