Wear OS 5: What’s New, What’s Improved, and Why You Should Care

Wear OS 5 is the latest update to Google’s popular smartwatch platform, set to launch later in 2024. If you’re a smartwatch enthusiast, or even someone who’s just starting to dive into the world of wearable tech, this update has a lot in store. Google announced this major update at its I/O 2024 event, with a laser focus on improving battery life, offering new watch face options, and introducing a slew of fitness tracking enhancements.

The update promises to fine-tune your Android watch experience, plugging the gaps where Wear OS 4 fell short. But let’s dive deeper into everything Wear OS 5 has to offer, which devices will get the update, and why this version might just be a game-changer.

Wear OS 5: New Features You Should Know

When Google announced Wear OS 5, they teased us with a long list of features designed to enhance performance, customization, and health monitoring. While more updates might roll out closer to its launch, here’s a breakdown of the key features unveiled so far.

1. Performance Improvements for Longer Battery Life

One of the biggest complaints from smartwatch users is battery life. After all, what good is a watch if it dies halfway through the day? Google claims that Wear OS 5 will make your smartwatch last longer, especially during high-demand activities like running a marathon. In fact, Google says that marathon runners can expect their watches to consume up to 20% less power. Whether you’re an athlete or just someone who forgets to charge their watch, this will be a major plus.

This improvement could be tied to a new Hybrid Wear OS interface, which offloads health-tracking tasks to a co-processor, saving power for other important functions. It’s not just about adding new features it’s about making sure your watch performs efficiently, even when you’re pushing it to the limit.

2. New Watch Face Flavours for More Customization

Customizability is a hallmark of Wear OS, and with this update, it’s getting a major boost. Wear OS 5 introduces new Watch Face Flavours, allowing users to switch between various colours and complications for their watch faces. Think of it like choosing a theme for your smartphone but for your wrist. You’ll even get new complications like Goal Progress, which visually tracks your steps, workout progress, or any other personal goal you’ve set.

By making Watch Face Format 2.0 the default, Google is encouraging developers to use XML to design watch faces rather than relying on AndroidX formats. This change opens up more design possibilities while ensuring watch faces consume less power. However, your older watch faces will still work just without access to the newest features.

Fitness Tracking: A Leap Ahead

For fitness lovers, Wear OS 5 isn’t just about looks it’s about functionality. The update brings more detailed data collection and tracking, ensuring you’re getting the most accurate insights possible into your workouts. Whether you’re a casual jogger or a seasoned athlete, these new features could transform how you approach your fitness routine.

1. Advanced Running Metrics

If you’re a runner, you’ll love the new running metrics available on Wear OS 5. These include:

• Ground Contact Time: How long your foot stays in contact with the ground during each step.
• Stride Length: The distance covered by each step.
• Vertical Oscillation: How much you move up and down while running.
• Vertical Ratio: A calculation based on your vertical oscillation and stride length.

With these new data points, fitness apps can give you deeper insights into your form and performance, helping you to run more efficiently and reduce the risk of injury.

2. Debounced Goals: Less Annoying, More Helpful

Ever been annoyed by constant alerts telling you your heart rate is too high or too low during a workout? Wear OS 5 aims to fix this with Debounced Goals, a feature that delays alerts by a few seconds to make sure you’re actually out of range before notifying you. This means fewer false alarms and more accurate feedback on your performance.

Wear OS 5: What’s Under the Hood for Developers?

For developers, Google is offering plenty of new tools to optimize apps for Wear OS. The biggest change is the Jetpack Compose tool, which simplifies app design and ensures apps work seamlessly across devices of various sizes. Whether a watch has a 1-inch or 1.5-inch screen, apps will now adjust to look and function perfectly.

Apps will also take advantage of Health Connect, allowing them to pull data from across your entire workout history, not just the past month. For example, if you’ve been training for a race for three months, your fitness app can track your progress over the entire period, giving you a clearer picture of how far you’ve come.

Which Watches Will Get Wear OS 5?

Now that you’re excited about Wear OS 5, you might be wondering if your current watch will get the update. Here’s a list of the smartwatches we know will support Wear OS 5:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (August)
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (August)
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (August)
• Google Pixel Watch (October)
• Google Pixel Watch 2 (October)
• OnePlus Watch 2 (Date unknown)

While Samsung and Google watches are confirmed to get the update, other brands like Mobvoi and Xiaomi are still a bit of a mystery. The TicWatch Pro 5 and Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro will likely receive Wear OS 4 but could face delays before jumping to Wear OS 5.

When Can You Expect Wear OS 5?

If you’re eager to get your hands on Wear OS 5, mark your calendars for August 2024, when the update will first roll out on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7. Google’s Pixel Watch 3 is set to follow in October 2024, alongside a broader release of Wear OS 5 for previous generations.

As for other brands, the update schedule is less clear. Samsung and Google tend to release updates quickly, but other brands, like Mobvoi and Fossil, could take months (or longer) to update their devices. So, if you own a watch from a smaller brand, you might be in for a wait.

Wrapping It Up: Is Wear OS 5 Worth the Hype?

Wear OS 5 is shaping up to be a significant update in the world of smartwatches, particularly for users who prioritize fitness tracking and battery life. The introduction of new watch face flavors, advanced running metrics, and performance optimizations means that Google is not just offering new features but improving the overall user experience.

If you’re using a smartwatch for workouts or tracking daily health goals, the new features in Wear OS 5, like Debounced Goals and advanced running metrics, are likely to make a noticeable difference. And even if you’re more of a casual user, the improved battery life alone could be worth the update.

So, whether you’re a fitness fanatic or someone who just loves a more customizable, long-lasting smartwatch, Wear OS 5 has something for everyone. Get ready for a smarter, more efficient wearable experience later this year.

Are you excited about the new Wear OS 5 update? Let us know which feature you’re looking forward to the most!