Google is rolling out the Wear OS 4 update to its original Pixel Watch. As confirmed at the Pixel Watch 2 Launch event, the update for the Pixel Watch is now available, and will continue over the “coming weeks.”

Must See: Pixel Watch App 2.0 update brings Pixel Watch 2 and Wear OS 4 support

There are several new changes and feature enhancements that will be now part of the Pixel Watch. The global firmware build (TWD4.2301005.002) is now out for the Pixel Watch alongside the October 2023 Security Patch.

Wear OS 4 brings the ability to easily back up and restore the Pixel Watch from one phone to another without any data loss. It also helps to easily back up your data if you’re moving to a new Watch. Other changes include enhanced notifications, improved safety features, and better accessibility features. Make sure to check best Wear OS 4 features that will empower your Pixel Watch.

Over time, Google is bringing more of its primary Apps to the Wear OS platform. Some of the newly launched apps are Gmail and Google Calendar.

Official Changelog:

Watch transfer

When you upgrade your Pixel phone, you can now easily transfer your Pixel Watch to your new phone without having to factory reset it.

Google Calendar app

The new Google Calendar app will be preinstalled on your Pixel Watch with this update. 

Safety Features

With your upgrade to Wear OS 4, you'll get access to the latest and greatest in Safety – Safety Check, Emergency Sharing, and Emergency Info on your Pixel Watch. Keep your most important medical info easily accessible on your wrist or sent to participating emergency services(2) in the event of an emergency with Medical ID Info. 

Accessibility & customization

New and improved customization capabilities, like a new text-to-speech engine supporting a faster, a more reliable TalkBack experience on your watch, bold text, new and improved magnification, and audio balance to adjust intensity of sound between right and left audio channels.

Enhanced notifications

Notifications come with smart link recognition of phone numbers and addresses, allowing you to tap to call, message, or get directions. Embedded media previews let you quickly view images and GIFs without leaving the notification shade. 

Unlike Pixel Watch 2, last year’s Pixel Watch sans support for the Safety Signal feature that lets the watch access an LTE network without any carrier plan. The feature is only used under emergency circumstances.

The users can head over to Settings > System > System Update to manually check for the firmware update.

Related:

• Here’s the Google Pixel Watch 2’s India pricing & pre-order details
• Full Google Pixel Watch 2 product page leaks ahead of its October 4 launch
• Fitbit Charge 6 Renders Depict a Budget-Friendly Challenger to Pixel Watch 2
• Google to ship Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders with a free Pixel Watch 2

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Wear OS 4 made its debut with the Galaxy Watch 6 series on July 26, and was later joined by Pixel Watch 2. Samsung and Google are the key OEMs that rolled out the Wear OS 4 for their respective smartwatches. Samsung wraps Wear OS 4 around its own One UI 5 Watch skin, while the vanilla OS is available on Pixel Watch 2.

Must See: Pixel Watch App 2.0 update brings Pixel Watch 2 and Wear OS 4 support

Precisely, One UI 5 Watch is now available for the Galaxy Watch 4 series, Galaxy Watch 5 Series, and Wear OS 4 for the Pixel Watch 2. The Pixel Watch which launched last year will get the update by the end of this year. Following the Samsung and Google collaboration, it has become easy for developers to create watch faces.

There are major changes that are part of the Wear OS 4 ranging from features to compatibility with apps. Below, we listed the feature additions to the new Wear OS 4:

Wear OS 4 Features

Dynamic Theming

Following the Material You dynamic theming on Pixel phones, the same is now part of the Wear OS 4. The UI automatically adjusts with the watch face colors. It is a major UI addition that will surely enhance the user experience.

Tiles

With Wear OS 4, Google introduced Tiles 1.2 which supports data bindings. It allows the user to get health data like heart Rate, Step Count, or time in a single tile. There’s also support for inbuilt animations in Tiles 1.2 for better transitions.

Cloud Backups and Restore

Allowing users to back up their smartwatch on Cloud backups and restore with a single click is a major advantage of Wear OS 4. The user can easily swap phones or watches without the need to reset the wearable.

Splash Screens

Wear OS 4 brings support for Splash Screens, which means users will see intuitive animations when the app starts.

New Apps

Wear OS 4 bundles support for several new apps and services. Primarily, Gmail and Google Calendar recently made it to the Wear OS 4. It also enhances the Home app integration by making controls more intuitive. Samsung’s Smart Things also received new features with the Wear OS 4. Improvements across several popular apps like Spotify enhance the user’s accessibility and usage.

Power Efficiency

Wear OS 4 tends to enhance power efficiency with optimal and optimized usage of available resources. The new Watch Face Format even aids in improved battery life. There’s an additional “power optimizations” feature that allows the apps to run more efficiently than the Wear OS 3.5.

