The smartwatch market is already quite diverse. On one end, you have feature-packed smartwatches running complex platforms like WearOS, offering app stores, Google integration, and advanced health features. On the other, simpler yet capable smartwatches like the OnePlus Watch Lite are cropping up. But in a world where “smart” often equals better, let’s see what the OnePlus Watch Lite brings to the table and how it compares to full-featured wearables.

What the OnePlus Watch Lite Brings to the Table

The OnePlus Watch Lite is designed to hit an affordable price point while delivering the essentials most users care about. It sports a 1.46-inch AMOLED display with impressive 3000 nits of peak brightness and sapphire crystal glass for added durability. It supports over 100 sports modes and robust health tracking options like heart rate, SpO₂, sleep, stress levels, and more.

It offers other standard smartwatch essentials like notifications and Bluetooth calling as well. OnePlus claims up to 10 days of battery life, which is a major highlight for the smartwatch. However, there’s a key architectural difference. The Watch Lite runs on the OxygenOS Watch rather than Google’s Wear OS. That means it lacks support for third-party app downloads, mobile payments, and other platform-wide features common in other Wear OS devices.

Pros and Cons of Wea rOS

The Wear OS is based on Google’s popular Android platform. It is one of the most capable smartwatch ecosystems, matching Apple’s watchOS. With Wear OS, you get native support for Google services like Gmail, Maps, Calendar, Wallet, YouTube Music, and access to the Google Play Store for apps tailor-made for your wrist.

On a Wear OS device, you can respond to messages, use Google Assistant or its successor Gemini for voice actions, install fitness or productivity apps, download custom watch faces, and even make contactless payments through Google Wallet. Put simply, it is an extension of your smartphone, from both personalization options to connectivity.

But just like always, there’s a catch. Since Wear OS is a high level operating system designed to support a broad ecosystem of apps and services, it’s more demanding on the battery pack, which impacts endurance as it needs more computing power. This is why many Wear OS smartwatches typically offer 1 to 3 days of battery life instead of the multi-day endurance seen in simpler wearables.

Simplicity as a Strength

This is where simplified smartwatches like the OnePlus Watch Lite find their spot. It gets rid of the bells and whistles of full Wear OS platforms for a simple experience and practical battery life. You have a consistent performance, essential health tracking features, and most of the other key functions of a full-fledged smartwatch. But it also has one big advantage, which is dual phone pairing. The OnePlus Watch Lite lets users sync two devices at once, including Android and iOS pairings.

Verdict

Simplicity can still be premium with its experience. Consistent and reliable performance, excellent battery life, and essential features without any overwhelming complexity. But if you want a smartwatch that does everything, from payments to third party app downloads or ecosystem services, Wear OS powered options are still ahead.

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Google‘s Gemini is no longer just a phone-first AI assistant; it’s now on your wrist, fundamentally changing how you interact with your smartwatch. Since its rollout earlier this year, Gemini has begun replacing Google Assistant on smartwatches running Wear OS 4 and above.

Whether you own a Pixel Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 8, or OnePlus Watch 3, Gemini has arrived to turn your smartwatch into a more helpful, conversational, and context-aware tool.

Smarter than basic voice commands

Gemini for Wear OS isn’t just a name swap. Google rebuilt the assistant experience to be more intelligent, responsive, and useful across everyday scenarios. Instead of basic prompts like “set a timer” or “call Mom,” you can now ask Gemini to summarize your last email from Emily, create a running playlist, or remember that you parked on level 4, spot 27.

It uses the same foundational AI models as on phones and tablets, which allows for far more natural interactions. Gemini understands follow-up questions, interprets your intent with greater precision, and surfaces contextual results by tapping into your Gmail, Calendar, and other Google services. It’s the closest thing to having a lightweight AI companion right on your wrist, one that understands more than just commands.

Do more with fewer steps

Using Gemini on a smartwatch simplifies tasks that typically require multiple app hops. Mid-run, you can dictate a message to your manager without breaking stride. You can schedule a reminder for your kid’s next five cricket matches or ask for turn-by-turn directions to your dentist, all through voice.

It supports hotword detection “Hey Google”, app icon tapping, or pressing and holding the side button. Some watches even allow “Raise to Talk” gestures to wake Gemini when you lift your wrist.

All this means that the watch becomes a true productivity tool, not just a notification mirror. You don’t need to pull out your phone to check your schedule, respond to a quick email, or get updates. You just talk.

Deep integration with Google services

The biggest strength of Gemini lies in its ability to pull data from your Google account. It can read recent emails, look up locations mentioned in messages, check your calendar for conflicting events, or draft quick replies, all without requiring your phone to be unlocked.

And if your watch upgrades to Wear OS 6, Gemini’s utility jumps even higher. That’s because Wear OS 6 introduces a new App Functions API, letting Gemini control or extract data from brand-specific watch apps.

On Samsung watches, for example, this could mean better integration with Samsung Health or Calendar. On Pixel, it could pull from Recorder or Weather. It marks a step toward more personalized and brand-aware assistants.

Tiny but practical features

Beyond smart replies and deep app hooks, Gemini is useful for the small stuff too. You can tell it to remember your locker number, your preferred coffee order, or where you left your sunglasses.

Reminders can be location-aware. If you leave work, it can ping you to pick up groceries. If you ask for heart rate tracking or a workout summary, Gemini can trigger the supported app if it has those permissions.

It also works with Google Home devices, letting you broadcast messages, adjust lights, or check if the door’s locked, all from your wrist, even with hands full.

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Imagine unlocking your Android phone without tapping in a PIN or scanning your fingerprint—just because your smartwatch is nearby. A new feature spotted in development could make that a reality, offering a smoother and smarter security experience for Wear OS smartwatch users.

According to Android Authority, the latest beta version of Google Play Services (25.29.31) includes early code for an update to Identity Check, a security feature introduced in Android 15. Designed to prevent phone theft, Identity Check normally requires users to authenticate with biometrics or a password when outside trusted locations like home or work. But the new strings suggest your connected smartwatch may soon act as a kind of trust signal—a way for your phone to recognize you and skip extra authentication if your watch is close and unlocked.

While this might not remove the need for a PIN or fingerprint entirely, it could reduce how often you’re asked to verify your identity, making everyday use easier while maintaining a layer of security.

The feature is still under development, and it’s unclear when or if it will roll out publicly. However, it points to a growing effort to tighten the integration between Android phones and Wear OS-powered smartwatches. Whether you’re using a Galaxy Watch or a Pixel Watch, this kind of update could make the Android ecosystem feel a lot more cohesive and user-friendly.

For now, we’ll have to wait and see if Identity Check with smartwatch integration makes it to a future release. But if it does, it could be a subtle but meaningful shift in how Android balances convenience and security—just don’t lose your phone and watch at the same time.

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Back in Summer 2021, Mobvoi revaled that Wear OS 2 would be replaced by Wear OS 3 for its smartwatches based on the Snapdragon Wear 4100. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen; it also missed the next, modified release window that was supposed to occur in Q3 of 2023.

Following months of speculation and excitement, the company has finally announced the upcoming release of the Wear OS 3 upgrade, which they hope will improve the TicWatch experience for their valued customers. The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS, TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, TicWatch Pro 3 LTE, and TicWatch E3 are among the prior TicWatch models to receive this upgrade from the firm.

Users must make sure that the build number on their current watch corresponds to one of the following in order to update to Wear OS 3:

• PMRB.220703.001
• PMKB.211102.004
• PMKB.211102.002
• PMRL.220704.001

Note: Before upgrading, make sure your phone can run the Mobvoi Health app on Android. Install the app from Google Play; if you get alerts about incompatibility, your phone probably doesn’t support it.

