After Google and Samsung announced they were partnering tobuild a raw Wear OS , the large unanswered question was whether exist smartwatches would be able-bodied to upgrade to the platform . Today , Google clarify which smartwatches would be eligible ina Wear OS support forum — and if you ’ve convey an sometime Android watch running on Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 scrap , you might want to commence thinking about your options .
But first , the post also reveals that the unified platform will officially be called Wear OS 3 — a godsend to technical school journalist who ’ve run out of ways to write “ newfangled Wear OS . ” Samsung and Fossil have saidtheirupcomingwatcheswill run Wear OS 3 , but upgrades for other eligible devices wo n’t go far until mid-2022 at the earliest .
“ User experience is a top priority for us and we are excited about the interest we ’ve received on Wear OS 3 , the novel unified weapons platform , ” Google pen . “ For the old generation of Wear O smartwatches , a arrangement update to Wear OS 3 will bring the benefit of many of the new experiences , and in some limited pillowcase , the user experience will be impact . ”
The Moto360 smartwatch is one of many that run on Snapdragon Wear 3100Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
That old genesis of watches eligible to kick upstairs to Wear oxygen 3 include Mobvoi ’s GPS and LTE TicWatch Pro 3 , the TicWatch E3 , next TicWatch devices , as well as the next genesis of Fossil smartwatches . All of these are , or will be , 4100 - powered smartwatches . That does n’t bode well for Snapdragon Wear 3100 smartwatches , specially since Fossil has confirmed its existing 3100 smartwatches will not be upgraded .
raise to have on O 3 will ask eligible smartwatch owners to readjust their devices to factory configurations . The company enjoin it ’ll offer further item before the update .
The caller also emphasized that the current version of Wear atomic number 8 is n’t going anywhere , as it anticipate many tire out O smartwatch owners may not be eligible to upgrade or desire to upgrade right away . Google also said it ’s committed to land “ young app experience ” to Wear OS , pointing to recent update to thePlay StoreandGboard . More update like those are purportedly on the mode . Crucially , it at last clarified that current Wear osmium smartwatches will get security measures update for a minimum of two year from the gimmick ’s launching .
It was clear that the passage from Wear OS to Wear OS 3 wasgoing to be a journey . As I ’ve save many times before , there is simply no well-situated wayto all overhaul or update any platform . ( See : Sonos’handlingof its bequest products . ) In the case of Wear OS , an open ecosystem led to a split space that could n’t really expand because of Qualcomm ’s outdated and outclassed Snapdragon Wear chipsets . This also is n’t something that just start in 2021 . Google ’s renew push into wearables arguably begin in former 2019 , when it bought$40 million Charles Frederick Worth of Fossil tech .
Today ’s announcement , and late word that Qualcomm is planning torelease a novel Snapdragon Wear platformin the next class , hint that once again it ’s going to seethe down to hardware and patience . By note that some user experiences may be impacted , it ’s likely that even the 4100 political program may not be suited for everything Wear OS 3 is bringing . This behave out if you examinethe 4100 ’s eyeglasses . In the year 2021 , when companies are pitch up to jump from 5 nm to 3 Land of Enchantment outgrowth tech for their smartwatch crisp , the 4100 still depends on ancient 12 nm process tech . It ’s a significant improvement from the 28 nm 3100 , but it ’s been over five years since 14 nm and 12 nm buffalo chip were considered “ new . ” regrettably , Google does n’t curb what ironware is uncommitted for Android smartwatches . That ’s on Qualcomm .
So is Wear OS 3 doomed from the get - go ? No . A potentially bumpy conversion is a speculative reason to prematurely write off Wear OS 3 . Growing pains are inevitable , but it ’s really a good mark we ’re finding out about eligibility almost a year in cash advance . Now we know what to anticipate , there seems to be a genuine committedness to long - term improvement , and consumers have time to see what will work well for them .
There ’s another crucial difference this metre around : Samsung . For its next - gen Galaxy Watches , Samsung has reportedly break an Exynos buffalo chip that’sexponentiallymore powerfulthan any Snapdragon chipset Qualcomm ’s ever made . This is a big reason why Samsung ’s smartwatches will probably be a more precise bore of Wear OS 3 ’s potential difference than 4100 - powered smartwatches . We ’ll have to see what comes out of Qualcomm ’s overdue efforts to make a chip that is n’t trash .
For consumer , this means you ’ve got to scrutinize the processor power your next Android smartwatch . Do not , I recapitulate , do not bribe a new Snapdragon Wear 3100 smartwatch — even if the discounts are enticing . If you ’ve already engender a 3100 - powered vigil , you have a duet of options . The easy is to hold onto your watch , remain on the current Wear atomic number 8 , and scope out new options as they become usable . Or , if you need to raise preferably , opt for one of Samsung ’s next - gen smartwatches or a reasonably priced 4100 - powered smartwatch . In any case , you do n’t have to make this decision now . A reminder : Upgrades wo n’t be useable for survive watches until mid-2022 or later . You ’ve take muckle of clip to mull it over .
Daily Newsletter
Get the adept tech , science , and acculturation news in your inbox daily .
tidings from the future , delivered to your nowadays .
Please select your desired newssheet and submit your email to upgrade your inbox .
You May Also Like
