Google seems to be taking its own OS for wearables seriously – FINALLY. With Samsung on the board with Wear OS, it would seem like Google finally deems it worthy of proper attention. Of course, the upcoming Pixel Watch could also be the impetus behind the company’s sudden commitment to the platform.
At the recent Samsung Unpacked event, Google was given a small segment to discuss Wear OS. Google noted that the with the release of the Galaxy Watch 4 and the latest iteration of the OS, the number of users on Wear OS has more than tripled. Of course, to-date, the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series is one of the only smartwatches with Google’s OS. So, it’s pretty evident that Samsung’s adoption of the platform is doing it some good.
However, Google hasn’t done much in the years since it launched Android Wear back in 2014. That’s about to change with Google committing to revamp and optimise the Google Play Store. The revamp will put compatible apps front and center especially if you’re browsing the Google Play Store on your smartwatch. This will undoubtedly change the user experience on compatible devices.
In addition to the optimised Play Store, Google is also bringing offline navigation to Wear OS. The new feature of the Google Maps app will allow users to use turn by turn navigation from their smartwatch without being tethered to a smartphone. The current version of Google Maps on Wear OS is pretty much useless without a smartphone. This functionality is slated for “later this year”. It wouldn’t surprise us if Google launches this together with the upcoming Pixel Watch.
Google’s Wear OS 3 is slated to arrive on more devices soon. Currently, Samsung has the Galaxy Watch4 series and the recently announced Galaxy Watch5 series on the market. Mont Blanc and Tag Heuer also have more premium smartwatches running Wear OS 3 available on the market as well.
