It's not every year that you see the search giant try to improve its long-struggling wearable platform twice in such a short window of time, but before getting too excited, you should know this latest update is not what we'd call a radical redesign. It also doesn't bring any groundbreaking or pioneering new features to the table, instead taking Wear OS a little bit closer to rivaling Apple's watchOS and Samsung's Tizen in terms of functionality, versatility, and ease of use.
Unveiled just last year, Google's Tiles are being expanded with a couple of handy options that should help bring the info that matters most at your fingertips. With the aptly named Google Fit Workouts Tile, you can finally access your most recent training sessions with one tap while also being able to view all your metrics in one easily accessible place during a workout.
You can set goals and receive pace alerts as well without actually taking a (long) break, all of which are features that should have been available at a glance a long time ago on Wear OS-based smartwatches. The same goes for the Breathe Tile, which will allow you to initiate a calming guided breathing session on your wrist faster and easier than ever before.
Meanwhile, the weather experience on Wear OS is set to be overhauled with a "bolder design that's easier on the eyes", delivering "more relevant forecast details", precipitation and various important alerts included.
In addition to the aforementioned Workouts Tile, the generally useful but rarely updated Google Fit app is getting a long overdue revamp on both Android and iOS to become a "single hub for all your health and wellness information."
In a nutshell, everything you need to know to stay fit and healthy will welcome you in the Google Fit homescreen now, from your heart rate, weight, and blood pressure fluctuations over time to your most recent workout, your progress towards meeting daily and weekly goals for heart points and steps, and last but not least, more detailed sleep information than ever before.
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All in all, it's obvious this update, which is scheduled to go out "over the next few days" to all compatible smartwatches, will not single-handedly turn things around for Wear OS. At the same time, however, it's crystal clear that Google has no intention to throw in the towel in its fight against Apple, Samsung, Huawei, and Garmin either, especially after the company will finally be allowed to acquire Fitbit.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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