Wear OS may not have been the success that Google hoped for, but that hasn’t stopped the company from trying. Last year, Google launched the H-MR2 update to help make the platform perform better and to improve battery life. The Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 was also launched to help take the platform to the next level. So far, the new chipset has been limited to the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, but it gives some hope that the platform is still kicking.
Recently, there has been a lot of speculation about where Wear OS can go this year. Google acquired Fitbit, which makes some of the best fitness trackers and the best fitness smartwatches, and leaves Google quite a few possibilities. There have also been rumors of an alleged Pixel Watch and a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 running Wear OS, both of which could help boost platform adoption.
Google is expected to talk about Wear OS at Google I/O 2021, so we may not have to wait long to learn more about the company’s plans. That said, we want to know what you might be looking forward to most when it comes to Wear OS this year?
What are you hoping to see this year with Wear OS?
The perks of owning Fitbit
When Google announced that it was acquiring Fitbit, the purpose of the acquisition wasn’t really clear, and that remains largely true today. Fitbit seems to function more or less the same as it has before, and Google hasn’t really indicated what it plans to do with the company.
One thought is that Google would use the expertise of Fitbit to help boost its efforts with Wear OS. Fitbit trackers and smartwatches are very battery efficient despite constantly tracking various health metrics, something that Wear OS has always struggled with. It would make sense for Google to take what it learns from devices like the Fitbit Sense to improve its own platform, especially when it comes to health tracking and fitness features.
Pixel Watch rumors are back
Another possibility for why Google acquired Fitbit is so that it can build its own watch hardware. Rumors of a Pixel Watch have swirled for years, but each year it never came. Now that Google owns a wearable OEM, rumors of a Pixel Watch have understandably ramped up once again.
Renders of the Pixel Watch emerged recently, suggesting that Google is actually preparing to launch its very own smartwatch soon. Not much is known about the device other than it’s round and could have a similar band-lock system like the Apple Watch. For now, we may have to wait until later this summer before the alleged watch arrives.
Wear OS on the Galaxy Watch 4
Samsung abandoned Wear OS (then Android Wear) many years ago for its own Tizen-based smartwatch platform, but there are signs that the company is getting ready to bring it back. Many reports have pointed to Samsung making its Wear OS comeback with the upcoming Galaxy Watch 4 and Active 4.
Not much is known about the devices, other than the alleged battery capacity and how they apparently won’t include the blood glucose sensor that Samsung planned to include.
It’s also not clear why Samsung is reportedly choosing to abandon Tizen since the platform powers some of the best Android smartwatches on the market right now, but apparently, Tizen has reached its limit as an ecosystem. It’s been said that Samsung wants to bring more apps to its smartwatches, and going with Google would be the best way to do it. With the growing partnership between the two companies, it seems likely that the two companies can make Wear OS take off.
The best of Wear OS
TicWatch Pro 3 GPS
$300 at Amazon $297 at Walmart
The Wear OS watch you should buy right now
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS is the best Wear OS smartwatch you can buy, thanks to its dual-layer display, large battery, and newer Qualcomm chipset. Updates from both Google and Mobvoi continue to improve the watch, bringing more features and faster performance.
