Following last year’s Wear OS 4 launch on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 and Google’s Pixel Watch 2, whispers of a new Wear OS 5 update are already swirling, potentially arriving as early as this summer with the Galaxy Watch 7. Fueling this speculation is a report from 9to5Google, who claim to have spotted references to Wear OS 5 in an unreleased Android 14 build. This hints at a possible integration with Google’s latest mobile OS, further solidifying the Wear OS partnership between Samsung and Google.
According to 9to5Google, Samsung might be using the Exynos 5535 chip in the Galaxy Watch 7 to test compatibility with Wear OS 5, suggesting a simultaneous launch of the smartwatch and the new software update. This, if true, marks a significant shift in Wear OS update cadence. While not entirely unprecedented, annual upgrades would be a stark departure from the “every other year” major version jumps we’ve seen lately.
Wear OS has been skipping major Android releases since Wear OS 2. Google released Wear OS 2.2 based on Android 9 back in 2018 and skipped to Android 11 with the update to Wear OS 3 in 2021. Wear OS 4 arrived last year based on the then latest Android 13, so it was natural to expect Wear OS 5 to be released next year based on Android 15. However, Google, perhaps thanks to the partnership with Samsung, is changing tact, at least going by this report. But since past Wear OS updates didn’t always offer substantial changes, many users will be hoping for a more distinct Wear OS 5 experience.
The potential benefits of annual updates are substantial. Firstly, it would bring Wear OS closer to Apple’s watchOS in terms of update frequency, boosting competitiveness. Secondly, it could align Wear OS with Android’s annual update cycle, paving the way for smoother feature integration between the two platforms. However, there are also potential downsides. For instance, faster updates might lead to more iterative changes, leaving users always craving for bigger leaps in functionality. Additionally, the rollout pace for existing devices remains a question mark. Wear OS 4 still hasn’t reached all eligible smartwatches, raising concerns about whether Wear OS 5 will prioritize older hardware.
According to Android expert Mishaal Rahman, Google is already planning to release Wear OS 6 based on Android 15, so it seems pretty much confirmed that Wear OS 5 will be based on Android 14. And with Samsung poised to unveil the Galaxy Watch 7 in the summer, it’s likely that the Pixel Watch 3 will be Google’s first to ship with Wear OS 5 when it launches later this year alongside the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.
Hillary Keverenge
2110 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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