Pebble, a name synonymous with early smartwatches, is stirring back to life. After its acquisition by Fitbit and subsequent fading from the market, the brand is poised for a potential comeback, driven by its founder and fueled by the open sourcing of its software. This resurgence centres around a new e-ink wearable project and a renewed focus on the core principles that made Pebble popular in the first place.
For those unfamiliar with the brand’s history, Pebble was a pioneer in the smartwatch space. Its focus on simplicity, long battery life thanks to e-ink displays, and a user-friendly interface resonated with many users. Pebble smartwatches were known for their ability to deliver notifications, track basic fitness metrics, and offer a degree of customizability. However, the company struggled to compete with the rise of more feature-rich smartwatches from established tech giants and was eventually acquired by Fitbit in 2016.
Now, several years later, Pebble’s founder, Eric Migicovsky, is embarking on a new venture centred around e-ink wearables. While details remain somewhat scarce, the project aims to recapture the essence of Pebble’s original appeal: long battery life, clear displays, and a focus on core smartwatch functionalities. This new project – RePebble – isn’t a direct revival of the Pebble brand, but it carries the spirit of Pebble’s design philosophy forward. The use of e-ink technology is a clear nod to Pebble’s legacy and a recognition of the enduring appeal of this display technology for wearables.
Source: Wikipedia.org | The Original Pebble Watch
Adding another layer to this narrative, Google has recently open-sourced PebbleOS’s source code. Migicovsky notes in the RePebble blog post that this development was due to his request to Google. This is a significant development, as it allows developers and enthusiasts to explore the inner workings of Pebble’s software and potentially contribute to its further development. While the open-sourced code may not be directly tied to Migicovsky’s new project, it provides a valuable resource for anyone interested in building upon Pebble’s legacy. The availability of this code could lead to the creation of custom firmware, new apps, and potentially even community-driven hardware projects.
The timing of these developments – the new e-ink wearable project and the open-sourcing of Pebble’s code – has reignited interest in the brand and its potential. While the smartwatch market has evolved significantly since Pebble’s heyday, there remains a segment of users who appreciate the simplicity and long battery life that e-ink wearables offer. Migicovsky’s new project, combined with the open-sourced code, could tap into this market and potentially revive the spirit of Pebble.
Source: Wikipedia.org | The Pebble 2
It’s important to note that the future of RePebble, or rather, the spirit of Pebble, remains uncertain. Migicovsky’s new project is still in its early stages, and there’s no guarantee of its success. However, the combination of his experience, the open-sourced code, and the enduring appeal of e-ink wearables creates a compelling narrative. Whether this leads to a full-fledged Pebble revival or simply inspires a new generation of e-ink devices remains to be seen. Regardless, it’s clear that Pebble’s legacy continues to resonate, and its influence on the smartwatch market may not be over just yet.
This article is contributed by Bijay Singh, Global Head, Business Unit Healthcare at DKSH.
The Asia Pacific (APAC) region, home to 60% of the global population, is emerging as a key market for global medical device companies.[1] This shift is underscored by the potential of the APAC region, which encompasses a diverse array of cultures, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and a healthcare market that has already surpassed Europe to become the second-largest market globally, right behind the United States.[2] Key drivers for this growth include rising income levels, an ageing population, and an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, all contributing to the heightened demand for medical devices.[3] However, the APAC region embodies a spectrum of healthcare systems, ranging from densely populated urban centres with state-of-the-art medical facilities to remote communities facing formidable barriers to access. These disparities in the healthcare space highlight the need for innovative solutions to transform the healthcare delivery system, addressing key issues such as access barriers and shortages of manpower and resources. This is where the crucial role of medical devices comes into play.
