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What's New in Samsung Galaxy Watch 4?

The Galaxy Watch 4 marked Samsung's biggest smartwatch transformation, switching to WearOS, introducing body composition tracking, and partnering with Google for a unified platform. It's also the last Samsung watch with MST payment technology.


WearOS Platform Transition

The most significant change was abandoning Tizen for Google's WearOS.

  • What Was Gained: Full Google Play Store access with thousands of apps (vs limited Tizen app selection), Google Assistant alongside Bixby for dual voice assistant options, native Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube Music, and Google Keep integration, and industry-standard platform for better third-party app support.

  • What Was Lost: Tizen's 2-4 day battery life (Watch 4 lasts 18-24 hours), some Tizen-exclusive watch faces and apps, and the rotating bezel on the standard model (still available on Watch 4 Classic).


BioActive Sensor Technology

The Galaxy Watch 4 introduced the world's first smartwatch body composition analysis.

  • Body Composition: Measures body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, body water, BMI, and basal metabolic rate using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) from your wrist

  • ECG Monitoring: FDA-cleared electrocardiogram for detecting irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation

  • Blood Oxygen (SpO2): On-demand and continuous monitoring during sleep

  • Blood Pressure: Wrist-based tracking after calibration with a traditional cuff (regional availability)

Previously, body composition required a separate smart scale or professional equipment.


Exynos W920 Processor

Samsung designed their first 5nm wearable chip specifically for WearOS.

  • Performance: 20% faster than previous generation with 50% better graphics

  • RAM: 1.5GB (up from 1GB in Galaxy Watch 3) for smoother multitasking

  • Storage: 16GB for apps and offline music

The upgraded processor ensures smooth app launching, fluid animations, and better WearOS performance.


Last Watch with MST Payments

The Galaxy Watch 4 is Samsung's final smartwatch with MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) payment technology.

  • MST + NFC: Works at approximately 90% of payment terminals, including older magnetic stripe readers where Apple Pay and Google Pay fail

  • Unique Advantage: Samsung removed MST from the Galaxy Watch 5 and all newer models, making the Watch 4 more versatile for payments than its successors


Comparison to Galaxy Watch 3

FeatureGalaxy Watch 3Galaxy Watch 4
OSTizenWearOS 3.5
App StoreGalaxy Store (limited)Google Play Store
Body CompositionNoYes
Battery Life2-4 days18-24 hours
MST PaymentsYesYes (last model)
Rotating BezelYesNo (except Classic)

See Also: What OS Does Galaxy Watch 4 Run|What Is BioActive Sensor