Smartwatches have become a more common accessory in tech, whether for fitness tracking or for handling everyday tasks without a phone. However, costs have become a growing concern, especially for manufacturers’ supply costs. Apple doesn’t sell any of its new Apple Watch models for less than $300, essentially forcing you to purchase through a third-party retailer at a cheaper cost. At the same time, the Galaxy Ultra watches and Pixel Watch models also easily surpass $300. Thus, there’s been a rise in budget smartwatches.
In May 2026, we saw Google release the Fitbit Air, a minimalist, low-cost fitness tracker priced at $100, or $130 for the Steph Curry edition. The wearable had a strong summer, drawing substantial positive feedback for a device at its price. But winter’s approaching, and Samsung’s expected upcoming Galaxy Fit 4 may have the potential to claim the throne as the top budget smartwatch.
Users would be able to make NFC payments with Samsung Wallet
Samsung has not yet announced its expected Galaxy Fit 4 smartwatch, but the Android Galaxy Wearable app may have accidentally spoiled its upcoming release. This new watch may not be as high-end as the company’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, but if the Fit 4 has a similar price range to its predecessor, we could see never-before-seen specs in a budget-friendly smartwatch.
As shown in a screenshot from SamMobile, Samsung has released a Galaxy Fit 4 Manager plugin app on the Galaxy Store, even though the company hasn’t officially announced the device yet. The screenshot shows a dedicated wallet section in the settings menu, suggesting there may be Samsung Wallet capabilities, such as connecting Samsung Wallet from a Samsung smartphone to the Fit 4. This would be a first for the Galaxy Fit series, as previous models have not had NFC connectivity.
Assuming the Fit 4 will have a similar price to its predecessor, which originally cost $60 upon release, the NFC feature would make it one of the few latest budget smartwatches on the market. Google’s Fitbit Air and the Fitbit Edge, which was recently released in late October 2026, do not have NFC functionality. The company defended this position by recently providing a statement to Android Authority, saying that fewer than 1% of Fitbit Charge 6 users used the feature, so they focused on improving other features, including the display and battery, rather than the Edge.
Images also suggest that the Fit 4 may support phone calls
Users would be able to take phone calls directly on the watch instead of their phones
Other screenshots taken by SamMobile also show a dedicated sound and vibration section in settings. That would suggest that the Fit 4 is getting a speaker. However, it could just be the watch getting a speaker for notification sounds, alarms, and reading messages, rather than functionality for speaking directly through the watch. Regardless, having a speaker would be another premium feature not seen in many smartwatches under $100.
Phone call capability would be a massive advantage for the Fit 4, as it’s really only premium/high-end smartwatches that have this feature, such as the latest Pixel, Galaxy, and Apple Watches. None of the previous Galaxy Fit models and very few recent Fitbit models have this type of technology. If the Fit 4 were to support calls, it would likely do so via a Bluetooth connection to a compatible smartphone, rather than via its own wireless service.
Keeping the Fit 4’s price could be challenging
If these features do come to fruition, it’d be hard to keep its predecessor’s original price
If Samsung were able to fit contactless payments and phone calling into this expected smartwatch, it would likely have a price bump over the Fit 3. However, if the company can keep the device’s price below $100, it would be more cost-effective than the Fitbit Air or Edge while still offering some premium features.
There’s also the possibility that the Fitbit Air may not be Samsung’s appropriate competitor, as the Air’s advantage over many other competitors, outside of cost, is its minimalist design, with no open-facing display, resembling a simple fabric wristband. Thus, the Edge, which currently costs $179, may be the more appropriate competitor, and Fit 4 shouldn’t cost anywhere near that price, as a $100+ price jump would be shocking.
It’s still unclear when the Fit 4 will be released, as the company hasn’t officially announced it. With a wave of new smartwatches and phones being released this Fall, it could be as soon as late 2026, but don’t be surprised if it gets pushed to early 2027. Regardless, this highly anticipated smartwatch is worth keeping an eye on, and it will be interesting to see whether Samsung delivers on the features its Galaxy app suggests.