Population Dynamics across APAC
By 2050, the number of individuals aged 60 and above in the APAC region is projected to more than double, reaching a staggering 1.3 billion.[4] This demographic trend brings with it a host of healthcare challenges, including an increased burden of age-related diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.[5]
Source: DKSH / A woman is measuring her blood pressure while consulting with a doctor via telemedicine video call on a laptop at home
Alongside an ageing population, there is a marked increase in the prevalence of chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which collectively contribute to 41 million deaths each year, representing approximately 74% of global mortality.[6] In APAC, NCD-related deaths are prominent, with some countries reporting rates as high as 90% of total fatalities.[7] The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, severely straining healthcare resources, disrupting routine care services, and revealing critical gaps in preparedness and response capabilities.[8] Healthcare facilities are grappling with issues like overcrowding, reduced physician-to-population ratios, limited medicine availability, and inadequate funding. Projections from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate an imminent global deficit by 2030, with Southeast Asia alone expected to account for 40% of this shortfall.[9] For instance, in 2023, Indonesia reported a deficit of 31,481 specialist doctors,[10] while the Philippines anticipates a 25-year timeline to achieve the ideal doctor-patient ratio.[11] These challenges are further compounded by factors such as rapid population growth, lifestyle shifts, urbanization, emigration of healthcare workers, and an ageing healthcare workforce.
Harmonising Healthcare with Medical Device Innovations
Amidst the growing demand for healthcare services, the medical devices sector stands as a burgeoning industry poised to reshape healthcare approaches. Analysts project that, by 2028, the Asian medical devices market will account for more than USD 156 billion in revenue.[12] The next frontier in healthcare innovation will involve an increased focus on the digitalisation of medical devices, thereby enhancing access, convenience, and patient-centred care.
In recent years, we are already seeing more medical devices being used across the healthcare system:
Remote monitoring and telemedicine: Medical devices, including wearable sensors, smart watches, remote monitoring devices, and telemedicine platforms, empower healthcare providers to remotely monitor patients’ vital signs, health status, and treatment adherence. This allows caregivers to monitor multiple patients simultaneously despite manpower shortages. For instance, the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system, available in Singapore and Japan, allows for real-time monitoring, integrated with wearable sensors and a transmitter for the measurement of blood glucose values.
Point-of-care testing: Point-of-care testing devices offer rapid and convenient diagnostic capabilities outside of traditional laboratory settings. These devices can be particularly valuable in resource-limited settings or remote areas. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple home-test kits were developed to allow the first round of testing at home. This also helped people adhere to the social distancing norms.
Self-management apps: Mobile health (mHealth) apps and devices empower patients to take an active role in managing their health and well-being. These apps enable users to track their exercise, diet, medication adherence, and vital signs, providing valuable insights into their health status and facilitating communication with healthcare providers.
Home-based care: Technological advancements have facilitated the development of home medical devices, and enhanced patient care convenience while reducing hospitalization expenses, promoting patient independence, and improving quality of life. Devices such as home infusion pumps, portable oxygen concentrators, and remote monitoring systems empower chronic patients to manage their health outside of traditional healthcare settings. DKSH’s service Home Pulse exemplifies this shift by delivering high-quality healthcare services directly to patients’ homes in Thailand. This approach has the potential to enhance the role of home-based medical devices, optimizing resource allocation and cutting overall healthcare costs for the future.
While the accelerated adoption of medical devices can transform the healthcare landscape, a critical challenge lies in enabling healthcare professionals (HCPs) to interpret collected data. This is a common industry issue, where a significant amount of data either falls through the cracks or becomes overwhelming, making it difficult to analyse and utilise effectively. Statistics paint a concerning picture, revealing that 97% of health data produced by hospitals remains unanalysed, and 46% of healthcare leaders view data management as a significant burden.[13] This translates to a vast reservoir of potentially life-saving insights remaining untapped. Hence, addressing the challenges of data interpretation will allow HCPs to unlock the true potential of medical devices and pave the way for personalised healthcare in APAC.
Collaborative Efforts to Propel Medical Devices Growth
In 2023, the region’s medical devices market reached a value of USD 111.93 billion, and projections suggest that it will further grow at a CAGR of 6.8% and reach USD 166.1 billion by 2029.[14] Driving this growth in APAC demands a collaborative approach involving government bodies, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders.
