Samsung wants you to think of the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 as a dive computer strapped to your wrist. The hardware backs that up: Samsung says the watch is rated IP69K, 10ATM water resistant, and certified to EN13319, the European standard for diving instruments. What Samsung doesn’t advertise as loudly is that the software that actually turns those certifications into real dive-computer functionality — decompression tracking, safety stops, gas-mix support — lives behind a recurring subscription to a separate app from dive-gear brand Mares, and it isn’t even available yet.
What Samsung announced about Galaxy Watch Ultra2 diving
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 was unveiled on July 22, 2026, at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in London, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8. Samsung says it partnered with Mares — which it calls the world’s leading diving equipment brand — to build diving features “collaboratively” for the watch. The Ultra2 can automatically detect when you enter the water and start logging depth, dive time, and water temperature on its own.
That’s a genuinely unusual spec sheet for a smartwatch, and the EN13319 certification in particular isn’t something Samsung can just claim — it means the hardware has been tested against the same standard used for dedicated diving instruments. Pairing that with an established dive-gear brand for the software layer, rather than building it in-house, is a reasonable way to get real diving credibility fast.
The catch: a subscription for the features that matter
The problem is what that hardware actually does out of the box, and what it costs to unlock the rest. According to Android Authority’s reporting, the dedicated Mares diving app for Galaxy Watch Ultra2 will offer three tiers:
- Free (Timer Mode): basic depth, dive time, and an ascent-rate alarm — enough to know you’re diving, not enough to dive safely on its own.
- Snorkel Mode — $2.99/month: snorkel session timer, dive info, GPS tracking, map, compass, stopwatch, temperature, and heart rate.
- Scuba Mode — $7.99/month or $59.99/year: this is the tier that actually functions as a dive computer — air and Nitrox gas support, decompression algorithms, and safety stops, on top of everything in the lower tiers.
In other words, the safety-critical features — the ones that matter most to an actual scuba diver — are the ones locked behind the most expensive, recurring tier. A standalone dive computer doesn’t charge divers a monthly fee to keep tracking their decompression limits; once you own it, the safety functions just work. Samsung is selling the watch as equivalent to that experience while adding an ongoing cost most dedicated dive computers don’t have.
It’s also worth noting the app isn’t ready yet. Samsung says the Ultra2 Diving app is “expected to be available later this year,” so buyers who preorder now are paying for certified hardware today and waiting for the software that makes it useful for real diving. For comparison, Tom’s Guide notes the equivalent Mares app on iOS currently costs $8.99 a month or $69.99 a year — close to, but not identical to, the figures reported for the watch — which suggests the Android pricing could still move before the app actually ships. Tom’s Guide also reports Samsung has struck a two-year exclusivity deal with Mares, meaning this particular dive app won’t be available on any other Android smartwatch during that window.
Pricing and availability
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 starts at $699 for the 47mm case, available in Titanium Silver or Titanium Gray. Pre-orders are open now directly through Samsung, with general availability starting August 7, 2026. That price covers only the watch — the Mares subscription is a separate, ongoing cost once the app arrives.
Specifications
- Chipset: Snapdragon Wear Elite (shared with the Galaxy Watch9)
- Battery: 800mAh, roughly 35% larger than the previous Watch Ultra generation
- Display: peak brightness up to 5,000 nits
- Build: titanium case, about 12% thinner than the prior generation
- Water resistance/dive rating: IP69K, 10ATM, EN13319-certified
None of this makes the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 a bad watch — the hardware genuinely supports serious diving in a way most smartwatches don’t even attempt. But anyone buying it specifically for the dive-computer pitch should go in knowing the features that make it one aren’t included, aren’t live yet, and will keep costing money after the $699 purchase.
