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Google and Samsung join forces on a major Wear OS upgrade

By Rado Minkov

Updated: May 18, 2021, 2:06 PM

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Google and Samsung join forces on a major Wear OS upgrade

On today's Google I/O 2021 event, Google has announced its joint efforts with Samsung towards improving Wear OS by combining it with Samsung's Tizen OS into a unified platform. Together, the two companies have focused on making Wear OS apps launch and perform faster and improving smartwatch battery life. Additionally, Wear OS will be getting its fitness services improved by employing the expertise of Fitbit.

The Google Play store will also be available to smartwatches that employ the updated Wear OS platform. The platform itself will be accessible to other smartwatch manufacturers, and will not be limited to Samsung and Google's wearables.

We’re combining the best of @wearosbygoogle and @SamsungMobile Tizen into a unified wearable platform. Apps will start faster, battery life will be longer and you'll have more choice than ever before, from devices to apps and watch faces. #GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/vj2aYZD81x
— Google (@Google) May 18, 2021

In a following blog post, Google shared the following details on the performance improvements in the upcoming new Wear OS version:

For performance, our teams collaborated and made apps start up to 30% faster on the latest chipsets with smooth user interface animations and motion. To achieve longer battery life, we’ve worked to optimize the lower layers of the operating system – taking advantage of low-power hardware cores to enable better battery life. That includes handy optimizations like the ability to run the heart rate sensor continuously during the day, track your sleep overnight and still have battery for the next day. Finally, our unified platform will make it easier for developers to build great apps for the watch.

Wear OS gets new navigation features

Users will now be able to access shortcuts to important functions, such as switching to a previous app from anywhere on the screen. The home screen found on Wear OS will also become more customizable, allowing users to choose which Tiles to be shown from which of their favorite apps. Thus, Wear OS users will be able to enjoy more control over what information they wish to see at a glance.

Google Maps and Google Assistant get a Wear OS redesign

We're yet to know how those will look. Additionally, Google Pay will also get a fresh new look and will become available in 26 new countries that are also yet to be announced.

Google Play for Wear is getting new apps

Google notes that it will be making it easier for developers to make apps (and Tiles) for Wear OS. That includes releasing a new Tile API and a watch face design editor made by Samsung. We've also got the following glimpse into how Spotify is going about redesigning its app for Wear OS.

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Rado, a tech enthusiast with a love for mobile devices, brings his passion for Android and iPadOS to PhoneArena. His tech journey began with MP3 players and has evolved to include tinkering with Android tablets and iPads, even running Linux and Windows 95 on them. Beyond tech, Rado is a published author, music producer, and PC game developer. His professional work on iPads, from producing songs to editing videos, showcases his belief in their capabilities. Rado looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly in augmented reality and multi-screen smartphones.