Source: DKSH / Consulting doctor visit via a mobile app at home i.e telemedicine
Regulatory developments play a pivotal role in strengthening the sector’s upward trajectory. Harmonising and streamlining regulatory frameworks are essential to facilitate faster approval and market entry of new medical devices. Regional agreements, like those within ASEAN[15] aim to establish consistent regulations, streamline approval processes, and enhance market access for medical devices across borders.[16] By aligning standards and regulations, regulatory bodies seek to create a more predictable and transparent environment for manufacturers, distributors, and healthcare providers.
Governments should incentivise research and development (R&D) through grants and tax benefits to stimulate local innovation of medical devices. Initiatives like Singapore’s National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC) and South Korea’s National Institute of Health (NIH) fund medical research and support clinical trials, often in collaboration with universities and healthcare companies, enabling efficient validation of new medical devices.[17] Training programs for healthcare professionals on the use of new devices are equally crucial to ensure their effective adoption and utilization. These efforts not only facilitate faster market entry but also ensure that innovations address specific healthcare needs in diverse APAC markets.
Additionally, healthcare distribution facilities are emerging as key growth drivers, streamlining supply chains and enhancing accessibility to medical devices across APAC. DKSH Healthcare’s OP1 in Taiwan, Asia’s largest automated healthcare distribution centre, utilizes advanced automation to expedite the distribution of healthcare solutions, including medical devices, across the region. Distribution centres such as this ensure efficient logistics and support timely delivery and inventory management, which is crucial for meeting healthcare demands in diverse markets. All in all, driving the medical devices sector forward in APAC involves a comprehensive approach to address regulatory, infrastructure, reimbursement, and training challenges while ensuring patient privacy, safety, and equity. Collaboration among healthcare stakeholders, technology developers, policymakers, and regulatory authorities is crucial to improving health outcomes. In this regard, DKSH Healthcare is committed to playing a vital role in this transformation by facilitating the distribution and adoption of innovative medical devices, empowering patients, optimizing resource allocation, and contributing to a healthier future for all in the region.
Samsung has expanded its wearable lineup with the introduction of the Galaxy Watch FE, a smartwatch designed to empower users of all fitness levels with advanced health monitoring technology. Building on the success of its predecessors, the FE (standing for “Fan Edition”) offers a compelling balance of features, design, and affordability.
The Galaxy Watch FE prioritizes user well-being with a suite of advanced health-tracking features. Samsung’s Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) sensor takes centre stage, providing users with in-depth insights into their body composition. This includes measurements of body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, body water, and basal metabolic rate (BMR). This valuable data, combined with traditional features like 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and step counting, allows users to gain a comprehensive understanding of their overall health and fitness levels.
The Galaxy Watch FE boasts a comfortable and stylish design, perfect for integrating into your daily routine. The lightweight aluminium frame ensures comfortable wear throughout the day, while the choice of three colour options – Black, Pink Gold, and Silver – allows users to express their personal style. The 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display offers excellent readability even under bright sunlight, showcasing workout metrics, notifications, and watch faces with vibrant clarity.
Powering the Galaxy Watch FE is Samsung’s Exynos W920 dual-core processor, paired with 1.5GB of RAM. This combination ensures a smooth and responsive user experience, allowing users to navigate the watch’s interface and access features seamlessly. Additionally, the device boasts 16GB of internal storage, providing enough space to store your favourite workout playlists directly on the watch, eliminating the need for your phone during exercise sessions.
The Galaxy Watch FE seamlessly integrates with your Samsung Galaxy smartphone for enhanced functionality. Users can receive and manage notifications, make and receive calls, and control music playback directly from their wrist. This level of connectivity ensures you stay informed and entertained without needing to reach for your phone every time.
Beyond functionality, the Galaxy Watch FE encourages active lifestyles with built-in workout programs and activity challenges. Whether you prefer running, cycling, swimming, or other fitness routines, the watch offers a variety of options to keep you engaged. Additionally, real-time feedback on your performance helps you stay on track and achieve your fitness goals.
