Of all the features that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has, I like its bezel the best. Whereas the Apple Watch has its Digital Crown, which is ultimately based on the headwear of European monarchs, Samsung has a much more modern solution: its wonderfully tactile rotating ring. As much as I love digital technology you can't beat a good bit of engineering, especially if it's of the spinny clicky kind.
So I'm sad to hear that the next generation Galaxy Watch, or the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro model at least, won't have it. I think that's a shame, because I've used a ton of smartwatches from a variety of brands and I think Samsung's bezel is the best smartwatch control: it's by far the most intuitive way to scroll through menus. But according to the latest rumours, if you're big on bezels then "the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will disappoint you."
What to expect from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
According to Android Police, Samsung has three versions of the Galaxy Watch 5 in development, codenamed Heart-S, Heart-L and Heart-Pro. They'll be differently sized from each other but will all have battery improvements: 10 percent better in the smallest model and possibly as much as 60 percent more battery life in the biggest Pro model.
But according to reliable leaker Ice Universe, the Pro isn't getting the bezel that Samsung smartwatch owners are so familiar with. And if it's not coming to the biggest, most expensive model, then it seems unlikely that we'll see it in the smaller ones either.
I'm sure Samsung has its reasons, but with the forthcoming Google Pixel Watch sticking with the traditional crown too it seems a shame that we're losing such a nice bit of design: from the clackiness of the best gaming keyboards to the smooth scrolling of the iconic iPod wheel, the places where our fingers touch technology deserve a little treat sometimes.
