What I want from Wear OS as we approach Google IO

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List of Wear OS features that I’d want to see eventually.

image via wareable

Nearly a year has passed since Google’s Wear OS 3 announcement at Google IO 2021. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 is now compatible with the new platform, and additional devices that qualify should have the upgrade “beginning in mid to second half of 2022.”

This was a huge stride forwards for Google’s Wear OS with Wear OS 3 on the Galaxy Watch 4. There are still lots of ways for Google to improve on the Galaxy Watch 4 even if it has garnered a lot of praise.

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Wear OS is expected to form the core of a Google Pixel watch, which might be unveiled at Google IO 2022 in May. In order to compete in the smartwatch market, there are a few things Google should do to make Wear OS the best that it can be.

Google Assistant

Galaxy Watch 4 omits Google Assistant, which is a glaring oversight. Probably, Samsung decided to stay with their own virtual assistant, Bixby. The Google Assistant will not be coming to the Galaxy Watch, despite a Verizon article (discovered by 9to5Google) regarding an impending system upgrade suggesting as much.

However, we’d anticipate Google Assistant to be included to Wear OS 3 at some point, particularly for devices that lack a Bixby-like alternative. Even still, it’s something we’d like to see arrive sooner than later.

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In addition, we would want to see Google Assistant use the same on-device processing that is available on Pixel phones. In spite of this, on-device processing means that Google Assistant is speedier and doesn’t need an internet connection at all times to execute tasks. This, in turn, might make it less energy-hungry.

Battery Improvements

A smartwatch’s battery life remains the most important issue for wearers. For example, an Apple Watch Series 7 may last up to 18 hours on a single charge. It’s possible that you can spend more than a day without charging on certain smartphones if you’re fortunate. However, it’s quite doubtful that you’ll be able to go more than two days without recharging your watch.

Because of this, we’d want to see Wear OS run as efficiently as possible, with longer battery life to boot. A smartwatch’s battery life may be greatly improved by using optimised software. As a minimum, a two-day gap between charges would be a huge improvement..

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Better iPhone Compatibility

As a reminder, Google has made significant progress in this area. If you’ve ever wanted to utilise an Android watch with your iPhone, you’d be out of luck if you didn’t already own an Apple watch. However, in 2018, when Android Wear became Wear OS, the experience has vastly improved.

Even though it’s a vast improvement over before, it’s still not up to par. According to the App Store, the Wear OS app has a user satisfaction rating of 1.9 out of five stars. Just not functioning or disconnecting and refusing to rejoin are two of the most common problems reported by customers. Additionally, there have been reports of battery depletion on Wear OS watches when coupled with an iPhone.

The fact that Google and Apple devices don’t always get along suggests that we shouldn’t be shocked by this. However, given the maturity of these technologies, we should expect to see greater results.

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It’s time to put an end to the practise of manufacturers locking consumers into their ecosystems. To that end, customers must have the freedom to use whichever smartwatch they want.

In this regard, we’re optimistic that Wear OS 3 will make significant progress.

Incorporation of Fitbit

Apple has always led the pack when it comes to fitness monitoring, and it continues to do so. Given that Google purchased Fitbit last year, we would think that the company has found a way to incorporate all of its knowledge into Wear OS.

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When you think of all the things that WatchOS can do: sleep, heart rate, ECG, handwashing… Blood pressure readings are possible with the Galaxy Watch. In the Fitbit Charge 5, Electrodermal activity may be used to track stress levels as well as skin temperature and breathing rate. Keeping track of your menstrual cycle is even doable nowadays.

The idea is that Wear OS must include a wide range of health monitoring tools if it is to be taken seriously as a rival to what is presently available. There is no reason why these functionalities should not be available on Wear OS, because Fitbit is a Google-owned product.

Convenience in Data Backup & Restore

One of the most common complaints about Wear OS has been how difficult it is to set up a watch on a new device. Changes in mobile devices and new wearables don’t always occur in perfect rhythm with one another. As a rule of thumb, one tends to outlive the other. As we all know, things go wrong.

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A factory reset is usually required if you wish to connect your Wear OS watch to a new device. Changing your watch faces and personalising your applications will take a significant amount of time as a result. This is a tedious, time-consuming process that doesn’t need to be undertaken.

When it comes to the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, the Verizon page that we referred to previously illustrates how this problem will be solved. Prior to connecting a new phone with their Samsung Smart Watch, users may backup and restore their watch settings using Samsung Smart Switch.

However, this must be a Wear OS function, independent of the watch or phone you’re wearing or using.

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Hopefully, Google will reveal what Wear OS 3 has in store for us at Google IO in 2022. If any of these features have been implemented, we’ll let you know.

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