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The Google Pixel Watch 3 is on its way into customers’ hands starting in September, bringing with it a range of exciting new specs and features, including a larger variant this time around. While many of these changes are related to hardware, software improvements can be equally important. One of the promised new software features is offline map support for Google Maps, but you’ll be able to get it sooner as the feature is starting to rollout to Google Maps for Wear OS now.

While you will have to manually download the app update, Google says it will automatically auto-download offline maps to the watch from your profile and will sync and check either when you’re on Wi-Fi or while your device is charging. There’s even a new “Offline maps” within the Settings. As with Google Maps on Android, you’ll know if the watch is using a local map as you’ll see a cloud symbol with a line through it at the top to the left of the current time indicator within the Google Maps app.

So which devices will see the update? While we don’t have a comprehensive list, 9to5Google notes they are seeing the new feature with version 11.140.0701.W of Google Maps on Wear OS for the Pixel Watch 2, and a report from SamMobile indicates the Google Maps update is also rolling out to Samsung Wear OS devices dating back as far as the Galaxy Watch 4.

Once you’re rocking the latest update you should get an update message the first time you open Google maps that indicates “Offline maps on the phone are auto-downloaded to the watch.”

Google’s Wear OS took a gulp of fresh air with the help of Samsung in 2021. The new version launched with an improved UI, smoother performance, reliable features, and the promise of consistent development. We’ve since seen the arrival of Wear OS 4 in 2023, with the next iteration possibly landing later this year. But even though the revamped OS is miles beyond its earlier versions, it’s still not the smartwatch OS of my dreams. It fails to accomplish one important task: display contextually relevant information when it’s most needed.

So, how can Google remedy this? I think Apple may have a solution.

Wear OS and its info dilemma

For context, I use a Samsung Galaxy Watch as a daily driver. I’ve been through several Fitbit and Garmin watches, but I’ve always returned to Wear OS for that comfortable fit. It feels familiar, and forms the basis of my digital life when my hands are tied. My phone usually stays nestled in my bag when I’m not at home, and when I do need it, I prefer to continue any task I’ve initiated on my watch. However, this isn’t always possible. Information on Wear OS is always a button press or a swipe too far, or simply isn’t available on the wrist.

Information on Wear OS is always a button press or a swipe too far, or simply isn't available on the wrist.

Google has tried to remedy this with the release of newer complications and the addition of tiles. While I’ve always felt complications are essential for viewing bite-sized information, tiles leave a lot to be desired. The feature allows apps and features to display dedicated screens beyond the home screen, but it’s never been a true solution to my problem. The implementation is clunky, relies on multiple swipes and button presses, and often neglects to update in a timely fashion. As it stands, tiles just aren’t useful.

How watchOS tackles the problem

Ironically, the previously widget-shy Apple does a much better job with this on the Apple Watch. With Smart Stack — a home screen widget carousel that displays relevant information from apps running in the background — app information is readily available and easily cycled through using the digital crown. There’s never a need to leave the home screen to access this information. This has other benefits too. There’s no need for complications, so users can run their favorite watch faces unabated.

Ironically, the previously widget-shy Apple does a much better job with on the Apple Watch.

At WWDC 2024, Apple added even more functionality to this system by introducing Live Activity support to watchOS 11, allowing it to display contextually-relevant info cards in the stack when appropriate. These are essentially mirrored toasts taken from the iPhone’s Dynamic Island, but functions as a natural extension of your phone on your wrist. That degree of seamlessness is dearly missing with Wear OS and Android.

Smart Stack isn’t perfect, but it could be for Wear OS

There’s no denying that Smart Stack has its issues, but this is due to execution rather than concept. I’ve read multiple complaints from users who feel there just aren’t enough useful widgets available. There are others who feel that data-heavy watch faces are all they need. Perhaps I’m in the minority, as I see Smart Stack as a potentially great addition to Wear OS. But now that Apple was the first to launch the feature, a Wear OS equivalent can iron out these problems.

