5 wearables we expect to see in 2024: The gadgets to look out for

The top five upcoming wearables to look out for next year

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If a new wearable has been on your wishlist, you may have been a little disappointed with 2023’s offering. There were some excellent devices announced, but none were hugely groundbreaking compared to previous iterations.

TheApple Watch Series 9andWatch Ultra 2were identical in design to the previousbest Apple Watches, the Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra for example, while theSamsungGalaxy Watch 6 andWatch 6 Classicweren’t too dissimilar from their predecessors either - apart from the re-introduction of the rotating bezel on the Classic, of course.

There’s plenty in the pipeline for 2024 however, with rumours of some genuinely exciting wearables to look forward to in the next 12 months.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

TheSamsung Galaxy Ringis the first wearable we are expecting to see appear in the new year and it’s one of the more exciting ones too. Samsung has been in the wearables game for a long time now – anyone remember the Samsung Galaxy Gear? – but the Galaxy Ring would mark a new category for the company, and it’s a sector it could dominate if it applies the same premium build quality tosmart ringsas it does to itsGalaxy smartphones.

Going after the popularOura Ringand Circular Ring pictured above, the Galaxy Ring is expected to be a minimalist take onfitness trackers, offering a number of sensors within a small and discreet format. Rumors suggest many mainstay Galaxy Watch features will be on the Ring, including the ability to measure heart rate, steps, and SpO2 from your finger.

The best part? It’s expected to launch in January 2024 alongside theGalaxy S24 smartphonesso we may not have too long to wait to see if Samsung will put a ring on it.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

It wouldn’t seem right to mention the Galaxy Ring without talking about the Galaxy Watch 7 models. Whether we will continue to see a Galaxy Watch 7 and a Galaxy Watch 7 Classic, or whether Samsung switches back to a Watch 7 Pro in place of the Watch 7 Classic for 2024 remains to be seen for now. We can bet our bottom dollar Samsung will refresh itsGalaxy Watchin 2024 however, likely towards the end of the summer alongside theGalaxy Z devices.

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Details are currently few and far between but we’re hopeful theWatch 6 Classic’srotating bezel is either here to stay for the 2024 successor, or it’s swapped in for a Watch 7 Pro. With the flagship Watch 7, we expect the premium quality build these smartwatches offer, and we’d love even longer battery life to compete with the likes ofGarmin. 48 hours please!

The Galaxy Watch 7 models are also fully expected to runWear OSwhilst delivering a range of health features, including the Watch 6’s blood pressure monitoring through pulse wave analysis, and full body composition to replace a smart scale. Compatibility withiPhonewould be a nice addition, though we must say we aren’t holding out.

Apple Watch SE 3

It’s a big year forApple Watchin 2024, with a decade having passed since the originalApple Watchwas announced. We are very much expecting theAppleWatch X to be revealed in 2024 as the 10-year anniversary model, but let’s not forget about the humbleWatch SE.

This model typically sees a bi-annual release, and with no Watch SE announced in 2023, it is on the docket for an update in 2024.

Our wishlist for the third generation model includes an Always-On Display – this has been on the Apple Watch Series since theSeries 5so it’s not new technology anymore, but it’s never materialized on the SE range. An electrocardiogram and blood oxygen monitoring feature (once its legal troubles with Masimo are sorted out) wouldn’t go amiss either.

It will no doubt continue to have a smaller feature set than the Watch X, but the Watch SE 3 – or Watch SE (2024) as it will likely be known as – is expected to be an excellent option for most people, and hopefully, it remains a decent price too. The only bad news with this one is that we don’t expect to see it appear until September 2024 with thenew iPhone models.

OnePlus Watch 2

When OnePlus launched its first smartwatch in 2021, it was initially met with plenty of enthusiasm. Then the reviews arrived and it was clear that you’d be settling (see what we did there) by choosing it over thePixel Watchor Samsung’s Galaxy Watch models.

The company appears to have learned a thing or two from its first attempt however, with whispers suggesting the OnePlus Watch 2 will launch in 2024 and bring a number of improvements.

It’s said to come with alarger AMOLED display and run on Wear OS 4– the sameoperating systemas thePixel Watch 2– which would be a huge advantage over the custom-built software theOnePlus Watchruns on.

Google’s operating system offers more flexibility in terms of apps, alongside a simpler user experience. As for when the next OnePlus Watch might launch, our money would be around Mobile World Congress at the end of February 2024 but there’s nothing concrete yet.

Garmin Forerunner 65

Garmin has somany devices, you’d be forgiven for not being able to keep up. There has been an update to theLily smartwatchmooted and, as ever, we wait patiently for theGarmin Fenix 8, but we also have our eyes peeled for an update to the budget Forerunner in 2024, too.

TheForerunner 55arrived in June 2021 so it’s due a refresh despite not having a regular release pattern. It was excellent for offering many of Garmin’s brilliant software features but for a more budget-conscious runner that was happy enough with a less premium build quality compared to the company’s more expensive devices, like theFenix range.

Word is thin on the ground at the moment, but a refresh to the Forerunner 55 in what would presumably be the Forerunner 65 is one we are expecting (or hoping for) in 2024.

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Britta is a freelance technology journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. She’s covered everything from phones, tablets and wearables to smart home and beauty tech, with everything in between. She has a fashion journalism degree from London College of Fashion and was previously deputy editor of Pocket-lint, where she climbed three mountains with 9 fitness trackers on just to test them. You’ll never find her without her Apple Watch on, aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate.

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