For Android users, choose an Android phone with the Google Play Store and Google Play services (GMS) pre-installed that is running AndroidT 8.0 and higher (not Go edition or phones without the original Google Play Store) to update to Wear OS 3.

For iOS users, install the Health Copilot app on your iPhone by going to the App Store. Must take notice that iPhones running iOS 16 and later can use the Health Copilot app. Next, connect the freshly downloaded Health Copilot app to your iPhone and link it with your upgraded watch.

As of right now, there aren’t any further details regarding the update. However, according to the company, Wear OS 3 could not roll out to all compatible smartwatches until the first quarter of 2024.

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(Source)

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The search giant is here with some exciting new features for WearOS, Google Messages, and Google TV. All Android-based smartphones, Google TV devices, and WearOS-enabled wearables will benefit from these new features. Especially for WearOS devices, Gmail and Google Calendar apps are all getting new features. Further, users can set their Google Home status to Home or Away using WearOS smartwatches with the new update.

Must See: Samsung is Rolling out Wear OS 4 Update to the Galaxy Watch 5 & 5 Pro

In a bid to add Smart Home Control at your fingertips, the users can control and dock compatible smart appliances like vacuums and mops from smartwatches. The ability to start Assistant routines is another useful addition.

Among other changes, Google added 10+ new Free TV Channels for Google TV and added Emoji Kitchen Combinations. Further, all new Messages features are set to amaze the new generation and all new Home Controls on WearOS are like an icing on the cake. It has become ecstatic to control things around you from the wrist or with your voice, automation is becoming an integral part of our daily lives.

Below we have detailed new features on WearOS.

Recent Additions to the WearOS:

Wear OS Smart Home Controls:

• Directly manage a variety of AI devices from WearOS watches.
• Quickly build a suitable environment for various activities.

Wear OS Google Home Status:

• Manage the status of Google Home (Home or Away) from the WearOS device.
• Ensure smart home devices are in the appropriate state with a quick check.

Wear OS Assistant Routines:

• Quickly initiate Assistant Routines via voice commands on the smartwatch.
• Maximize the efficiency of daily tasks while you’re on the go.

These features represent a significant advancement for WearOS, offering users enhanced control and convenience in managing smart devices. As the integration of automation into daily lives continues, Google’s updates aim to make interactions with smart devices more intuitive and seamless.

In addition to 10 or more Free TV Channels for Google TV and Emoji Kitchen Combinations for Google Messages, this extensive update surpasses the capabilities of WearOS. Anticipate an enhanced and intelligent user experience forthcoming from Google TV, WearOS, and Google Messages.

Related:

• Original Pixel Watch receives Wear OS 4 Update with Improved Features
• Here are the 7 Best Google Wear OS 4 Features
• Google Calendar App arrives for Wear OS bundling some new features
• Audible app launches on Wear OS, bringing audiobooks to your wrist

(https://blog.google/products/android/new-android-features-november-2023/source)

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Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch owners are in for a treat as the company is rolling out new features for the wearables. The new additions arrive from a software upgrade, which brings the Wear OS 3.5 build.

Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatches Wear OS 3.5 Update

The new update was released and it adds new features along with enhancements to the smartwatches. These Gen 6 smartwatches include models like Standard, Wellness Edition, Skagen Falster, and Diesel Griffed. With Wear OS 3.5, Fossil claims that users can expect to see improved battery life, although no specifics were revealed. So the end user experience could vary.

The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches will also run up to 30 percent faster thanks to a more optimized experience. Furthermore, these models will support more third party apps now. There are changes to the UI as well, with a Tile layout for the home screen, a Google Home shortcut, and gesture controls for more intuitive navigation. Notably, the enhanced performance is also paired with better fitness tracking thanks to Fitbit integration.

This is not surprising considering Google acquired Fitbit a while back. Just earlier this year, we had also talked about the Gen 6 watch lineup receiving the Wear OS 3 update. This brought the Google Assistant to the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches. But it is unclear if Wear OS 4 is planned for the series.

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Google is actively extending support of its primary services on the Wear OS platform. Following the Gmail Wear OS support a few days ago, the Google Calendar app is now available on Wear OS. The app with the name “Calendar” is now available for Smart Watches running WearOS 3.5 or later. In addition, it made a brief appearance online last November.

Must See: Pixel Watch and Other WearOS Devices Might Get Support for Gmail and Google Calendar Soon

Following the phone UX, the Calendar App offers a “Schedule” view which allows one to open events and see details like notes, location, etc. You can also select whether you’re attending any event or not. At the bottom, the user gets open to “Open on Phone” and “Delete event”.

Further, we can see some background images for the holiday events or birthdays (if you’ve added images). Along with the events, the users will see Google Tasks in the list along with the ability to mark them as complete. Unfortunately, the users won’t be able to add new events or tasks using the Wear OS app.

The Calendar App brings two new tiles offering to view “Next Events ” and “Next Tasks”.

The app is available from the Play Store.

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• Google Calendar Introduces Enhanced Working Location Feature for Improved Productivity
• Samsung Calendar App Gets a New Update Bringing a Bunch of New Features
• Pixel Watch App 2.0 update brings Pixel Watch 2 and Wear OS 4 support
• Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro launched with Wear OS, AMOLED display, 4G LTE

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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.

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(Via)

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A new Xiaomi smartwatch has been spotted online. The wearable officially goes by Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro.

This is the first time we are hearing the name. But unfortunately, the listing only reveals a couple of things.

Let’s go through everything that’s known about this upcoming product.

As per Xiaomiui, the forthcoming Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro with model number M2233W1 has been listed in the IMEI database. This means it has support for cellular connectivity (eSIM).

Thus, consumers will be able to use the smartwatch even without a smartphone. It should allow data connection and calls.

Looking up the model number, we found that the wearable was already spotted earlier this year by GoAndroid. Looks like it will be accompanied by two more smartwatches with model numbers M2234W1 and M2235W1.

Since their model numbers only differ by a single digit, they are most likely part of the same lineup. They could be collectively called Xiaomi Watch 2 series.

Sadly, we don’t have details on the specs of these smartwatches. However, going by a report from March, these wearables could boot Wear OS.

For the unaware, these won’t be the first Wear OS smartwatches from Xiaomi. Because the company’s first-ever smartwatch (Mi Watch) from November 2019 actually used Google’s platform.

These upcoming wearables will probably be positioned as the successors of the Mi Watch. Hence, the use of the marketing name ‘Xiaomi Watch 2.’

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WhatsApp has officially launched the stable version of its dedicated app for smartwatches running Wear OS 3 and above. The announcement comes after a beta version was rolled out a few months ago. This new app first teased at Google I/O 2023, enables users to stay connected with others even without their smartphones.

The Future of Messaging: WhatsApp Officially on Smartwatches with Wear OS

The app proves particularly useful for LTE-capable smartwatches with eSIM support, as it allows users to leverage cellular connectivity. It offers various interaction options, including voice messages, emojis, regular text, and quick replies. Prior to this release, Wear OS users could only reply to WhatsApp messages without the ability to send voice messages.

According to the Verge, this timing aligns strategically with the upcoming launch of Samsung’s next-gen Galaxy Watch 6 series on July 26. Samsung and Google have been collaborating to improve Wear OS, and the addition of popular apps like WhatsApp is expected to attract more Android users, contributing to customer retention.