The Galaxy Watch FE is built to withstand the demands of an active lifestyle. With a 5ATM water resistance rating, the watch can handle swimming, showering, or exercising in the rain with ease. Additionally, it boasts dust and shock resistance, ensuring it can handle everyday wear and tear without worry.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy Watch FE is set for release in Malaysia on August 10th, 2024. The starting price for the Bluetooth variant is RM799.
OnePlus is on a roll! Hot on the heels of the Nord 4 and Pad 2 announcements, the company has unveiled two new wearables that cater to the budget-conscious and style-savvy user: the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro and the OnePlus Watch 2R.
Nord Buds 3 Pro: Premium Sound Without Breaking the Bank
The Nord Buds 3 Pro earbuds ditch the plastic construction often found in mid-range options and instead boast a sleek and stylish design with a premium feel. They come in a variety of colours – think Starry Black and Soft Jade – so you can find a pair that complements your unique style. But the Nord Buds 3 Pro aren’t just about looks; they pack a punch in the audio department too.
Equipped with a hefty 12.4mm dynamic driver, these buds promise rich and detailed sound, perfect for audiophiles on the go. OnePlus has also thrown in support for Dolby Atmos, which creates a more immersive listening experience, making you feel like you’re right in the middle of your favourite tunes. Let’s face it, even the most stylish buds fall flat if the sound quality is lackluster. Thankfully, the Nord Buds 3 Pro seem to hit the mark here.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for a Quiet Escape
One of the standout features of the Nord Buds 3 Pro is the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). This technology actively reduces unwanted background noise, allowing you to focus on your music, podcasts, or audiobooks without distractions. Whether you’re commuting on a noisy bus or trying to drown out the world at the gym, ANC can be a game-changer.
But here’s the kicker: ANC isn’t always desirable. Sometimes you need to be aware of your surroundings, like when you’re cycling or crossing a busy street. Thankfully, the Nord Buds 3 Pro offer a transparency mode that lets you hear ambient noise, ensuring you stay safe and connected to your environment.
Seamless Connectivity and Long Battery Life
OnePlus knows the importance of seamless connectivity. The Nord Buds 3 Pro boasts support for the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard, ensuring a stable and reliable connection to your smartphone or tablet. Plus, with a claimed battery life of up to 6 hours for the buds themselves and an additional 30 hours with the charging case, you can listen to your favourite music all day long without worrying about running out of juice.
OnePlus Watch 2R: A Lighter and More Affordable Option
The OnePlus Watch 2R is the successor to the OnePlus Watch 2, but with a twist. It’s designed to be a more affordable and lightweight option while still offering the essential features you need in a smartwatch.
Gone is the bulky stainless steel construction of its predecessor. The Watch 2R embraces a sleek aluminium design, making it lighter and more comfortable to wear all day long. This shift in materials might raise a slight eyebrow in terms of durability, but the retained IP68 water resistance rating assures it can still handle sweat, rain, and accidental splashes.
Don’t be fooled by the lighter design; the Watch 2R packs a punch under the hood. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip paired with 2GB of RAM, ensuring smooth performance for running essential smartwatch functions. The 1.43-inch AMOLED display offers crisp visuals, and with a selection of watch faces to choose from, you can personalize your watch to match your style.
The OnePlus Watch 2R caters to the fitness enthusiast with a variety of built-in workout modes. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, or swimmer, the watch can track your activity and provide valuable insights into your performance. It also boasts various health monitoring features, including heart rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, and sleep tracking, helping you stay on top of your overall well-being.
The Watch 2R runs on Google’s Wear OS, which offers a familiar and user-friendly experience. With access to Google Assistant and a growing library of apps, you can stay connected, informed, and motivated on the go. Plus, the promised long battery life of up to 12 days in power saver mode ensures you won’t need to constantly scramble for a charger.
Pricing & Availability
The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro will be priced at a starting price of US$79.99 (approx. RM373.21). The OnePlus Watch 2R will be priced at USD$229.99 (approx. RM1,073.12). Both wearables will be available in multiple colour options, allowing you to choose the perfect combination that reflects your personality.
Pre-orders for the Nord Buds 3 Pro and Watch 2R are expected to begin on July 20th, with the first wave of sales starting on August 2nd.