One UI 5 Watch based on Wear OS Features

On the top of Wear OS 4, Samsung has added some of its own luxuries to One UI 5 Watch skin. It brings irregular Heart Rate notifications, ECG support, Improved Sleep Insights UI, and Enhanced Sleep Coach. Furthermore, there’s the addition of a new fall detection feature which works in sync with the enhanced SOS feature.

Technically, One UI 5 Watch isn’t fully Wear OS 4, but the upcoming One UI 5.1 Watch will be purely based on Wear OS 4.

Apart from the new features, there are three new Wear OS apps that come along with the One UI 5 Watch – WhatsApp, ThermoCheck, and Samsung Wallet App.

Related:

• Here’s the Google Pixel Watch 2’s India pricing & pre-order details
• Google Pixel Watch 2 Unveiled With Temperature Sensor, Enhanced Safety Features
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 receives Wear OS 4 update in US: what to expect
• TicWatch Pro X packing dual AMOLED & LCD screens, Wear 4100, WearOS launched
• Google might have remedied Pixel 6 and 7 heating issues with Android 14

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Audible, the popular audiobook service owned by Amazon, has finally launched its official app on Wear OS. The app was first announced in July 2023, alongside the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series and Wear OS 4.

The Audible app for Wear OS allows users to listen to their favorite audiobooks directly from their wrist, without the need for a smartphone. The app features a well-stocked library of audiobooks across all genres, and users can download audiobooks for offline listening.

The app also supports other features such as adjustable playback speed, bookmarking, and sleep timers. Additionally, users can control playback using their smartwatch’s touchscreen or buttons. Likewise, the Audible app for Wear OS features a clean and intuitive interface, making it easy to browse and select audiobooks from your library.

To use the Audible app on Wear OS, users will need to download the app from the Google Play Store and sign in with their Audible account. Once they have done this, they will be able to browse their Audible library and start listening to audiobooks directly from their watch.

Google has been working hard to improve the user experience on Wear OS, and the launch of the Audible app is a welcome addition to the growing ecosystem of apps available for smartwatches.

Related:

• Pixel 7 Pro now has Pixel 8 Pro’s exclusive camera features—thanks to mod!
• Here’s the Google Pixel Watch 2’s India pricing & pre-order details
• Google releases Gmail app for Wear OS
• Fitbit Charge 6 Renders Depict a Budget-Friendly Challenger to Pixel Watch 2
• Google to ship Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders with a free Pixel Watch 2
• Google Will Offer 7 Years Of Spare Parts For The Pixel 8 Series To Align With The Software Policy Commitment

(Via)

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Following the Pixel Watch 2 launch, and the availability of Wear OS 4 on the Pixel Watch, here comes a much-needed update for the Pixel Watch Companion App. The new version of the app extends support for the new Pixel Watch 2 and Wear OS 4. It also bundles some exciting design changes aimed at improving the users’ accessibility.

Must See: Google Pixel Watch 2 Unveiled With Temperature Sensor, Enhanced Safety Features

The new Companion App is inclusive of a reorganized settings menu which now looks more compact and modern. It even packs side-by-side “Watch faces” and “Tiles” for enhanced navigation. Overall, the app now looks more into Material Design 3.

The app update also brings support for the Google One backup which is now part of the Wear OS 4. It allows the users to restore the Watch from the available backups. It is even helpful in transferring a watch to a new phone or while performing a factory reset.

If you’re a Pixel Phone user, then there’s an additional synchronization feature for the Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Mode. If users enable it on Pixel Phone, then the same will apply to their Pixel Watch.

Here’s the official Pixel Watch App 2.0 Changelog

• Support for Pixel Watch 2
• Support for Wear 4 features and updates, which include:
  • Back-up with Google One
  • Restore during watch setup from the available back-ups
  • Ability to transfer Watch to a new Phone without factory reset
  • Factory reset protection during watch setup
• Redesigned experience for the Pixel Watch app
• New settings and education under “Safety & emergency” section *
• DND (Do Not Disturb) and BTM (Bedtime Mode) mode mirroring for Pixel Watch 2 users under the “Notifications” setting for Pixel phone users *
• Bug fixes to improve the quality of the app

Precisely, the Pixel Watch 2.0 App with build 2.0.0.567628986 is now out for users, and it will arrive on the Play Store shortly after some time. However, interested users can sideload the app to enjoy the new features rather than wait for the Play Store update.