It’s worth noting that there is still no dedicated WhatsApp app available for Apple Watches. However, WhatsApp has expanded its platform support significantly, offering apps for phones, Android tablets, desktops, and the web.

As per India Today, WhatsApp Chief Will Cathcart confirmed the rollout and functionality of the new app in a post on Meta’s Threads app. Mark Zuckerberg applauded the move, signaling Meta’s support for the development.

Meta has also introduced new features recently to enhance the overall messaging experience on WhatsApp. Users can now send texts without the need to save numbers, streamlining the process of initiating conversations.

Additionally, users can personalize their appearances during Messenger and Instagram Video Calls with Animated Meta Avatars, adding a touch of fun and creativity to their interactions.

As WhatsApp expands its presence in the wearable market, it opens up new possibilities for users to stay connected and communicate seamlessly from their smartwatches. With the combination of Wear OS’s improved functionality and WhatsApp’s dedicated app, users can enjoy a more integrated and convenient messaging experience on their wrist, further blurring the boundaries between smartphones and wearables.

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Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) serves as a reminder of the ongoing work required to promote digital access and inclusion for the over one billion people with disabilities worldwide. Google, a leading tech company, is committed to making the world more accessible. In celebration of GAAD, let’s explore some of Google’s recent innovations and features designed to empower individuals with disabilities and foster a more inclusive digital environment.

Google’s Updates include Maps, Lookout, Live Caption & Wear OS

Digital images often lack descriptive captions and alt text, rendering them inaccessible to individuals with visual impairments. Google’s AI-driven solution, Lookout, offers a new feature called “image question and answer.” By leveraging an advanced visual language model developed by Google DeepMind, Lookout can now process images and provide descriptions, enabling users to gain a more detailed understanding of their content. This innovative feature has the potential to enhance accessibility and empower individuals with blindness or low vision.

Google Maps has been a valuable tool for navigation, and now it incorporates accessibility information for wheelchair users. The Accessible Places feature displays a wheelchair icon to indicate locations with step-free entrances. Additionally, users can find further accessibility details in the “About” tab, such as wheelchair-accessible seating, parking, or restrooms. With contributions from the Maps community, business owners, and Local Guides, accessibility information is available for over 40 million businesses worldwide, fostering confident and inclusive travel experiences.

Live Caption, an AI-powered feature, now offers real-time captions for various Android devices and platforms like Chrome and Google Meet. Updates to Live Caption include an optimized captions box for Android tablets, the ability to type back responses during calls, and expanded language support. The availability of Live Caption on a wider range of devices allows more people to benefit from this inclusive feature, fostering communication and engagement for individuals with hearing impairments.

Google is dedicated to improving accessibility across its platforms. Wear OS 4, launching later this year, will introduce a faster and more reliable text-to-speech experience. On the Chrome browser, a new feature automatically detects URL typos, suggesting corrections for easier website access. These enhancements empower individuals with dyslexia, language learners, and those prone to typographical errors, ensuring a seamless browsing experience. Apple also unveiled a wide variety of accesibility-focused updates to their OS, indicating that companies are not oblivious to the growing needs of people across the world.

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WhatsApp has released an official app for Wear OS 3. This means that users will be able to use the instant messaging platform right from their Wear OS-powered smartwatches. However, the functionality is currently in the beta stage and only accessible to beta testers of the Android app. Some of the smartwatches powered by Wear OS 3 include Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 6 series, Pixel Watch, Fossil Gen 6 etc. 

WhatsApp for Wear OS lets users message from smartwatch

WhatsApp for Wear OS 3 is available with the latest beta version 2.23.10.10 for Android. Users who are interested in trying can join and become a beta tester here. Additionally, both the phone and watch should have the app version 2.23.10.10 or later. To set up the app, users have to enter an eight-digit code from their watch into the phone app. Then the chats will sync across devices safely which will also be end-to-end encrypted. 

The WhatsApp for Wear OS offers all the necessary features including the ability to send messages directly from the wrist. However, there’s no option to start a new chat if the user has never sent a message to the WhatsApp contact before. The Wear OS app shows a simple list of recent contacts, a settings menu, and more. There are two tiles for WhatsApp Contacts’ to jump to a contact and the ‘WhatsApp Voice Message’ tile lets the user quickly start recording a voice message. 

The WhatsApp for Wear OS app also lets users to scroll through old conversations. Users can reply to messages using voice messages or a system keyboard. Scrolling through group chats will display ‘People in this conversation’. 

The WhatsApp for Wear OS app is expected to get a stable version in the coming weeks. It seems like a great option to quickly send a message from the wrist instead of reaching for a smartphone. 

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Via

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Companies have been focusing extensively on smartwatches recently since portable technology is attracting more and more customers. Xiaomi, the Chinese electronics giant known for its extensive portfolio of smartphones, wearables, and other tech products, has exciting news for fans of smartwatches. While the company has been releasing watches on its own proprietary system, it seems to be preparing to launch a new smartwatch that runs on Google’s Wear OS 3.

The upcoming Xiaomi Watch will be managed by the same “Mi Fitness (Xiaomi Wear)” app that the company’s wearables use today, making it familiar and easy to use for brand fans. It will also release under the same “Xiaomi Watch” branding as the existing lineup of non-Wear OS watches, providing consumers with the same sleek and stylish design they have come to expect and love.

While details on the upcoming watch are slim at the moment, it has been confirmed that it will run on Wear OS 3, a significant upgrade from the current MIUI Watch OS used in Xiaomi’s higher-end models. This means that users can expect to enjoy some of the exclusive features and capabilities made possible by Google’s apps and services. It’s worth noting that Fossil smartwatches also feature Wear OS 3.

However, one potential downside for fans of the Xiaomi Watch series is that Wear OS is not known for its long-lasting battery life. Xiaomi Watches are known for lasting multiple days without charging, but it remains to be seen how the upcoming Wear OS-powered Xiaomi Watch will fare in this regard.

While the release date for the new Xiaomi Watch is still uncertain, development is reportedly lining up for a launch sometime in 2023. Overall, the shift to Wear OS 3 is an exciting development for Xiaomi and its fans, and we look forward to seeing how the company incorporates this new technology into its smartwatch lineup.

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(Via)

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The 2023 edition of MWC (Mobile World Congress) is underway in Barcelona, Spain. Some companies have already made their big announcements before the trade show officially kicked off today.

While others have just started announcing their products. Google falls under this category as the search giant just revealed 9 new features that are heading to Android and Wear OS.

Almost all of these features focus on improving users’ quality of life. They spread across productivity, accessibility, and customization.

Some of them will be available starting today, while others will be rolled out later. Let’s go through them.

All the 9 New Features for Android and Wear OS Announced by Google at MWC 2023

Google Keep Single Note Widget

As the name suggests, the Keep app will finally allow users to add a widget of their desired notes on the home screen of their Android devices. The widget displays reminders, background colors, and images. Users can now check off their to-do lists right from their home screen.

Google Keep Wear OS Shortcut

Wear OS 3 users can now create Keep notes directly from their watch face via a new shortcut. All they have to do is simply tap on the shortcut and create a note using voice (default) or keyboard input.

Annotation in Google Drive

Users can finally annotate PDFs natively in the Google Drive app for Android using their fingers or a stylus. They can use different tools like marker, pen, highlighter, eraser, undo, and redo. They can also show or hide annotations and save a new copy of annotated documents.

Noise Cancellation in Google Meet

Google Meet already supports noise cancellations on select Android devices. The search giant says that the feature will be now available for more devices. Thus, users need not worry about distracting background noises during calls.

