Smartwatches Are Splitting Into Specialized Camps

One Wrist, Two Very Different Futures

Smartwatch feature specialization is the shift from one-size-fits-all wrist gadgets toward distinct devices tuned for specific lifestyles, such as extreme sports watches for divers and trail runners or health tracking wearables for everyday wellness and sleep-focused users.

Samsung’s latest launch makes that split impossible to ignore. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 arrived together at the company’s Unpacked event on 22 July, riding alongside new foldable phones. They share an AI-first pitch—“a health companion, a dive computer, a trail-running coach, a cardiovascular monitor, and a sleep analyst — all strapped to your wrist”—but they are not trying to win the same wrist. One is a rugged smartwatch diving into harsh environments; the other is a softer, everyday health companion. The message is blunt: the era of the single, do-everything smartwatch is over, and brands now expect you to pick a lane.

Galaxy Watch Ultra2: From Waterproof to Dive Computer

The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is built to convince Garmin and Suunto loyalists that Samsung now belongs in the extreme sports watches conversation. Its 5,000‑nit display makes stats readable even underwater, backed by a titanium body, IP69K and 10 ATM ratings, and EN13319 certification for diving accessories. This is not pool‑lap territory; it is designed to support dives down to 40 meters while tracking depth, water temperature, and dive duration in real time.

The real pivot is turning the watch into a wrist‑based dive computer. Samsung partnered with diving specialist Mares to pre‑install a dedicated app, then locked advanced features behind subscriptions. The free tier adds basic timers and safety alerts. Snorkel Mode, at USD 2.99 (approx. RM14) per month, brings GPS routes, distance, maps, and heart rate tracking. Scuba Mode—USD 7.99 (approx. RM37) monthly or USD 59.99 (approx. RM281) yearly—unlocks tank pressure, multi‑gas Nitrox, decompression algorithms, and detailed safety alerts. It is a classic niche upsell: pay more for pro‑grade capability, but only if you are the kind of user who will go deep enough to need it.

Galaxy Watch9: The Health Tracking Wearable for Everyone Else

If the Ultra2 is a challenge to outdoor sports brands, the Galaxy Watch9 is a quiet shot at the broad health tracking wearables market. It arrives lighter, softer, and explicitly “built for the person who wants to build healthier habits without training for an Ironman”. Its aluminium body, 3,000‑nit display, and smaller battery signal comfort over conquest, and the price range—starting at RM1,499—keeps it within reach of mainstream buyers while sitting below rival entry models without naming them.

Where the Ultra2 flaunts rugged specs, the Watch9 sells reassurance. Both watches share Samsung’s AI‑powered health suite, including a Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and a Fitness Index, plus sleep‑based vitals baselines that flag unusual deviations. Noise‑level monitoring and detailed hearing reports push the idea of constant, quiet guardianship. TM Roh sums up the intent as a move “from reactive treatment to proactive care”. That is not sports marketing; it is a pitch to anyone anxious about long‑term health, wrapped in a watch that does not look like training gear.

Segmentation, Subscriptions, and the Price of Picking a Lane

The split between Ultra2 and Watch9 is not just about features; it is a pricing strategy hiding in plain sight. The Ultra2’s RM3,399 sticker is “the starting point, not the finish line” once you stack optional bands, power accessories, and early‑bird perks. On top of that, the Mares subscription ladder turns advanced underwater features into recurring revenue: snorkel tracking for USD 2.99 (approx. RM14) per month, full scuba computer capability for USD 7.99 (approx. RM37) monthly or USD 59.99 (approx. RM281) yearly.

Meanwhile, the Watch9 spreads across four SKUs from RM1,499 to RM1,899, covering size and connectivity options. That keeps a mainstream entry point open while the Ultra2 caters to a narrower, higher‑spend crowd. This mirrors fitness wearables, where different brands have carved out distinct personas—performance‑driven adventurers, everyday iPhone owners, wellness‑obsessed ring wearers—rather than fighting for a single generic user. Samsung’s giveaway of HOKA Clifton Pro shoes with the Ultra2 sends a blunt signal: “we are in your lane now” if you care about trails and metrics, but if you only want better sleep and early health alerts, the cheaper Watch9 is where you belong.

From Gadgets to Companions: What Comes Next

The bigger story is that smartwatches are slipping out of the gadget aisle and into two very human narratives: adventure and anxiety. Samsung did not go to London “to sell you a watch”; it went to sell a health companion, dive computer, trail‑running coach, cardiovascular monitor, and sleep analyst in one ecosystem. Yet the hardware now forces a choice: buy the rugged smartwatch diving into your hobbies, or the health tracking wearable that quietly audits your lifestyle.

On the adventure side, the Ultra2 will expand as the Mares app arrives later this year with ascent and descent speed tracking and built‑in safe dive limits, although Samsung has not announced the exact release date. On the wellness side, pre‑orders for both watches run until 13 August, with general availability from 14 August. The conclusion feels clear: in the next phase of wearables, you will not ask, “Which smartwatch is best?” You will ask, “Am I buying for the life I have, or the life I want to train for?”