Galaxy Watch 9 gets seamless updates; watchOS 27 beta improves Siri AI, drops gesture

The seamless-update feature was noticed by several X users, as Android Authority reported via SammyGuru, when the Watch 9 received its first post-launch software update. That update is roughly 193 MB and includes the Aug. 5, 2026 security patch. Instead of taking the watch offline, the firmware can download and install in the background. Android Authority said the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 may also support the technology.

Seamless updates have been part of Android since Nougat, but Samsung took years to adopt them. The Galaxy A55 was the company's first phone with the feature, and the Galaxy S25 lineup later extended it to flagship phones. With the Watch 9, Samsung appears to be bringing the same convenience to wearables.

In Apple's case, 9to5Mac's article describes the removal of a long-standing Digital Crown shortcut. Double-clicking the crown previously jumped between recent apps or between the last app and the watch face. In the current watchOS 27 beta, the writer found, double-clicking does the same as a single click and shows the new dynamic app grid, which presents a Siri icon, five suggested apps and a link to the full grid. The writer called the gesture a muscle-memory feature and said the dynamic grid is not a substitute. The report adds that double-clicking the side button still opens Wallet cards.

In another 9to5Mac report, the author says Siri AI on Apple Watch had been nearly unusable throughout watchOS 27 beta this summer. Siri would respond slowly or not at all, occasionally failed to set alarms or reminders, and HomeKit commands were very slow. The author even questioned whether Apple would have to delay the feature. After beta 8 arrived days before the report, however, the author says the problems appear to have been fixed, describing a "night-and-day difference." Siri AI can now answer knowledge questions without needing an iPhone, according to the writer.