It would put essential information relayed from your phone front and center without user intervention. Do you want to use a complication-free watch face but still demand info snippets? A Smart Stack clone would allow this. As more Wear OS watches are adopting a dial, a swipe-free implementation would also be more than doable.

Despite its numerous improvements over the years, Wear OS still has plenty of room to grow.

Google has done wonders with Android’s notification system, and there’s room to improve it on Wear OS. In an ideal world, contextual clues, be it time of day, location, specific days of the week or month, and even ambient light could all prompt specific widget cards. Google wouldn’t necessarily require Gemini smarts to accomplish this, but it would add some welcome smarts to the experience. Of course, such a feature would live and die by the apps it supports. It’ll still need third-party developers to enrich the widget offering. This is an opportunity, not a potential issue. If the feature adds value, developers will build for it.

Despite its numerous improvements over the years, Wear OS still has plenty of room to grow. Addressing the way it displays information could hugely improve its interoperability with Android and make it a true extension of the smartphone. If Google needs ideas on how to address this, its competitor has a few.

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As part of the May 2024 Android Feature Drop, Google is officially rolling out some much-awaited features for Google Home users. Those who have built their smart home centered around Google Home will now have more ways to control their favorite or most accessed smart home devices.

Android users can now add a Google Home widget to their home screen, featuring their favorite smart home device controls. This is incredibly useful, especially if you have devices that you constantly toggle or access throughout the day. The widget is also surprisingly flexible, letting you resize to your desired configuration to suit your home screen.

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Android already makes signing into accounts easy by auto-filling your credentials in two taps. However, Google is simplifying the process even further in Android 15, while also bringing Credential Manager to Wear OS.

This week has been filled with announcements from Google I/O and now the company has revealed changes to Credential Manager. One of those changes will simplify the sign-in experience for passkeys.

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During Google I/O 2024, Google unveiled a ton of updates to the Android operating system, including a new version of its wearable platform. Wear OS 5 will be coming later this year, so in preparation for its release, Google shared a preliminary Developer Preview build that offers early access to the platform’s new features and APIs. While we were exploring the first Wear OS 5 Developer Preview build, we discovered that it has several new features not mentioned in Google’s blog post announcing the update.

The first of these features is a new grid-based app launcher, a feature we previously spotted and enabled in Wear OS 4. The Wear OS 5 Developer Preview adds a grid view for the app launcher that you can toggle by going to Settings > General > App view or by scrolling down to the bottom of the app list. The previous list-based app launcher is still provided as an option, of course.

The Wear OS landscape is gaining traction with more names in the field than ever, including Google’s own smartwatch line. We’re only a few months out from the next round of major Wear OS device launches (looking at you, Samsung), and I’m already eager to see what a potential Wear OS 5 launch might look like.

Wear OS 5: Features I want to see

If I could have my way, there are several improvements I’d want to see on the next Wear OS update. Some of these are long shots. Others are niche and picky, but they’re also very doable.

Fitbit for all

My most obvious ask for Wear OS 5 is that Google generously makes Fitbit features available to all Wear OS users. At this point, the Google/Fitbit conglomerate has run its course, and it is time to stop treating Fitbit’s ecosystem as a separate entity. Many Wear OS users beyond the Pixel Watch would benefit from the option to access Fitbit’s approachable fitness tracking tools and fantastic sleep platform. Health Connect was an okay stopgap, but anyone double-fisting a Fitbit and a Wear OS device should be able to move between their devices without losing data.

Novelty in general

The second very general ask is just for something new and exciting. Wear OS 4 brought some helpful improvements to users’ wrists but wasn’t terribly imaginative or novel. I’d love to see Wear OS 5 reinvigorate Apple’s biggest rival in the same way Wear OS 3 did back in 2021.

