The Galaxy Watch 5 may get a sorely-needed charging boost

(Image credit: Chris Wedel / Android Central)

What you need to know

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has decent battery life but is slow at charging.
The upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 may sport faster 10W charging, as noted by FCC listings.
The rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is said to feature a much larger battery that could benefit from faster charging.

Rumors of the upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 series just get better and better. While there's been news of a possible battery upgrade for a rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, now we're hearing that Samsung may also improve charging speeds.

Recent FCC listings for "Smart Wearable" devices (via 9to5Google) are clearly for Samsung's upcoming smartwatch lineup, as one model, SM-R900, clearly shows the "Galaxy Watch 5" name in its e-label. Two additional models, SM-R910 and SM-R920, are likely referring to the larger model and the rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 FCC label — (Image credit: FCC)

The listings appear to be for the Bluetooth models and show the supported Wi-Fi channels. The filings also describe the power source, a charger that supports a 5.0V/2.0A output, or 10W charging. That's twice the speed of the Galaxy Watch 4, which supports 5W charging.

This mirrors findings that appeared ahead of the Galaxy Watch 4 launch last year, which revealed that the charging speed wouldn't be anything to run home about. In fact, the Galaxy Watch 4 charging speed has been one of the biggest downsides of the watch, which already doesn't have the best battery life, lasting at just over a day in regular use.

Fossil smartwatches like the Skagen Falster Gen 6 may not have impressive battery life, but they at least make up for it with impressively fast charging. And given the rumors that Samsung is sticking a much larger battery on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, it will need all the speed it can get so that users aren't waiting around for it to top up.

With talk of better battery life and faster charging, the Galaxy Watch 5 series is already starting to sound quite impressive. Of course, we'll have to wait until the official announcement to see how it stacks up to the best Wear OS watches and upcoming launches from Google's partners.

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.