Google announced Wear OS 3 in May 2021, a new version of its smartwatch OS on which it worked closely with Samsung and merged the latter’s Tizen platform. The third iteration of the OS promises to solve all the platform’s shortcomings by offering better performance, efficiency, and customization options.
However, nearly six months after launch, there’s still only one smartwatch running Wear OS 3: the Galaxy Watch 4. Wondering when other existing Wear OS smartwatches will get the OS update? Read below to find out.
These Smartwatches Will Get the Wear OS 3 Update
While there are quite a few Wear OS smartwatches out there from various brands, only a handful of them will be receiving an update to the latest version of the OS. The following watches have been confirmed by Google or their respective manufacturer to get the update:
- TicWatch Pro 3
- TicWatch T3
- Fossil Gen 6
- Razer x Fossil Gen 6
As you can see, the list of smartwatches getting the Wear OS 3 update is tiny. The Fossil Gen 6 actually launched after the OS was released, so only the TicWatch Pro 3 and T3 are the existing wearables to get the update. Samsung’s existing Tizen-based Galaxy Watches are also ineligible for the update.
This is primarily because Wear OS 3 only supports Qualcomm’s Wear 4100 platform, while most Android smartwatches in the market are powered by the older Wear 3100 platform. Due to this, all existing Wear OS smartwatches from Oppo, Motorola, and others are ineligible for the update.
It is also important to note that while the above smartwatches will get the Wear OS 3 update, the experience might not be that good, and it could potentially cause performance and stability issues.
Samsung Has Exclusive Access to Wear OS 3 for Now
Google has worked closely with Samsung on Wear OS 3 and merged its Tizen platform with the OS. While not mentioned, the Korean company seems to have exclusive access to the new smartwatch OS for the time being.
This could explain why we are still seeing the likes of Fossil and others launch smartwatches running Wear OS 2 and why Wear OS 3-compatible watches are slated to get the update in the second half of this year.
You May Not Get an Update
If you have a Wear OS 2 smartwatch, the chances of it getting the Wear OS 3 upgrade are pretty slim. And even if it does get the update, there are no guarantees on how well the new version will perform on older hardware.
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