More useful quick settings

Though the Galaxy Watch series offers customizable quick settings, this feature isn’t consistent across all Wear OS devices, and it should be. The panel is much more usable when your own priorities are given prime locations. I also wish the quick setting menu could be accessed from other screens, not just the home screen.

Double Tap for Android users

Though at first I doubted its necessity, Double Tap is now a feature I rely on regularly when wearing my Apple Watch Ultra 2. The gesture control makes the smartwatch more accessible with just one hand free. This may sound lazy, but I want the same convenience on my Wear OS watches. Single-handed use is applicable in many more situations than I anticipated, and not just when my other one is clutched around an oversized to-go coffee.

Accessible assistance

The voice assistant landscape is shifting, and frankly, it’s an exciting feature to keep an eye on. Between added AI capabilities and on-device processing, smartwatches offer more powerful assistance than ever. Within the Wear OS 5 update, I hope to see the platform keep up with the competition by expanding and refining the user experience. (Will we see Gemini on the wrist?)

Meanwhile, as voice assistants become more complex, I also want to see Wear OS manage the user experience with intention. For example, Wear OS 5 should make simple queries manageable offline and locally so users don’t need to be connected to a phone.

Improved arrangements and modes (niche but needed)

Finally, there are a few subtle but significant UI tweaks that would improve the Wear OS 5 user experience. AA’s own Rita El Khoury points out that currently, not all watches change orientation when charging, leaving your time displayed wonky when using a sideways stand or charger. Likewise, Bedtime and Do Not Disturb modes are coupled unnecessarily. Wear OS 5 should introduce the option to sync your bedtime mode so the device switches to bedtime mode when you charge your phone at night, but DND is kept separate.

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Will there be a Wear OS 5 beta?

Just like last year, I expect Samsung to release a Wear OS 5 beta version leading up to the software’s official launch. This allows users to provide feedback about bugs and shortcomings while also getting a sneak peek at the new software. During Google I/O 2024, the company rolled out a developer preview, outlining a few of the improvements. We will keep this hub updated once the beta program is made available.

Wear OS 5 expected release date and name

• Wear OS 3: August 2021
• Wear OS 3.5: August 2022
• Wear OS 4: August 2023

There have already been some minor rumors about Wear OS 5 development based on Android 14, though I don’t expect the new software to arrive until August 2024. For the past three summers, new Wear OS builds have launched on Samsung’s Galaxy Watches. Wear OS 3 arrived in 2021 on the Galaxy Watch 4 series, and the 5 series launched with Wear OS 3.5 a year later. Then, in July 2023, shoppers were introduced to Wear OS 4 on the Galaxy Watch 6 Series.

We are most likely to see Wear OS 5 follow this same schedule and launch with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 this summer. It will likely be announced at Samsung’s summer unpacked event in mid to late July and hit shelves a few weeks later. Based on the past two years, Wear OS 5 will then be released in a more pure form on the Pixel Watch 3 in the fall.

Wear OS 5 rumored features

So far, rumors are sparse regarding what users can expect from Wear OS 5. Even if the new software lacks any showstopping updates, it’s safe to expect at least the same level of improvement users found in Wear OS 4. Wear OS 4 brought small but significant improvements to various Wear OS apps, added a few useful Google apps, and finally introduced backup and restore support.

During Google I/O 2024, a developer preview of the smartwatch OS was launched, followed by a few details about the OS. It appears one of the major points of focus for this upgrade was power efficiency. According to the firm, existing devices that run Wear OS 5 use 20% less battery than when they run Wear OS 4. And this is true regardless of what active tasks are being tracked, like running.

When Wear OS 5 becomes available, Health Services will support new data types for running, including Ground Contact Time, Stride Length, Vertical Oscillation, and Vertical Ratio. We’ll also see updates to apps like Health Connect and Health Services.