Increase Content Size in Chrome

Users can now easily increase the size of the content (text, images, videos, and interactive controls) in Chrome for Android by up to 300% using the pinch-to-zoom gesture. Users can even set a default size of their own so that they don’t have to change it every time.

New Sound and Display Modes in Wear OS

Wear OS 3 users will get new sound and display modes to improve accessibility. Mono-audio mode will help limit disorientation caused by split audio, whereas color-correction and grayscale modes will help in relieving eye strains.

Fast Pair in ChromeOS

Fast Pair is coming to Chrome OS, and therefore, Chromebook users can connect their supported Bluetooth earphones with a simple tap. Additionally, already set-up earphones with an Android smartphone will automatically connect to Chromebook.

New Emoji Kitchen Combinations

One of the fun features on Gboard is Emoji Kitchen, which enables users to mash up, remix, and share emojis as stickers. Google regularly updates combinations. Hence, ahead of spring, the company has introduced new combos.

Tap to Pay Animations in Google Wallet

Tap to Pay is one of the important features of Google Wallet. This action is now getting new animations involving penguins and other animals.

Which one of the above features is your most excited about? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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Google is all set to launch its next-generation Pixel 7 series flagship smartphones and the brand’s first smartwatch under the Pixel brand, dubbed as Pixel Watch.

The company has already confirmed that the launch event for these new products will be hosted on 6th October. Google’s Fall Launch Event will be live streamed by the company on its official YouTube channel.

The launch event is scheduled to take place on 6th October at 07:00 AM PT, which converts to 10:00 AM ET and 07:30 PM IST. The recorded version of the launch event will also be available for the users to watch.

You can watch the Pixel 7 series and Pixel Watch event by clicking here.

At the event, Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones will get launched. Based on the leaks and reports, the Pixel 7 Pro will be powered by the yet unannounced Google Tensor G2 processor with improved GPU and NPU.

In the camera department, the phone will have a triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 48MP telephoto lens. On the front side, there’s an 11MP snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The device will be powered by a 5,000mAh capacity battery and have support for 30W fast charging. In the software department, the phone will run the latest Android 13 operating system out-of-the-box.

On the other hand, the Google Pixel Watch, which has a circular dial, will be running the Wear OS technology, which is a merger product of Google’s Wear OS and Samsung’s Tizen OS, which the company was using for wearables.

While the Mountain View-based company has already showcased the Pixel 7 series phones and the Pixel Watch in a recent teaser, Google hasn’t revealed everything. To know the detailed specifications and features, as well as the pricing and availability information, we will have to wait for a day more for the official launch event.

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The post How To Watch Google Pixel 7 Series and Pixel Watch Launch Event Live appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Mobvoi TicWatch with Wear OS is rumored to be the next Wear OS device on the line. An email purportedly from Mobvoi looking for reviewers/testers indicated that a new TicWatch is about to be released. Multiple people have reported receiving emails on Reddit.

The new smartwatch will have a longer battery life than its predecessors, as well as an improved design. It will support NFC payment and this will be compatible with Google Pay. The new watch will also have IP68 waterproof protection, GPS, speaker, and microphone. It will also feature the IHB/AFiB detection and fatigue assessment for a more nuanced performance.

For comparison, the current Wear OS TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra with Snapdragon Wear 4100 has 1GB of RAM. Its 577mAh battery delivers 72 hours (3 days) of normal activity on a single charge. There are health and fitness sensors including heartbeat/ atrial fibrillation and stress detection capabilities on the Pro 3 Ultra model. The TicWatch Pro models have retained a similar design so far and the new device may not be too different. These models have two side buttons, no rotating bezels, and a large display. The new flagship TicWatch may just be a refreshed iteration of its predecessors.

It is not yet clear what degree of improvements will be present in the new flagship model. Its flagship moniker indicates however that there will be significant improvements across several aspects. There are no words yet on the release date and pricing for the smartwatch.

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(via)

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If you ever owned a Galaxy watch, you know how satisfying the physical rotating bezel is to use. It’s probably the most loved feature of Samsung’s Galaxy watches. The bezel makes it easy to scroll through widgets, screens, and apps. However, according to a new leak, it might be the time to bid adieu to the beloved rotating bezel.

There were already rumors about Samsung considering ditching the classic watch design along with physical rotating bezels. Now a new tweet by tipster Ice Universe suggests that the South Korean tech giant may actually do it.

Replying to a tweet by a user, who was being optimistic about Samsung retaining the bezel on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the tipster Ice Universe said “the galaxy watch5 Pro will disappoint you”. He didn’t say the watch won’t have a rotating bezel, but his tweet hinted at the possibility.

Unfortunately, the galaxy watch5 Pro will disappoint you

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 31, 2022

It is worth mentioning that Samsung had tried to get rid of this hardware feature in previous watches too but the decision was so bemoaned by users that it had to bring it back. The rotating bezel does not hamper the watch’s waterproofing or durability and it’s actually a very popular feature among users, so we don’t really understand why Samsung is trying to self-sabotage itself by going down that road.

According to rumors, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will sport OLED displays, Wear OS, GPS, IP rating, skin temperature measurement, and all the necessary tracking sensors. The watch will likely feature a big 580mAh battery. It is also reported that the watch 5 Pro will come with a titanium and sapphire build.

We’re still months away from the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 lineup. Samsung will likely unveil its latest Galaxy watches in August along with its brand new foldables.

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The post Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro may not come with the fan-favorite rotating bezel appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google is finally adding a highly requested feature to its Wear OS for smart wearable products. This new update would soon allow devices running the OS to flip their screens depending on the orientation of the smartwatch.

For those unaware, the Search engine giant had recently partnered with Samsung for its current gen iteration of Wear OS. So, although it has received praises for offering one of the best wearable experiences in the market, it still lacked a small but essential feature. It is display flipping when you wear a watch upside down. While one has the option to wear the watch either on the left or right hand, some are uncomfortable with the typical way of wearing a smartwatch. To put things simply, regardless of the hand on which you wear the watch, the buttons will still be on the right side. So if one is wearing the watch on the left hand then the buttons align with the wrist, but on the other hand, it pushes into your arm.

A simple fix to this is to just wear the watch upside down. And while you would be right for thinking of this solution, unfortunately, Wear OS did not support display flipping to reflect the changed orientation of the smartwatch. The issue was first brought to light years ago, with a 2018 Google issue tracker revealing a request to add a small change to allow the display to flip upside down (Via AndroidPolice). Surprisingly, this issue is now marked as “Fixed” alongside a quick not that revealed its availability.

The quick note stated that “Our development team has implemented the feature you have requested and will be available on future new devices.” However, Google did not reveal any other finer details regarding when the update might bring this feature, and whether its an automatic addition or a function you’d need to toggle in settings. Notably, the term “future new devices” also implies that current Wear OS devices might not see the arrival of this feature. So stick around for more updates.

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Google has a lineup of smartphones under its Pixel brand and now the technology giant is gearing up to enter the smart wearables market as the company is rumored to soon launch a Pixel-branded smartwatch.

Ahead of the official announcement from Google, some details about the Pixel Watch have surfaced online. A report from 9to5Google has found that the device, running Wear OS, will come with some exclusive features.

The latest version of the Google app has a “PIXEL_EXPERIENCE_WATCH” tag which hints that the Pixel Watch will come with some features that won’t be available on other Wear OS devices, at least for some time.

For those who are unaware, Google uses the tag “PIXEL_EXPERIENCE” or a variation of it for rolling out exclusive features that are not available for other devices in the market. For instance, there’s “PIXEL_EXPERIENCE_2021” for the Pixel 6 series phones.

