While Google’s Wear OS 3 hasn’t hit that many smartwatches yet, the Android maker has announced its next release — Wear OS 4. It launches later this year and promises a more useful suite of watch apps, improved battery management and improved text-to-speech input for better accessibility.
Wear OS 4 improves integration with Google Home, providing more control options over connected devices. Google also confirmed more features for its Google Workspace, Gmail, and Google Calendar apps. You’ll now be able to access two Workplace favorites, quickly reply to emails in Gmail, and reply to events and update tasks in Calendar from your Wear OS 4 watch.
New Google Home, Gmail and Google Calendar App Features
Third-party developers have also joined WhatsApp, offering its first app with end-to-end encryption, voice replies and Watch app for device call functionality. Spotify brings new tiles to make it easier to access your favorite music and podcasts. Peloton is adding continuous workout tiles to its Wear OS 4 app. Samsung and Google have also collaborated on a new watch face format that should facilitate the developer watch face creation process and reduce the burden of watch faces on battery life.
WhatsApp and Spotify Apps
Another major new addition to Wear OS 4 is the ability to backup and restore your watch without a factory reset. Google hasn’t revealed which smartwatches will debut with Wear OS 4, but we expect Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy Watch 6 series to be the first to arrive. We look forward to seeing Wear OS 4 on the next generation of Pixel watches, as well as models from other manufacturers.
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