For a software platform meant to run on the majority of smartwatches around the world, Google doesn’t seem to spend a lot of time or effort on Wear OS. Major updates only happen every couple of years these days, and even then it doesn’t change the experience significantly. This year may be a bit different with the latest Wear OS update, though.
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In a blog post, Google have outlined more information about what we can expect in this year’s major update, expected within a couple of months. The major focus is going to be speed – more specifically, improving performance throughout the entire smartwatch experience.
According to Google, apps will 20 percent faster on the new version of the software. Pairing with other devices is also being simplified, making it quicker and easier. They have also said that the user interface will be tweaked more than usual, with features and controls being mode more intuitive and easier to use. It will also simplify the different workouts that can be used through Google Fit.
There will be some brand new functionality as well. For the first time Wear OS will support LTE connectivity. No, they won’t be jumping straight to 5G, but this is a feature that has been strangely missing from the platform until now. A major reason for this shortcoming has come down to the choice of hardware they recommend manufacturers pair their software with.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 4000 series chipsets haven’t included the capability, but the two companies have worked together to make it available on the 4000 and 4100+ series of wearable processors. The new silicon will also deliver improved battery life, an area where Wear OS devices have fallen behind the competition significantly in recent years.