Samsung is back with a mesmerizing blend of tradition and technology in their latest release: the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Astro Edition. Drawing inspiration from ancient astrolabes, this timepiece is more than just a smartwatch; it’s a work of art.
Inspired by ancient astronomy
The Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition’s standout feature is its astrolabe-inspired bezel. But what exactly is an astrolabe? Think of it as an ancient astronomical calculator used for navigation. Samsung’s innovation lies in reimagining this ancient tool as a functional, rotating bezel on a modern smartwatch.
This bezel not only adds a touch of sophistication but also serves as an intuitive navigation tool. It retains it standard function of effortlessly scroll through apps and menus with a satisfying click. The highlight are the depictions of constellations, stars, and other lunar bodies, along the top of the bezel.
Honoring the legacy of astronomy in the MENA region
Samsung has chosen to launch their wearable masterpiece exclusively in the MENA region, adding an element of exclusivity to the Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition. The countries in the region include UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye and Morocco.
Samsung stated that the astrolabe was chosen as it “symbolises the (MENA) region’s legacy of scientific and innovative contributions, particularly in time, astronomy and mathematics”. It’s a testament to Samsung’s commitment to tailoring their products to specific markets.
Exclusive astronomy-inspired features
Beyond its stunning design, this smartwatch packs a punch when it comes to technology. It is only available in the 47mm variant and features all the essential functions you’d expect from a premium smartwatch, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and fitness tracking.
On top of that, you get exclusive, astrolabe-inspired complications. These include a compass complication on the dial and solar/lunar phase tracker that lets users track the movement of the sun and moon.
Bridging the past and future on your wrist
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic Astro Edition is a celebration of craftsmanship and innovation. It will be available starting 2nd August 2023, with no official pricing available as of yet. There will be an exclusive purchase offer that includes an additional fabric strap, Astro Edition collectibles, and access to Samsung’s VIP exclusive promotion store.
By integrating traditional design elements with modern innovation, Samsung has created a wearable that bridges the past and the future.
Mobvoi has created a name for itself producing some of the better Wear OS-powered smartwatches out there. It looks like the company isn’t slowing down yet. It’s introduced it’s latest offering the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro X in China. The new smartwatch isn’t revolutionary but it packs specifications and features that many smartwatch users are looking for.
The TicWatch Pro X is running on the Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor paired with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The smartwatch will be using Wear OS as its operating system. However, if you’re looking for Wear OS 3, you might have to wait for an update from Mobvoi.
That aside, the TicWatch Pro X seems to share a lot with the TicWatch 3 until you take a closer look. The Pro X may look like a run-of-the-mill smartwatch but it comes with what is essentially two displays. It has an AMOLED screen and also an FSTN display. The FSTN display allows the TicWatch Pro X to have an even longer battery life. The 1.39-inch AMOLED screen serves as the main display where you’ll be able interact with Wear OS and all its features. The FSTN screen will kick in when you’re not actively interacting showing you all the data you want without draining the battery.
The watch comes with a 595maAh battery. In Smart mode, the watch will be able to run for 4 days on a single charge. However, if you kick it into “durable” mode, the watch will be able to last for a whopping 45-days.
Aside from that, the TicWatch Pro X is able to track over 20 sports routines. This includes yoga, walking, running, mountain climbing, cycling and more. It also comes with IP68 water and dust resistance which means you can take full advantage of its ability to track swimming as well. In addition, the Pro X comes with a heart rate monitor, SpO2 sensor and even reminds you to get moving if you’re too sedentary.
It comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and also supports 4G LTE. It’s equipped with eSIM support, so you will also be able to take calls directly on the watch. The smartwatch also touts VoLTE support.
Pricing & Availability
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro X is available for pre-order in China on JD.com (Jingdong) for ¥1,999 (MYR1,296.28). After pre-order, it will be priced at ¥2,399 (MYR1,555.32).
There is no word yet if the smartwatch will be available in more markets. However, do keep an eye on Shopee and Lazada.