The last of the information to come out of Google I/O 2024 was focused on new features for Watch Face Format. This tool for building Wear OS watch faces is getting support for complications such as goal progress and weighted elements, weather, and forecasts. You can also expect to see new configuration presets called Flavors. Beginning in early 2025, all new watch faces published on Google Play will be required to use the Watch Face Format.

Wear OS 5 compatibility

Wear OS rollouts haven’t been especially smooth in recent years. Many Wear OS 3 compatible devices took much longer than expected to receive the update. Likewise, Wear OS 4 hasn’t yet made its way to every watch, though all compatible older Galaxy Watches and the original Pixel Watch have received the update. I expect Wear OS 5 to follow a similar trajectory, launching on the Galaxy Watch 7 and Pixel Watch 3 and rolling back to older devices over time. It’s likely that any watch compatible with Wear OS 4, like the OnePlus Watch 2, for example, will also eventually receive a Wear OS 5 update.

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Google is adding a handy new feature to Wear OS that will help parents better manage and monitor their child’s smartwatch usage.

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When the TicWatch Pro 5 launched, we came away pretty impressed by solid battery life, high-quality chipset, and the inclusion of Google’s latest Wear OS software. Now Mobvoi is releasing a new version of that device aimed at outdoor enthusiasts.

Today, Mobvoi announced that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro will be the latest addition to its collection of smartwatches. This version of the Pro 5 maintains a sleek profile while introducing comprehensive improvements to its fitness features.

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Google is adding a handy new feature to Wear OS that will help parents better manage and monitor their child’s smartwatch usage.

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When the TicWatch Pro 5 launched, we came away pretty impressed by solid battery life, high-quality chipset, and the inclusion of Google’s latest Wear OS software. Now Mobvoi is releasing a new version of that device aimed at outdoor enthusiasts.

Today, Mobvoi announced that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro will be the latest addition to its collection of smartwatches. This version of the Pro 5 maintains a sleek profile while introducing comprehensive improvements to its fitness features.

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Google is adding a handy new feature to Wear OS that will help parents better manage and monitor their child’s smartwatch usage.

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When the TicWatch Pro 5 launched, we came away pretty impressed by solid battery life, high-quality chipset, and the inclusion of Google’s latest Wear OS software. Now Mobvoi is releasing a new version of that device aimed at outdoor enthusiasts.

Today, Mobvoi announced that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro will be the latest addition to its collection of smartwatches. This version of the Pro 5 maintains a sleek profile while introducing comprehensive improvements to its fitness features.

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Fossil’s smartwatch era is officially extinct. After announcing its departure from the smartwatch scene earlier this year, the company is now practically offering its remaining Wear OS watches at prices that would make even a T-Rex wince. The sale, first spotted by Droid-Life, is currently live on Fossil’s website and includes multiple variants of the Fossil Gen 6, Gen 6 Wellness Edition, Gen 6 Wellness Edition Hybrid, Gen 6 Hybrid, and Gen 5E smartwatches.

Fossil’s smartwatch journey started with hybrid models, but it eventually transitioned to full-fledged Wear OS devices. All of Fossil’s Gen 6 Wear OS models currently on sale were originally priced around $300. While Fossil managed to carve out a niche for itself, its smartwatches often fell short of competitors in terms of features, fitness tracking, and overall value. However, at this firesale price, we have to admit that these watches have become a much more tempting proposition.

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Wear OS has long struggled to keep pace with the Apple Watch in terms of shipment market share. But a new study says the Wear OS is poised to take a bite out of Apple’s lead this year.

According to a study from Counterpoint Research, 2023 smartwatch shipments outside of China consisted of 53% Watch OS devices, 21% Wear OS devices, and 26% other. However, forecasts predict this balance will change in 2024 due to there being more options that use Google’s wearable OS, like the OnePlus Watch 2 and Pixel Watch.

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If you use Google Wallet on Wear OS for tap-to-pay transactions, using the feature could soon become more tedious. The service may start requiring you to enter a PIN code before allowing you to use the quick payment method.