Related:

• Here’s the Google Pixel Watch 2’s India pricing & pre-order details
• Full Google Pixel Watch 2 product page leaks ahead of its October 4 launch
• Fitbit Charge 6 Renders Depict a Budget-Friendly Challenger to Pixel Watch 2
• Google to ship Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders with a free Pixel Watch 2

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Google has been improving Wear OS with a variety of new features, and apps. In line with these improvements, the company has just announced the Gmail app specifically designed for Wear OS smartwatches. The app allows users to manage their Gmail inboxes directly on their wrists. 

As reported by Android Police, Gmail for Wear OS is now available for download from the Google Play Store and works on all smartwatches running Wear OS 3 or 4. With this app, users can now view their inbox, read and reply to emails, and switch between multiple accounts right from their wrists.

Prior to this release, Wear OS users could only receive Gmail notifications—just like they could receive notifications from any other app—and take basic actions such as archiving, replying, or deleting emails. 

Moreover, as per 9to5Google, the app also supports a watch face complication that shows new emails. This doesn’t show all of your unread emails, but only the ones that have arrived recently.

In addition to the Gmail app, Google has also been working to bring other apps to WearOS, such as Google Calendar. However, it isn’t live yet, and the company hasn’t revealed when it plans to release it. We hope Google releases more native apps for Wear OS smartwatches.

Related:

• Google Pixel 8 receives decent repairability scores in teardown video
• Google Pixel 8 Pro launched with Tensor G3 chip, upgraded cameras, thermometer
• Google Pixel 8 Launched With 120Hz Display, 7 Years Of OS Updates
• Google Pixel Watch 2 Unveiled With Temperature Sensor, Enhanced Safety Features
• Android 14 Announced: New Features for Customization, Control, Accessibility, and the First Phones to Get the Update

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Earlier this week, we reported that Samsung is rolling out the Wear OS 4 update on the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro. This update includes various new features and improvements. But what’s caught our attention is that the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 classic have also started receiving the Wear OS 4 update in the US.

According to the release notes, the update will arrive with the build number ending in HWH3. It’s worth noting that some apps will need to be updated separately after the upgrade. The complete changelog is provided below:

Watch faces and tiles

• Add watch faces and tiles more easily

• Check the battery level of all your devices

• Improved Buds controller tile

• Quick access to timers

Samsung Health

• Enhanced sleep coaching

• Automatically record cycling workouts

• More accurate results for track runs

• Create your exercise

Backup and restore

• Keep your watch data safe

• Transfer your watch to a new phone

Control your phone

• More call controls

• Take pictures from your watch

Additional changes

• Dictate text with the Home button

• Let Bixby read your notifications

• Use multiple timers at once

• Share your medical info in an emergency

• Device care

• Control your watch without touching it

• Organize apps in folders

• Keep your watch safe: If you set a PIN or pattern on your watch, you’ll need to enter the PIN or pattern before you can set your watch after a factory reset. This prevents your watch from being used by someone else if it’s lost or stolen.

Additionally, to upgrade your Galaxy Watch 4 to the latest firmware, users can open the Galaxy Wearable app on their connected smartphone, access the smartwatch section, and go to Watch settings > Watch software update > Download and install.

RELATED:

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(Source, Via)

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Samsung has started rolling out the OneUI 5 Watch update to its Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5. This update includes a number of new features and improvements. But one of the most interesting new features is support for the Watch Unlock feature. 

The feature was first announced earlier this year as a part of Wear OS 4 and was demonstrated on the Pixel Watch. It works by automatically unlocking your phone when your unlocked smartwatch is nearby. This is similar to how the Apple Watch can unlock an iPhone. 

With the Watch Unlock feature coming to OneUI 5 Watch, users can now unlock their smartphones without entering a PIN, password, or using biometric authentication, as long as they are wearing a Wear OS 4 smartwatch. This would be helpful for scenarios like when users are driving and wearing a helmet, or when their fingers are wet or dirty.

The feature was first discovered by Android enthusiast Mishaal Rahman for the Pixel Watch a few days ago. Ærmando later discovered the Watch Unlock feature (com.google.android.clockwork.active_unlock) in the One UI 5 Watch update.

Also, it’s important to note that, Watch Unlock is a more secure way to keep your phone unlocked than Trusted Devices. Unlike Trusted Devices, which only keep your phone unlocked for a certain period of time, Watch Unlock only unlocks your phone when your smartwatch is also unlocked. To use this feature, you need to set a PIN or password for your smartwatch.

Related:

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• Samsung Tipped To Launch Affordable Galaxy Z FE Foldables But Only After Galaxy Z Fold 6
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 full specs, renders, & live image leaked
• Google Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 GeekBench scores reveals lackluster performance
• Samsung rumored to manufacture Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy chips
• Apple’s 14-inch iPad Pro Tipped To Be Equipped With A Powerful M3 Pro SoC

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