Fossil produces what is possibly one of the better Smartwatches available running Android Wear or Wear OS. Their watches manage to capture the allure and feel of traditional smartwatches while bringing it into the future with modern smartwatch functionality. With their recent release of the Wear OS 3 powered Gen 6 smartwatches, it seems like a new update may have just cleaned house; removing a reported 33 watch faces from their library.
The update which was pushed through the PlayStore introduced two new watch faces: Dashboard Digital and Fitness Digital. The new watch faces come with a minimal design but seems to be focused on delivering information that might be important to the Fossil smartwatch owner. Fitness Digital, as the name suggests, focuses on the metrics related to fitness and health; while Dashboard Digital focuses on more essential details.
Source: Fossil Group
9to5 Google has reported that with the introduction of the new smartwatch faces, the Fossil Gen 5 lineup also loses 33 watch faces out of the blue. If you were using one of the watch faces listed below, it’s likely you had a rude awakening with the smartwatch reverting to its default watch face when the update was rolled out.
The list of confirmed watch faces is listed below:
Big Tic
Blue
Candice Huffine
Colorist
Compass
Cory Richards
Darryl Westly
Defender
Ettore
Flip Digital
Fred
Grant
KJ Apa
Magic 8-Ball
Mandy Moore
McKinney
Mechanical Digital
Men’s Fashion Digital
Minimal Dressy
Minimalist Analog
Mood
Movember
Movember Analog
Movember Digital
No Icon Digital
P-51
Rainbow
Robot
Roulette
Sail Dial
Scarlette Shimmer
Speedometer
Turn Table
It hasn’t been ascertained if older generations of Fossil smartwatches are affected. That said, the reduction in the number of watch faces could be a good thing when it comes to the Gen 5 Fossil smartwatches. It could indicate that Fossil is preparing the smartwatch for the jump to Wear OS 3. However, nothing has been confirmed by Fossil at the time of writing.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 series is a revolutionary device for more than one reason. The Galaxy Watch4 series is the first Wear OS 3 enabled device. According to Samsung, the new smartwatch OS brings the best of Wear OS and the company’s own TizenOS to the smartwatch experience. Wear OS powered by Samsung makes the Galaxy Watch4 series the most compatible and open Galaxy Watch yet.
Source: Samsung
The new Watch4 series comes in two flavours – the Galaxy Watch4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Classic. Just like its operating system, the Watch4 series is preserving adaptability and customization. It adopts the form factor of what was once the Galaxy Watch Active. It touts the signature digital bezel which allows users to easily navigate the circular interface. However, if that’s not your drift, the Classic brings back the signature rotating bezel which gives it a navigator watch appearance.
The Watch4 is also the first smartwatch to come with a 5nm processor with the Samsung Exynos W920. The dual-core processor promises longer battery life with better power efficiency. It is paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The hardware combination promises smooth performance with the optimisations that come with the Wear OS 3. There will also be options for LTE connectivity on the Watch4. This comes in addition to the GPS, NFC and WiFi connectivity.
Source: Samsung
You’ll be able to interact with the Galaxy Watch4 series through the digital or rotating bezel. In addition, the Classic comes with a Super AMOLED display in 46mm and 42mm sizes. The former comes with a 1.4-inch display while the latter has a 1.2-inch display. The Watch4, on the other hand, comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes; screen sizes remain the same as the Watch4 Classic. You will also be able to interact via voice with Bixby.
Staying Healthy with Samsung’s BioActive Sensor in the Galaxy Watch4 series
The smartwatch is more than a watch. It becomes a valuable companion in our journeys to keep healthy. It’s even more important now, in the current global climate. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 series is equipped with Samsung’s BioActive Sensor. The BioActive Sensor is a unified sensor capable of measuring heart rate and electrical heart and bioelectrical impedance. This sensor allows users to monitor their heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (pO2), pulse and even get an ECG (electrocardiogram).
With such a powerful sensor in the Galaxy Watch4 series, Samsung is also buckling down on their Galaxy Health app. The app is now more powerful with more features and more information than ever before. Users are even able to collaborate and get healthier together with their friends or communities via the app. The Watch4 series is also able to track over 40 different types of exercises.