Normally, when using the Google Wallet tap-to-pay function on your smartwatch, you can just tap and go. Unless the device senses that it has separated far enough from your body, then it will ask for PIN. However, some users are reporting that a PIN code prompt is now popping up every time they try to use tap-to-pay, according to 9to5Google.

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As part of the Wear OS 4 update, Google introduced a new way to make custom watch faces for Wear OS smartwatches. Built in partnership with Samsung, this was called the Watch Face Format, and it took over older methods of creating watch faces. But these methods also remained valid on Wear OS, giving users a healthy variety of watch faces while developers slowly adopted the new format. Now, Google is advising developers to make the switch to Watch Face Format, as this will be the only way to access watch face complications in newer versions of Wear OS.

As 9to5Google spotted, Google is informing developers that in order to continue accessing complications on newer versions of Wear OS, they will have to make the switch to the newer Watch Face Format. In the past, developers have used either the Jetpack Watch Face library or the even older Wearable Support Library to make watch faces. These watch faces will only support showing basic complication types, namely: battery, app shortcuts, unread notification count, date, time & date, day of week, day & date, and world clock.

The newer Watch Face Format succeeds both of these methods, and it has a few advantages that make it a better option for both developers and users.

Watch Face Format is a declarative XML format, meaning developers are merely describing the structure of the watch face without needing to supply the logic apparatus behind it. There is no executable code involved in creating the watch face.

Wear OS 4 handles the logic apparatus needed to run the watch face, so developers don’t have to worry about code optimizations or battery performance. The watch faces also require less maintenance and fewer updates. Wear OS 4 makes the watch face battery-efficient by running it on the lower-powered co-processor without needing to wake up the primary processor on dual-chip smartwatches like the OnePlus Watch 2.

A watch face editor is also included within Wear OS that works with Watch Face Format, so watch face designers would no longer need to build their own editor inside their watch face app to let users customize their watch face.

Samsung also maintains the Watch Face Studio app, which lets you create a Watch Face Format watch face without needing any coding experience.

For its cons, the report highlights developers who claim that Watch Face Format does not allow for complex features or animations, and Google is seemingly pushing for simpler designs. There’s certainly merit in letting the OS handle the logic apparatus though, and the battery gain will be noticeable by users. It remains to be seen how the format will evolve in the future.

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OnePlus recently began teasing its next smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 2, aiming to compete against other top smartwatches. The company has now practically announced the new smartwatch, revealing its design in official renders alongside several key details.

The OnePlus Watch 2 will launch on February 26, 2024, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. OnePlus is claiming the “best-ever battery life” with up to 100 hours offered through a full Smart Mode. The Watch 2 claims to come with a design that “epitomizes both elegance and durability,” using a stainless steel chassis and a sapphire crystal watch face.

Interestingly, the OnePlus Watch 2 has a design language similar to the OnePlus 12, and we can see the resemblance between the watch’s protruding chassis and the phone’s camera island.

As we can see, the Watch 2 will come in two colors: Black Steel and Radiant Steel. The Radiant Steel variant has a green strap that complements the OnePlus 12’s Flowy Emerald color.

The OnePlus Watch 2 could run on Wear OS. OnePlus does not mention this explicitly, but the company does say that it is “returning to the high-stakes flagship smartwatch market,” which to us is very clearly aiming to compete against the likes of the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Pixel Watch 2. The watch is expected to come with the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, so it is already shaping up to be a decent competitor.

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OnePlus recently began teasing its next smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 2, aiming to compete against other top smartwatches. The company has now practically announced the new smartwatch, revealing its design in official renders alongside several key details.

The OnePlus Watch 2 will launch on February 26, 2024, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. OnePlus is claiming the “best-ever battery life” with up to 100 hours offered through a full Smart Mode. The Watch 2 claims to come with a design that “epitomizes both elegance and durability,” using a stainless steel chassis and a sapphire crystal watch face.