Google and Samsung could be readying Wear OS 5 for the Galaxy Watch 7
A 2024 launch is rumored
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You may remember thatGooglepushed out Wear OS 4 alongside theSamsung Galaxy Watch 6in July 2023, and the indications are that both Wear OS 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 could show up at the same time this year.
That’s according to unconfirmed information given to9to5Google, with sources saying thatSamsungis busy trying to get Wear OS 5 – based onAndroid 14– running on the Exynos 5535 chip, which is expected to make its debutin the Galaxy Watch 7.
No other details were shared about Wear OS 5, but what’s interesting is the timing. The wearable software platform hasn’t previously been on an annual update cycle – there was a gap of almost two years between the launches of Wear OS 3 and Wear OS 4, for example.
Now it would seem that Google and Samsung are keen to update Wear OS as often as Android gets updated – and well-known tipsterMishaal Rahmanhas chipped in to say he’s seen evidence that Wear OS 6 is being developed alongsideAndroid 15.
A couple of months ago, I spotted a hint that Wear OS 6 will be based on Android 15, and thus by extension, that Wear OS 5 would be based on Android 14. I didn’t report on it then since there was only one mention and it could’ve been a typo, but it looks like I was right.… https://t.co/SJ17azFOeyJanuary 24, 2024
The Apple way
Appledoes of course update its watchOS software every year, withwatchOS 10pushed out to Apple Watches last September, and watchOS 11 due this year. That matches the cycle of software updates for all of Apple’s devices, from computers to smart speakers.
Up until now, Google hasn’t followed that approach. Even when a new version of Wear OS appears, it doesn’t always come with major new features attached – although Google has recently been working toimprove the overall appearanceof the software.
If we do get Wear OS 5 around July time, then it’ll also be appearing on thePixel Watch3, which is expected to launch a few months later. The rumor is thatwe’ll get two different watch sizeswith the next iteration of Google’s smartwatch.
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As for what software improvements Wear OS 5 brings with it, we’ll have to wait and see – but a more frequent update cycle should encourage both developers and hardware makers to give more consideration to the platform.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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