Source: Samsung
Samsung has even made conscious design choices to enable better tracking. The Watch4 series is thinner and the straps allow it to be in closer contact with the skin to allow better, more accurate tracking. It also has IP68 water and dust resistance with MIL-STD-810G durability to keep up with your workouts. You can even express yourself with the interchangeable straps and watch faces.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series will be available for pre-order in select markets starting August 11, 2021. It will be available in retail on August 27, 2021.
The Galaxy Watch4 will be available in 40mm and 44mm sizes. It will be priced from USD$249.99 (MYR1,059.85*) for the Bluetooth version while the LTE version will be priced from USD$299.99 (MYR1,271.83*)
Source: Samsung
The Galaxy Watch4 Classic will be available in 42mm and 46mm sizes. Prices will start from USD$349.99 (MYR1,483.82*) for the Bluetooth version and USD$399.99 (MYR1,695.80*) for the LTE model.
A limited-edition Thom Browne version of the Galaxy Watch4 with a special rhodium plating will also be available in late September 2021..
Official Specifications
Source: Samsung
*USD to MYR conversions taken from xe.com at the rate of USD$1= MYR4.23955 on 12 August 2021 at 11:30pm.
Nope, it is nothing revolutionary new. They call it the Wear OS 3, and nothing more. The name of the upcoming update to Google’s Wear OS is less revealing of the updates that is coming for Google’s wearable platform though.
Google Wear OS 3 can be seen as the biggest overhaul to the platform since its introduction. It started out, at least for us, when Google and Samsung announced their collaboration and commitment to smartwatches in the 2021 edition of Google I/O. The announcement from Samsung only means that the South Korean electronics giant is abandoning Tizen OS that they have developed and nursed over the years over Google’s Wear OS.
To be fair, while that is a huge commitment from Samsung, it is also a sensible move for them. It means that Samsung gets to merge their existing developer base to Google Wear OS’ larger developer base. It only means that they get more content and potentially more features for their Samsung Galaxy Watch platform too.
Source; Google
For Google, having a partner that is considered the best in the business with plenty more accolades than themselves means a lot more than just getting a helping hand. Sure, the extra hand in developing Wear OS is great. It is also a great way to understand how Samsung made the Galaxy Watch brand the brand that it is. Their partnership with Samsung is also quite natural in a lot of ways, since Samsung has been one of Google’s strongest partner brands in the Android smartphone world. Partly, it also means that Google have one less thing spend resources for development.
Samsung announced a few weeks ago that their upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, suspected to be launching in the August 11th Galaxy Unpacked event, will be the first in their line-up and the probably the world to be running this new mash up of Google’s Wear OS and Tizen OS. They called it their One UI; of course. But One UI is just an overlay of the Operating System (OS) that is the Wear OS. At that point, it was nameless.
Source: Samsung
Google sort of announced Wear OS 3 about 15 hours ago. While it was not a revolutionary name, it is a significant update over the older Wear OS. They have started detailing which devices will get the update, for example. Most of the older generation hardware will not be getting Wear OS 3, unfortunately. In that case, if you are running a Wear device that has existed in the market for more than a year, you might want to consider retiring it and getting a new one. Of course, we will tell you to wait for the first Google Wear OS 3 devices to hit the market first before deciding.
One of Google’s biggest Wear OS device partners, Fossil has confirmed that they will be updating some of their latest generation smartwatches to Google Wear OS 3 in the coming months. They are also promising new generation wearables later on after the launch of Wear OS 3. While not officially available in Malaysia, you might want to consider looking at Mobvoi’s latest generation smartwatches if you want something that can be updated to Wear OS 3. Of course, if you can wait until September 2021, why not just get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4?
The next big update to Wear OS, the Wear OS 3 is expected to come to watches launching in this half of the year onward. You can expect Samsung to also be among the first manufacturers to boast Google Wear OS 3, albeit in their own One UI skin. Updates to current generation smartwatches to Wear OS 3 is expected to come in in the mid of 2022 onward.
