One of the highlights of the first day of Google I / O 2021 is the new collaboration between Google and Samsung. A new WearOS is promised, which will be the result of the merger of Samsung Tizen and Google Wear. Large companies have decided to join forces in the fight against Apple Watch.
The upcoming Galaxy Watch will switch to the new platform, but other manufacturers will also have access to it. And in a nod to its partner, Google announced that Samsung and its own smartphones are the most secure devices on the market since 2017.
The collaboration between Samsung and Google should lead to a better, faster and more energy-efficient operating system for wearable devices, as well as the promise of an improved user experience and advanced health management features. The main focus is on optimizing the software of the new chips for wearable devices and implementing a variety of sensors. Companies are already claiming success in smoother animations and 30% faster launch of programs.
WearOS smartwatches will get the Google Play store, offline Google Maps service without connecting a smartphone, and offline mode in YouTube Music.
The first devices based on the new platform will be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy watches, which should debut this fall. Google works closely with Fitbit. Some of Fitbit's most popular and requested features will be coming to WearOS. Fitbit, for its part, has promised to release premium WearOS devices in the future.
It's worth noting that devices already on the market will not receive an update to WearOS. But Samsung will not abandon the released Galaxy Watch, they will be supported for another 3 years.
The next Samsung Galaxy Watch will switch to Google Wear OS
Earlier, the news, citing a report by an authoritative insider Nils Arensmeier, revealed new details about the next generation of Samsung Galaxy Watch smartwatches. The key change will be that the company will abandon the Tizen operating system.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 will be available in 42 and 46 mm sizes, while the Galaxy Watch Active 4 will be available in 40 and 42 mm sizes. For comparison, the current generation Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 has two versions – 41 and 45 mm. And Galaxy Watch Active 2 – 40 and 44 mm.
Here is the complete list of upcoming watch models with technical numbers:
- Galaxy Watch 4 (42mm) SM-R880
- Galaxy Watch 4 (46mm) SM-R890
- Galaxy-Watch Active 4 (40 mm) SM-R860
- Galaxy Watch Active 4 (42 mm) SM-R870
The wearables will be unveiled this summer. Perhaps they can be shown together with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 smartphones. The insider noted the transition of the future Galaxy Watch to Wear OS. The fact is that there are currently very few third-party applications for Samsung smartwatches on Tizen OS, unlike Google's operating system.
The Galaxy Watch 4 is also expected to have an optical sensor for non-invasive blood sugar analysis. In turn, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 may receive some simplifications to compete with the Apple Watch SE.
