Summary
- Samsung may introduce a feature for Galaxy Watches that lets users control smart TVs with air gestures.
- Pointer Mode on Galaxy Watches would enable users to control TV interface with wrist and finger movements.
- The feature could be exclusive to Galaxy smartwatch users but is expected to be officially announced soon.
TVs continue to improve and get smarter in 2025, but one pain point remains — you can’t properly control them without the remote. While options like remote apps on your phone or voice controls are helpful, wouldn’t it be great to control your smart TV with just your fingertips and gestures? Samsung seems to be working on a solution.
App analyst AssembleDebug (via Android Authority) discovered that Samsung is developing a feature for Galaxy Watches that enables smart TV control through air gestures. According to code found in the SmartThings app on Wear OS (version 1.3.12.9), Galaxy Watches may soon gain a feature called “Pointer Mode,” which will reportedly allow users to control TVs using only gestures.
Turn your watch into a magic wand
According to the report, Pointer Mode will feature gesture controls using wrist and finger movements, allowing users to control certain aspects of the smart TV interface. For instance, pinching could select a channel, making a fist might send you back, while making a fist twice could take you to the home screen, as per the report.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra already use similar pinch gestures for tasks like answering calls and capturing photos. It now seems that Samsung is planning to use these gestures to let users control their smart TVs using a smartwatch.
There’s no word on when this feature will roll out to Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, but since it has been spotted in the code, an official announcement may not be far off. It’s possible Samsung could showcase this feature alongside the Galaxy S25 launch later this month, though that’s just speculation. However, even when the feature is available, reports indicate that it will remain exclusive to Galaxy smartwatch users.