Android Wear or Wear OS as it was renamed a few years ago has been a little anaemic when it comes to updates; that is until NOW. Google took the stage at I/O 2021 to announce what could be the biggest and most important update to Wear OS: Google and Samsung are partnering to push Wear OS to the next level. The announcement confirms rumours which have been making their rounds for months.
Source: Google
The new partnership sees Samsung bring their know-how, expertise and features from their successful Tizen OS to Wear OS. As the companies put it, they are bringing “the best of their platforms together into one unified experience”. So what does this mean exactly? Well, the biggest change is that Samsung’s next Galaxy Watch will be shipping with Wear OS instead of Tizen OS. While this might seems like Samsung will be leaving their older watches behind, the company reassures its users that Galaxy Watch and other Tizen OS powered wearables will be receiving updates and support for at least 3 years after their launch.
Improvements Under the Hood
That aside, the new collaborative Wear OS approach also brings a slew of improvements that will not only be improving the user experience but also making developing for Wear OS a lot easier. The collaboration’s biggest improvement comes in its improved load time. Google is touting a whopping 30% improvement in app load times. In addition, Samsung and Google have made improvements to the lower layer of Wear OS to improve battery life. If you’ve used Wear OS smartwatches, you’d know that battery life can be an issue with them.
Source: Google
Google and Samsung have optimised background processes, making them more efficient and less intensive on the processors. In fact, processor-intensive processes like continuous heart rate monitoring have been optimised to use lower power cores to conserve power. This also opens the doors to more power-efficient features for wearable devices. Samsung has also helped with power efficiency with its bundled sensors which allow them to include more than one sensor in a single module.
More Diverse User Experience
Aside from improvements under the hood, the improvements are also creating a more diverse user experience. Manufacturers are now allowed to skin the operating system to have a more unified look across their devices. This also means that we might see slightly different experiences from manufacturers like Tag Heuer, Fossil and even Samsung will have their own design language when it comes to the user interface for their wearables. Google is expecting that the new customizability will result in a more diverse Wear OS ecosystem.
Google is also opening up more features in the OS to developers. Developers will be able to bring features like tiles to their apps. They have also integrated development for Wear OS into Android’s Development Studio. They are creating a more unified development experience across Android and Wear OS with a single touchpoint for development. Development is also made easier with Google’s Jetpack development suite which allows developers to call and implement API more readily. In addition, they are bringing Kotlin APIs to Wear OS.
Wear OS is also getting more focused on health with help from Samsung. Developers will be able to create new apps and improve their current apps with a more streamlined and simplified work flow. This comes thanks to the new Health Services platform which allows developers to retrieve data without building from scratch. Developers are able to take advantage of continuous data from the sensors and other contextual metrics without impacting the battery life of the device too much.
New Apps, Better Experience
Finally, these improvements directly impact how the OS performs and how accessible apps will be for the platform. The most direct improvements that users will be benefiting from is improved navigation on wearables. Google is bringing simple improvements like a double-tap to jump to your most recent app and even simpler swiping gestures to access your information.
Source: Google / Double Tap for Recent App
Source: Google / Tiles
Google is starting the ball rolling with updates coming to its core apps like Google Maps, Google Pay, Google Assistant and YouTube Music. The first change that will be coming to these apps is the adoption of the new “Material You” design. In addition, Google Maps will be getting better, more visible turn by turn navigation to help with using the app on the go. There are plans to take Google Maps offline. The same applies to YouTube Music as well. Google Assistant and Google Pay will be getting improvements as well. The latter will be making its way to 26 countries in the next few months while the former will become more user friendly on Wear.
It isn’t just Google that is improving its offerings. Spotify has revamped its experience on wearables; allowing users to seamlessly move on the go. The simplified interface allows users to not only control their music but also seamlessly switch between speakers and their Wear OS device. Other companies like Nike, Calm and Adidas have been working on revamping their experiences on OS. Fitbit will also join the Wear OS family. Wear OS apps will also be more visible on the Play Store with a dedicated section and recommendations.
The new Wear OS will be making its way to the market in the coming year. Current Wear OS devices find out if they are getting the big update in the coming months.
