Wear OS 3: Google, Samsung and Fitbit team up to bring better smartwatches that challenge the Apple Watch

(CNN Spanish) – Google introduced Android 12 beta during its Google I / O 2021 developer conference, but possibly the biggest surprise was Wear OS 3, previously also called Android Wear OS.

As usual, Google was expected to present new features of Wear OS and its other operating systems, but this time the company revealed one of the most important changes for its operating system for smart watches (previously known as Android Wear) by announcing that it will carry the best of Wear OS and Tizen (from Samsung), just like Fitbit that was bought by Google in late 2019.

It is not entirely clear what “the best of Tizen” means this time around, but Samsung has put years of work into this operating system for smart watches such as the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Galaxy Watch 3, which have been among the most popular for people with Android cell phones.

Google revealed that this integration will improve performance, extend battery life and have more apps “than you like” on a smartwatch.

According to Google, the collaboration has allowed apps to open 30% faster than before using the latest chip for this class of watches.

In addition, battery life would be improved thanks to optimizations in the lower layer of the operating system and better use of the low-power processor cores to allow the heart rate sensor to operate continuously during the day and monitor sleep, while that it would still have battery for an additional day of use.

Initially, Google introduced this new version of its operating system as Wear in May, but the July 22 revealed that it would be called Web OS 3.

READ: Android 12: launch, news and when cell phones could be updated to this new version

Wear OS 3 design (Android + Tizen)

Google and Samsung did not show what would be the first smartwatch with this operating system called Wear OS 3, but at least they showed some representative images of what we could expect from the interface.

For example, Wear OS 3 would allow you to press one of its buttons twice to navigate between the two recently used apps.

The Tiles would still be present to show information from different apps, but now it would have a representative icon at the top.

Another interesting aspect is that all the images presented show a watch with a circular screen, so it would be normal to wait for the first watch to have this kind of design.

Apps for your smart watch

Google promises that Wear OS 3 will open more and better apps than what Wear OS or Tizen had.

The company revealed that, for example, Google Maps (without the need for your cell phone) and Google will bring a new design and other optimizations that would allow a better experience.

In addition, YouTube Music would arrive this year allowing you to “intelligently” download the songs you want, while Fitbit functions such as health progress and physical activity would be integrated to motivate you to be healthier.

Google says that Strava, Adidas Running and Bitmoji will also bring new apps to Wear OS, while other developers such as Facer, Cardiogram, GoldPad, KakaoTalk, MyFitnessPal, Spotify and Calm, among others, will also be present to offer an improved experience.

Another significant improvement will be that now from the browser on the cell phone apps can be installed on the watch, since the Google Play Store will be updated to allow you to select on which devices you want to install an app.

Google did not reveal which would be the first smartwatch that will enjoy Wear OS 3, but it was rumored that the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 would run Android or Wear OS, so it would make sense that this is the first or one of the first because of how involved Samsung is in this operating system. This watch could be presented on August 11 at the next Samsung Unpacked event, where it could also present new folding cell phones, possibly like the Galaxy.Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, names as they are known today.

In addition, it has been expected for a couple of years that the possible Pixel Watch, Google’s smartwatch, will become a reality. The big question could be whether these two watches actually exist and will arrive this year, or if it is simply a watch in which the two companies collaborated. We have to wait and see what surprises these two companies have for us.

Editor’s note: This note was originally published in May and was current in July 2021.