Coming back to the features, it is speculated that the Pixel Watch will come with a next-generation Assistant. It is expected to be built into the watch and have support for on-device processing instead of relying on the cloud. This should result in much faster operations and make the device stand out from others.

Recently, the watch faces for the upcoming smartwatch were leaked online and will come running the Wear OS 3 which is a new operating system created with the merger of Google’s Android-based Wear OS and Samsung’s Tizen OS.

If the leaks are to be believed, then the upcoming Google Pixel Watch will come powered by the Samsung Exynos processor similar to the Exynos W920 that the South Korean giant is using on its own Galaxy Watch4 series.

The device is expected to get launched sometime in Spring 2022 and could be priced above $300. To know more about the device, we will have to wait for a few more weeks or months for more details to surface online.

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Earlier this year at Google I/O 2021, the search giant made its initial announcement regarding the new Wear OS 3.0 co-developed by itself, Samsung, and Fitbit. The software made its debut on the Galaxy Watch4 series, however, with Samsung’s One UI skin on top of it. Now, months later, we finally get to see how the latest Wear OS appears in its original form.

According to a Redditor (via XDA Developers), Google has released a new version of the Wear OS 3.0 emulator image. The newly uploaded image bears a build date of November 17.

For the unaware, the previous release of the image was months older than the Galaxy Watch4 lineup. The older build included Material You elements, an updated app drawer, and a new quick settings menu.

Whereas, the latest release comes with a new brightness slider, more gradients and toggles on the Settings page, and icons on the recent screen. As you can see from the screenshots, the stock Wear OS 3.0 resembles Tizen, which is not surprising as Samsung has merged its wearable OS with that of Googe’s.

OEMs like the Fossil Group and Mobvoi are not known for using a heavy skin on top of Wear OS. Hence, Wear OS 3.0 on smartwatches from these companies should look near-identical to the screenshots attached above.

Wear OS 3.0 is expected to roll out for non-Samsung smartwatches in the mid to second half of 2022. Since we are still months away from that, the software could go through even more changes before its final release.

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The post Updated Wear OS 3.0 emulator image released with visual changes appeared first on Gizmochina.

Mobvoi has announced its latest smartwatch, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS, today. The new watch is an upgraded version of the TicWatch Pro 3 announced last year but even with the new features, refreshed design, and upgrades, it has the same launch price as the 2019 model.

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS has been redesigned. The tachymeter is different and the ring around it has markings similar to those on the buttons and on the strap.

Coming to its specs, the watch has a 1.4-inch 454 x 454 full-color AMOLED display and a second FSTN display on top. One new feature that has been added is the ability to change the color of the backlight of the FSTN display. Mobvoi has included a palette of 18 different colors that owners can choose from.

The display is protected by a sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass and has an anti-fingerprint coating. The watch case is also stronger as it is made from stainless steel and high-strength nylon with fiberglass. It also has a MIL Standard 810G certification. Attached to the watch is a 22mm interchangeable fluoro rubber strap which Mobvoi claims is not only soft but strong.

There is still a Snapdragon Wear 4100 and Mobvoi dual-processor under the hood along with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. It also still runs the old Wear OS, but like its siblings, it will get upgraded.

The new features of the watch include support for more than 20 professional workout modes compared to the 10+ modes of the TicWatch Pro 3. Among the newly included sports modes are high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, soccer, table tennis, lawn tennis, and basketball.

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS also has an upgraded heart rate monitor that can detect irregular heartbeat (IHB) and AFib. It will notify you when your heart is pumping too fast, too slow, or in an irregular pattern. It has also added fatigue assessment, energy level detection alongside blood oxygen level monitoring, 24-hour measurement, stress monitoring, and sleep tracking.

The new smartwatch now has a built-in compass in addition to having 5-satellite GNSS, barometer, accelerometer, gyro sensor, and low-latency off-body sensor. It also has an IP68 rating, a speaker, and a microphone. The battery capacity is unchanged at 577mAh and it will last 72 hours on a single charge in Smart Mode but go up to 45 days in Essential Mode.

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is priced at $299.99 and is already available for purchase on the Mobvoi website. It can be purchased in Shadow Black.

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The post TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS has IHB/AFib detection, 20+ sports modes, SDW 4100, and costs $299 appeared first on Gizmochina.

In late August, Fossil announced the Gen 6 smartwatch, its latest Wear OS-powered wearable with a Snapdragon 4100+ processor. Nearly a month later, it launched the smartwatch in India. It has now followed it up with the Michael Kors Access Gen 6 Bradshaw which is practically a more premium version of the regular Gen 6.

The Michael Kors Access Gen 6 Bradshaw series have the same specifications as the Fossil Gen 6 but differ with respect to design. They are targeted at those who want a smartwatch with a more premium design. So unlike the Fossil Gen 6 that comes in both stainless and leather variants, the Michael Kors Access Gen 6 is available with only stainless steel bands.

The smartwatch comes in only one size – 44mm – which has a 1.28-inch AMOLED display with a 326 PPI pixel density. There is a Snapdragon Wear 4100+ under the hood along with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. Just like on the Fossil Gen 6, users should experience faster app load times and a reduction in power consumption when compared to the last generation.

The smartwatch has a 24-hour heart rate monitor, a blood oxygen level sensor, sleep tracking, voice-activated Google Assistant, NFC, GPS, 5 ATM water resistance rating, music playback control, app notifications, support for Bluetooth calls, and support for fast charging.

Just like the Fossil Gen 6, it is modeled after, it too doesn’t run the new version of Wear OS but it should get the update when it begins to roll out.

The starting price is ₹25,996 for the Michael Kors Access Gen 6 Bradshaw and it goes up to ₹32,495

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The Galaxy Watch4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Classic are the latest smartwatches from Samsung. Unlike their predecessors, these wearables run a new version of Wear OS co-developed by Google, Samsung, and Fitbit. Though the latest software comes with improvements, there are some caveats with compatibility.

When the Galaxy Watch4 series went official, we learned that these smartwatches cannot be paired with iOS devices. Last night, Samsung announced these wearables in China and confirmed that they don’t support HarmonyOS either.

This means the Galaxy Watch4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Classic can be only used with Android devices as of now. The minimum requirements set by Samsung are Android 6.0 or above with more than 1.5GB RAM.

That’s not all, many features of these wearables only work with Samsung smartphones running Android 10 or above. Additionally, some features are limited to certain regions.

When Google announced the new Wear OS 3.0 at Google I/O 2021, the tech community got excited. Because the search giant’s wearable operating system needed changes due to its long list of issues.

As one of the leading Android OEMs, Samsung partnered with Google to merge its Tizen with Wear OS as the South Korean tech giant’s operating system had its own problem of third-party app support.

But unfortunately, though the main concerns of these two platforms got fixed, the end product (Galaxy Watch4 series) comes with a new set of complications like the above-discussed compatibility issues and lack of popular apps like Google Assistant.

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The post Confirmed: Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series doesn’t support HarmonyOS either appeared first on Gizmochina.

After announcing the Gen 5 in 2019, Fossil has announced its successor today which is dubbed the Gen 6. The new smartwatch brings key upgrades including a more powerful processor but doesn’t ship with the latest version of Wear OS.

The Fossil Gen 6’s main upgrade is the new Snapdragon Wear 4100+, one of two chipsets Qualcomm announced last year for smartwatches. The smartwatch is the first to feature this new chip. Fossil says that the new processor brings a performance improvement of up to 30% when compared to the Gen 5. Users should see faster app load times and reduced power consumption.

