The claim comes from a Korea-based leaker, kro
, who posted on X that Samsung is reconsidering its update policy for the Galaxy Watch series. Kro did not say which models count as “older,” so it is unclear where the cutoff would fall. Android Authority has asked Samsung for comment.
Four Years of Upgrades on Watches That Still Overheat
On paper, Samsung’s current commitments are generous. The Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 get five years of both OS and security updates. Everything older in the lineup gets less on the OS side:
- Galaxy Watch 4 through Watch 8, Galaxy Watch FE and the original Galaxy Watch Ultra: four years of OS upgrades and five years of security updates
- Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic: security updates already ended last month
The trouble is that upgrades have not been a smooth experience for many owners. Users have reported watches overheating badly enough to burn wrists, and others charge slowly because of thermal throttling, to the point that some resort to fans and ice baths. Kro says Samsung has not fully resolved the processor and bug problems behind these complaints.
A Chip Change That Has Not Settled Things
Samsung has already moved away from its own Exynos processors. Newer models such as the Galaxy Watch 9 now run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite, a switch that followed widespread complaints of battery drain and lag after OS updates. Bugs keep surfacing anyway. In August, users reported restart failures on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, Ultra and Ultra 2.
Kro suggests that dropping upgrades for older watches could be Samsung’s way of shedding a persistent headache, and that it may reflect the company’s own frustration with the situation.
Hashlytics Take
Ending upgrades would be the cheapest fix Samsung has, because every new OS version is another chance to destabilize hardware that was never built for it. But the older watches were sold with a four-year upgrade promise, and walking that back would turn a leaker’s rumor into a trust problem. The more telling signal is the one already visible: Samsung stopped Watch 4 security updates last month, and a company trimming support at the edges tends to keep trimming. If this is real, the question to ask is not whether upgrades end, but whether the stated policy is quietly being treated as a ceiling instead of a commitment. Treat it as unconfirmed until Samsung responds.
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