Galaxy Watch 9 Classic Is Back on the Table, and Raise-to-Talk May Come With It
Samsung may have been misread. Recent theories suggested the company would skip a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic this year, breaking from the pattern it established with the Watch 7 Classic and Watch 8 Classic.
New code in a Google Wear OS app suggests a different story—and a second surprise: raise-to-talk, the hands-free Gemini trigger exclusive to the Pixel Watch 4, may finally be coming to Samsung watches too.
Three Codenames, Three Watches
According to Android Authority, contributor AssembleDebug spotted three new Galaxy Watch codenames in a recent Google Wear OS app update: Fresh 9, Wise 9, and Project V2.
The names align with the previous generation. Fresh 8 was the Galaxy Watch 8, Wise 8 the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, and Project X2 the Watch Ultra. It makes Fresh 9 the Galaxy Watch 9, Wise 9 the Galaxy Watch 9 Classic, and Project V2 the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
The discovery carries extra weight because the codenames appeared in a Google app rather than a Samsung app, reducing the likelihood of an internal test label.
As 9to5Google noted, Wise 9’s appearance in Google-authored Wear OS code contradicts Sammy Fans’ theory that Samsung would skip a Classic model this year and provides the strongest evidence yet that a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic is in development.
Raise-to-Talk Could Leave Pixel Watch Exclusivity Behind
The same teardown uncovered an even more practical development for Galaxy Watch users.
Alongside the existing RttSettingsManagerPixelWatch identifier introduced with the Pixel Watch 4, Google has added RttSettingsManager3pWearOs. The “3p” likely stands for “third party,” suggesting that Raise-to-talk may be expanding beyond Pixel watches.
Raise-to-talk lets users activate Gemini by lifting their wrist and speaking without pressing any buttons.
On the Pixel Watch 4, it became one of the platform’s most useful AI features. As Android Authority notes, the use of “WearOS” rather than “PixelWatch” points to broader device support, though Google has not confirmed anything.
The move would align with Samsung’s growing software focus. One UI 9 beta on the Galaxy S26 introduced major AI and accessibility upgrades, and Galaxy Watch software has historically tracked Samsung’s smartphone roadmap closely.
A Galaxy Watch 9 Classic with raise-to-talk would further extend that AI push to the wrist.
The Unpacked Timeline
All three watches, Galaxy Watch 9, Watch 9 Classic, and Watch Ultra 2, are expected to debut at Samsung Unpacked in London on July 22, 2026, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide.
How the Galaxy Watch 9 Classic fits into the wearables lineup for 2026 will come down to how Samsung differentiates it from the standard Watch 9 in specs, sensors, and design.
Source: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 codenames suggest there will be a new Classic this year