Another new feature is the addition of a blood oxygen level monitor (SpO2 sensor). The watch also has a 24-hour heart rate that provides continuous heart rate monitoring. Fossil claims the sensor has been improved and it works better in more situations.

1 of 3

The Fossil Gen 6 has Google Assistant built-in, so with the “Ok Google” wake word, you can ask questions, control smart home devices, and set reminders. There is also support for Google Pay, music playback control, and the ability to make and receive calls when connected to a smartphone. Unfortunately, the smartwatch runs the older Wear OS 2 out of the box. If you don’t mind waiting until next year, you will get the Wear OS 3 update.

Fossil Gen 6 Specs

• 1.28-inch AMOLED screen with a 416 x 416 resolution
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage
• Snapdragon Wear 4100+
• Bluetooth 5.0
• NFC SE
• Wi-Fi
• Off-body IR, Gyroscope
• PPG heart rate sensor
• Accelerometer, altimeter, ambient light sensor, compass, gyroscope
• 3 ATM water resistance

The Fossil Gen 6 has a round dial and comes in a variety of designs. Buyers will be able to choose from 10 different configurations which start at $299 and go up to $319. Fossil also has straps in different colors and designs for the different configurations available. Fossil is already taking pre-orders and it says shipping will happen close to September 27.

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The post Fossil Gen 6 launches with a $299 starting price, Snapdragon Wear 4100+, and the old Wear OS 2 appeared first on Gizmochina.

At the recent Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch4 series wearable devices along with the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 foldable smartphones and Galaxy Buds2 TWS earphones.

The newly launched Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic run the latest Wear OS 3 which is jointly developed by Google and Samsung. But, unlike its predecessors, the new smartwatches from Samsung are not compatible with Apple’s iOS.

This means that the users of the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series won’t be able to pair their wearable device to an iPhone. Samsung has also stipulated that the new smartphones can only be paired with smartphones running Android 6.0 or above version.

Also, the company has stated that device activation is only available after connecting to a smartphone that supports Google Mobile Services (GMS) and has Play Services and the Play Store installed on the device.

The company has clarified that the older Galaxy Watch would retain iOS compatibility. Samsung added support for iOS devices on its wearable devices with the launch of Gear 2 in 2016 and all the successor models support iOS. All of these products from Samsung run the company’s own Tizen OS.

Given that the latest generation smartwatches from Samsung are running the WearOS platform, it remains to be seen if the iOS support will be unavailable to all the devices powered by the WearOS, which is quite unlikely.

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The post Samsung’s newly launched Galaxy Watch4 series doesn’t support Apple’s iOS appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lots of folks are excited about the new unified platform that is a fusion of Samsung’s Tizen OS and Wear OS. Since the operating system was announced back in May during Google I/O 2021, its official name has been kept under wraps until today.

A post published earlier today by Google has revealed that the unified platform will be officially known as Wear OS 3.0. It also revealed that the new version of the OS will be available as a system update to previous generation of smartwatches though that list is very limited.

Google says that the update will bring lots of new experiences and that the extent of these changes will require that users reset their watch to factory settings. Based on the aforementioned reason, Google says that it expects some users may not want to update to Wear OS 3, so it will make the upgrade available to users of eligible devices on an opt-in basis. Unfortunately, Google says that the update should begin to roll out “starting in mid to second half of 2022.”

The list of eligible devices is pretty short and includes Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, TicWatch Pro 3 LTE, TicWatch E3, and other upcoming TicWatch devices. It also includes Fossil’s next-gen smartwatches coming later this year. In a nutshell, the supported devices are those powered by the Snapdragon Wear 4100.

Also, save for the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series and the Pixel Watch, other smartwatches will most likely launch with the old version of Wear OS until the OS upgrade is available next year.

Google concludes by saying that older watches that can’t be upgraded will receive new features too such as Gboard and the revamped Play Store.

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The post Google reveals Wear OS 3 is the official name of its unified platform, coming to select current-gen watches appeared first on Gizmochina.

Recently, Google and Samsung announced that they would be merging their respective Wear and Tizen OS to better compete in the wearables market. And now, it seems that Qualcomm will play a major role in increasing the competitiveness in the smartwatch segment by releasing new Snapdragon Wear processors soon.

For those unaware, Wear OS smartwatches have received criticism in the past were the outdated Qualcomm chips that powered them. But with Google pushing to refresh its Wear OS platform through the new merger, the American chip maker is also seeking to launch new and more powerful wearable based processors as well. At the moment, one of the newest chips includes Snapdragon 4100 and 4100+, but many OEMs have yet to adopt these chips.

In other words, many vendors still lag behind Apple who dominates the segment with its Apple Watch. Although, the chip maker announced that it plans on expanding its wearable chip portfolio by launching new Snapdragon Wear processors “across segments over the next year.” Furthermore, the company also announced its new Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator program, which would seek to have Qualcomm be at the center of the new wave of Wear OS devices.

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The post Qualcomm to launch new Snapdragon Wear chips for smartwatches in 2022 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Tag Heuer has a launch set for July 15 and the manufacturer already teased that it plans to unveil a Super Mario-themed watch. While it is still a day to the announcement, details of the watch have already surfaced online.

The new watch is actually a Mario-themed Wear OS-powered smartwatch, or better put, a Super Mario edition of the Tag Heuer Connected smartwatch. As reported by Engadget, the smartwatch will sell for $2150 and will be limited to only 2000 units.

With respect to the design, The Tag Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition will have two straps – a black and red strap that is a mix of leather and rubber and a red rubber strap with holes. The tachymeter has the head of a Super Mario toad at 3 o’clock, a pipe at 6 o’clock, and a Super Star icon at 9 o’clock. There is also a Mario “M” logo on the crown.

1 of 2

On the software side, there are multiple Super Mario watch faces as well as Mario-centric animations. For example, Mario will salute you in the morning and climb the flag pole when you reach your steps target. Tag Heuer says that some of these software additions may be available for the other versions of the Connected smartwatch in the future.

The watch launches on July 15 and will be available for purchase on the same day at select boutiques and on its website.

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The post Tag Heuer says it is Mario Time with its new $2150 Wear OS smartwatch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Gear smartwatch in 2013 as an Android-based smartwatch. The Korean tech giant later switched to its own Tizen OS but still retained the Galaxy Gear on Android. As the company prepares to switch back to Android with the Wear OS, it has advised Galaxy Gear owners to upgrade to Tizen OS by August 5 to continue having access to the Galaxy Store.

Samsung will switch to the Android operating system for its smartwatches later this year. The Wear OS will power the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Active instead of Tizen OS. The Android-based Wear OS means that the devices will have wider access to apps via the Galaxy Store, unlike Tizen OS. Samsung is also saying that there will be no switch from Tizen to Wear OS for smartwatches that the Tizen OS currently powers.

Although there are likely only a few Gear watch owners, the fact that Samsung is making the announcement indicates their presence. Existing Galaxy Gear watch owners can only continue to enjoy support from Samsung if they upgrade to Tizen OS by the August 5 date (Korean Standard Time). In order not to encounter a total loss of saved data in the form of videos, images, and other content, Gear watch owners are encouraged to back up their data before upgrading to Tizen OS. The Gear watch device will be reset upon completion of the upgrade, and all pre-upgrade data will be wiped off.

However, it seems counter-intuitive that the Gear watch OS is being upgraded from Android to Tizen, while Samsung is already switching back to Android via the Wear OS. The upgraded Samsung Galaxy Watch will only have access to a limited number of apps compared with the Android-based smartwatches.

