The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is already one of the best smartwatches right now, but it just received some updates that should make it even better.
Right on the tail of the Apple Watch 7 release, Samsung announced new features for the Galaxy Watch 4 during the Unpacked Part 2 event. The company's first Wear OS smartwatch now offers exterior customization with a Bespoke Edition and a 40mm Maison Kitsune Edition for $399, too.
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Though the additional designer version is certainly attractive, existing users will be more interested about the refreshed watch faces, new gesture controls and enhanced fall detection features.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 already offered a sleek set of watch faces via One UI Watch. New choices include Info Brick, which looks like the Apple Watch's multi-complication Modular faces, and Weather Center, which reflects the conditions outside. You can also combine certain watch faces for a customized experience — something that isn't available for Apple Watch, though you can devise a list of watch faces to swipe through.
Though less functional, new live wallpaper watch faces inspired by the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 offer aesthetic unity among Samsung's suite of devices, too.
As for gesture controls, the Galaxy Watch 4 now supports a "knock knock" motion. It's intended as a shortcut to activate a pre-selected app or feature. You can use a knocking gesture to open the list of workouts on your smartwatch, for example.
Samsung introduced fall detection with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, a few years after Apple brought the potentially life-saving feature to Apple Watch. It only worked on the Galaxy Watch when you're working out, but now fall detection on the Galaxy Watch 4 can recognize a hard fall at any time.
The last new perk for Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 users announced in tangent to Galaxy Unpacked Part 2 is a free 60-day trial of Strava, one of the best workout apps right now.
As the best Samsung smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has a pretty good hold on those with the best Samsung phones. But continued improvements could make it a stronger contender against the best Fitbit models and even the seventh-generation Apple Watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Maison Kitsune Edition
The Galaxy Watch 4 Maison Kitsuné Edition can be ordered started today and comes in a 40mm Bluetooth model for $399.99. That's $150 more than the standard Galaxy Watch 4, which this version looks more like than the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.