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The post Samsung asks Galaxy Gear users to upgrade to Tizen OS despite switching to Wear OS appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google has partnered with Samsung to develop a new operating system borne from the fusion of Wear OS and Tizen. While we still don’t know the official name of the new wearable operating system, it is expected to make its debut when the Galaxy Watch 4 series launches. Ahead of their arrival, Google has begun rolling out a design update to the Play Store app for smartwatches.

Info about the new interface was first shared by a user on Reddit and reported first by 9to5Google. The Reddit user who goes by Suunto 7 shared screenshots showing the differences between the old and new interface.

Google has ditched the rectangular blocks for a pill-shaped one that looks nicer. The app icons have also been redesigned. Not only are they smaller but they have ditched the squircle shape for a circle. The font size has also been reduced and the search icon has also been changed from green to white. These changes make the UI look more cleaner and suited for small displays.

At the moment, this seems to be the only report of an update. Google is most likely doing a test rollout, and once there are no critical bugs, we should see a wider rollout.

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The post Play Store for Wear OS gets a design revamp appeared first on Gizmochina.

The TicWatch E3 is a new smartwatch from Mobvoi that is expected to launch soon. The smartwatch which will launch as a successor to the 2019 TicWatch E2 has leaked ahead of its release, giving us a good look at its design as well as key specs.

We first learned of the TicWatch E3 in April when evidence of its existence was found in a teardown of the Mobvoi app. Last month, it was certified by the Bluetooth SIG and its certificate revealed it has the model number WH12068, connects via Bluetooth 5.0, and will run WearOS. Now, a Russian Instagram user by the name andrey_koftun has managed to get his hand on a unit before its announcement.

In the video, the smartwatch is shown to come in a white square box that has an image of the wearable as well as some specs printed on it. The smartwatch itself comes in black with matching silicone straps and there is a chance that will be the only color available as that is the only color its predecessor comes in.

View this post on Instagram

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The TicWatch E3 is a pretty thick smartwatch as it is significantly thicker than the OnePlus Watch which the leaker is wearing. For your information, the OnePlus Watch is 10.9 millimeters thick. There are two buttons on the side of the watch and the round display is covered in 2.5D glass.

The underside is home to four contact pins at the top which attaches magnetically to the included charging cable in the box. There are also five sensors for heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen level measurement. The source confirms that the watch has a microphone and speaker and we can see slits on the body for these features.

The display has a black bezel around it, and surprisingly, it is reported that it is not an OLED type. Under the thick body is a Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor, the same chip inside the TicWatch Pro 3. The smartwatch also has support for more than 20 workout modes and can also track stress, sleep, and VO2 max during workouts.

Mobvoi already announced that it has a launch scheduled for June 16 and there is a high chance that the TicWatch E3 will be announced on that day. We don’t know how much it will cost but we have a feeling it may be a little higher than the $159.99 launch price of the TicWatch E2.

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If you own a Fossil Gen Watch and are hoping it will get updated to Wear – the new operating system borne from the merger of Google’s Wear OS and Samsung’s Tizen, then there is bad news for you.

The company granted an interview to CNET where it revealed that it has no plans for upgrading the software on its current version of smartwatches to the new operating system. Folks who want a Fossil watch with all the bells and whistles of the new OS will have to look to the Fossil Gen 6 watch coming later this year.

Greg McKelvey and Steve Prokup, Fossil’s chief commercial officer and vice president of connected devices respectively, disclosed in the interview that the Gen 6 smartwatch will boast “all of the software benefits that Google’s talking about and launching with the unified platform…”.

The smartwatch will also feature hardware upgrades too that will bring faster performance, better battery life, and advanced health features reports CNET. With respect to design, Fossil didn’t reveal key details about that but it said that its watches will continue to feature a variety of designs that include buttons and crowns. The screen will also remain a major way to interact with the watch with buttons and crowns providing secondary input and acting as shortcuts.

The new Fossil Gen 6 watch will not be cheap. The premium features will also attract a premium price tag, positioning it as a competitor to Apple’s next-gen watch and as alternatives to watches from Google and Samsung.

It was also revealed in the interview that its hybrid watches may evolve in the future “as experimental models for other wearables”. The manufacturer also plans to integrate Fitbit into its product and believes its customers will love it.

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Samsung and Google are deepening their relationship as both companies announced earlier this week that they are combining their respective wearable operating systems, namely Wear and Tizen OS.

In a blog post, the search engine giant announced that it will be combining its Wear OS with Tizen based software platform that was used in wearable products from the South Korean smartphone maker. This new platform has simple been dubbed as “Wear,” although the name has yet to be finalized and is subject to possible change. The merger of the two wearable OS would enable both firms to offer a better user experience to their customers.

With this joint effort, the companies would be able to offer improvements in battery life. Other benfits from this mergers also includes, 30 percent fster loading times for wearable applications, and smoother animations as well. The parnership would even help developers in making things simpler. Furthermore, it would also create a ingle central smartwatch OS for the Android platform while also offering a greater selection of apps and watch faces.

We’re combining the best of @wearosbygoogle and @SamsungMobile Tizen into a unified wearable platform. Apps will start faster, battery life will be longer and you'll have more choice than ever before, from devices to apps and watch faces. #GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/vj2aYZD81x

— Google (@Google) May 18, 2021

Google’s Bjorn Kilburn added that “All device makers will be able to add a customized user experience on top of the platform, and developers will be able to use the Android tools they already know and love to build for one platform and ecosystem.” Samsung has also confirmed that next generation Galaxy Watch will run on this new platform and this will even ship with future high end Fitbit devices as well.

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A lot of people will agree that Google’s handling of Wear OS has been very disappointing, to say the least. The operating system which was designed to power smartwatches lags behind when compared to Apple’s own watchOS and Samsung’s Tizen. Things are about to change for the better according to Google and the first step is the announcement of Gboard for Wear OS.

Gboard for Wear OS is said to be the first new app for the operating system in years. The announcement brings a much easier and faster way for users to type. According to Google, Gboard brings multi-language support, scrollable word suggestions, voice input, gesture typing, and a full QWERTY keyboard.

Google seems to have more interesting things in store for Wear OS as it has said that it can’t wait to share the other things it has planned for the operating system this year.

With Google I/O scheduled for later this month, there is a possibility that we may get to learn about these new features sooner rather than later.

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Back in September 2020, Googe announced the Wear OS H-MR2 update. The new version of the company’s wearable operating system brings performance and battery life improvements. Ever since the search giant unveiled this update, OEMs have been pushing it via OTA to their devices. The latest smartwatch to get this update is none other than the popular Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3.

The TicWatch Pro 3 by Mobvoi is arguably the best Wear OS smartwatch available in the market. The wearable was unveiled just a few days after the Wear OS H-MR2 update was announced. However, this wearable is one of the last to get the update.

According to the official announcement post, the TicWatch Pro 3 Wear OS H-MR2 is currently only available for the GPS variant with firmware version PMRB.210407.001. The update is available for 30% of users as of writing this story. It should be rolled out to 50% and 100% of users by April 23 and April 24 respectively.

TicWatch Pro 3 Wear OS H-MR2 Update Official Changelog

• New features:
  • Option to disable the long-press power button to activate Google Assistant.
  • New screen brightness layout.
  • New Weather tile.
  • New theater mode.
  • Support regular enter and exit the essential mode.
• Improvements:
  • Optimized the media volume and the ringtone volume bar’s display to match the actual volume.
  • Optimized the sorting of apps in Mobvoi Launcher.
  • Optimized the sliding smoothness of Mobvoi Launcher.
  • Optimized the accuracy of off-body detection.
  • Improved the performance on Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platforms.
  • Moved the “OK Google” switch from the watch’s settings menu to the Google assistant settings.
  • Optimized the shutdown charging animation.
  • Updated security patch to 2021-03-05.
• Bugs fixed :
  • Fixed the issue that Auto-DND sometimes cannot take effect.
  • Fixed an issue where the screen may not lock when charging.
  • Fixed an issue where the Phone app might disappear in Mobvoi Launcher when pairing with an Android phone.
  • Fixed other discovered bugs.

Lastly, it is worth noting that Mobvoi recommends placing the TicWatch Pro 3 on the charging dock while updating it.

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(Via)

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Samsung’s current lineup of smartwatches include Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 3. This year, the South Korean giant will be launching their successors, but if the latest report is to be believed, then the announcement could take place earlier than the company’s usual timeframe.

As per the report from @UniverseIce, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 4 could get launched in the second quarter of this year. This means that the devices will go official somewhere between April and June.

Usually, the new Galaxy series smartwatches gets announced in the month of August, along with the Galaxy Note lineup of flagship smartphones. However, this time, the company is planning to launch new wearable devices ahead of the launch of Apple’s Watch Series 7 to have an upper-hand in the segment.

It appears that both Samsung and Apple are gearing up to introduce a feature that will monitor the user’s blood glucose levels and Samsung wants to be the first in the market with this feature, thus an early launch of the devices.

There are also reports claiming that the Samsung is ditching its Tizen OS for the Google Wear OS on its upcoming smartwatches. If this turns out to be true, then it will be the first wearable devices from the South Korean giant to have Google’s Wear OS.

Samsung accounted for about 10 percent of the global smartwatch sale in the fourth quarter of 2020, which is way behind Apple‘s 40 percent market share. With major changes to the devices, the South Korean company is hoping to catch up with the market leader.

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Michael Kors, the company known for making luxury watches, has announced that its smartwatch — Michael Kors Access Gen 5E Darci is now available for purchase in India. For those who are unaware, the device was first announced at CES 2021 in January this year.

It is priced at Rs 25,995 which roughly converts to $354 and can be purchased through online marketplace Amazon. The device is being offered in three color options — Gold, Rose Gold, and Silver.

The Michael Kors Access Gen 5E Darci smartwatch features top ring and a 7-link bracelet. There’s a 1.19-inch touchscreen display with 390 x 390 pixels screen resolution. It is powered by Google’s Wear OS and works with both Android and iOS devices.

As for the connectivity, the device comes with support for Bluetooth 4.2 LE, NFC, and Wi-Fi. It also supports Bluetooth-based calling and there’s a speaker which allows users to converse through Google Assistant or to play music.

It also comes with a new Wellness App that monitors real-time metrics and optimizes battery life by shifting power consumption off the main processor. The company says that it also packs an optimized activity tracker and thus the smartwatch can track heart rate, pace, distance, steps, and sleep.

There is a multi-day battery mode that allows users to choose between four battery settings as per their preferences. It comes with a magnetic USB rapid charger that is claimed to juice up the smartwatch to up to 80 percent 50 minutes.

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This week, two videos detailing the workings of Samsung’s Augmented Reality (AR) glasses were leaked online. The AR glasses could be used for several applications and it was said that mid-air gestures won’t work for the device, but rather it would be operated using a Samsung smartwatch. Now, another report has revealed that indeed Samsung may soon release two separate smartwatch models and the codenames of the models have also featured in the rumour mills.

Not too long ago, a leak emerged about Samsung’s 2021 lineup of Galaxy smartwatches having the model numbers SM-R86x and SM-R87x. Going by the tradition of Samsung, these models will likely be different sizes of the Galaxy smartwatch. It is also rumoured that at least one of the smartwatch models could have the Android’s Wear OS instead of the usual Tizen OS, reflecting an improvement in the model.

This rumor seems to have been lent more weight with the discovery by the guys at GalaxyClub that the Korean giant was working on two smartwatches with codenames Wise and Fresh. The codenames are being interpreted in some quarters as reflecting that Samsung is indeed planning to introduce a fresh approach to its smartwatches by unveiling the Wear OS smartwatch which reflects a new direction for the company’s watches.

The Android integration for Samsung’s smartwatches holds a lot of promise. The integration will open a wide array of opportunities and possibilities on tasks that can be accomplished by the new smart wearable device. Obviously, the company would have its own AR glasses in mind while developing the soon-to-be unveiled smartwatches, as it continues to expand the frontiers of technology along the lines of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Samsung is yet to make any statement on the impending release of its Galaxy Watch lineup for 2021, but the speculations remain rife about a shift to the Wear OS for one of the models.

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Samsung recently refreshed the Galaxy Watch Active 2 at the January 14 event with a new Phantom Violet Color variant. It is already said to be working on the next Galaxy Watch for 2021. A report by Galaxyclub.nl reveals that Samsung is indeed working on the two Galaxy Watch models. Further, a new tips says that Samsung could ditch Tizen OS for Android on its Smartwatches.

According to the report, Samsung’s two new Watches have the model numbers SM-R86x SM-R87x. If you recall, the latest Galaxy Watch3 and Galaxy Watch Active2 both have SM-R8xx as model numbers. Hence, the new Watches could be their successors in 2021.

Anyway, the Watches will have different sizes as before, and available in Bluetooth and Cellular variants which is a no-brainer. Meanwhile, a tipster has hinted that Samsung might ditch Tizen OS on its future Smartwatches.

Ice Universe has said on Twitter that Samsung’s New Watch will use Android(i.e, Wear OS) instead of the Tizen platform. Samsung developed the Tizen OS with a view of building a broader & unique ecosystem for itself. It expanded the platform to various products like Smartwatches, TVs etc.

Samsung's new watch will use Android to replace Tizen.

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) February 19, 2021

In fact, the company’s Tizen OS is the leading Smart TV platform Globally. Having said that, the reason for Samsung opting for Wear OS could be due to the lack of third-party apps for Galaxy Watches.

Either way, Samsung’s next Watch rumored as Galaxy Watch Active 3/ Galaxy Watch 4 will likely get a blood sugar monitoring feature. Let’s wait for more leaks to know about the upcoming Galaxy Watch models in 2021.

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OnePlus is working with Google to improve Wear OS. Pete Lau, the CEO of the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, revealed the collaboration with the search engine giant in a recent interview.

According to a 9To5Google report, Pete Lau stated that OnePlus is directly working with Google on Wear OS. At the moment, both companies have joined hands to improve the system and how it talks to Android smartphones and Android TVs. This improvement in communication between devices will boost the interoperability between the different platforms. Although, it is unclear just how the companies aim on achieving this at the moment.

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As per Pete Lau, “Wear OS definitely has room to improve. What we’re trying to do is work with Google to try to improve the connectivity between the Wear OS ecosystem, Android TV, and Android smartphones to create this ability for better device interoperability across the ecosystems. This has been something looked at very positively from Google’s side as well, so this is the direction that we’re trying to develop, but we don’t have more than we can share on that right now.”

Unfortunately, this news doesn’t imply that future OnePlus smartwatches will support Wear OS, as was previously believed after the interview, but the CEO has since clarified that this is not yet confirmed. However, we might still see a collaboration in the near future as both companies are closely working on improving a platform. We can also expect to see some notable improvements on the Wear OS soon, so stay tuned for more updates.

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