Google & Samsung's Wear OS Partnership: What Does It Mean For Apple Watch & Users
With the beginning of 2021, Google is focused and serious about developing Wear OS like never before. The wearable platform is getting a partnership with Samsung, faster performance, and many more.
Google has decided to make the year 2021 the year of Wear OS. The search giant announced many new updates during its I/O Keynote on May 18. The new updates include introducing new ways to navigate the operating system, a partnership with Samsung, and many such things. While looking at the new updates, it can be said that Google has played well this time at besting the Apple smartwatch.
Since the launch of its first smartwatch in 2015, the iPhone maker has dominated the smartwatch, and that too by a considerable margin. Google tried to develop its Wear OS to challenge the Apple smartwatches, and Samsung has also done a decent job developing Tizen operating system. Besides, Fitbit also made valiant attempts to develop Fitbit OS.
Unfortunately, all these attempts could not make a way and stumbled in one or another area. Thus, Apple Watch is still the reigning champ. But, thanks to the renewed focus of the search giant on Wear OS, the situation could be changing.
The search giant is addressing Wear OS in many new ways. The first and foremost is the new partnership with Samsung. As per some rumors, Samsung has tied up with Google and launched a new smartwatch. It will run on Wear OS instead of running on Tizen. The upcoming smartwatch can be the Galaxy Watch 4 and expected to be launched within a few months.
Meanwhile, the search giant has said that the upcoming Smartwatch will offer the best of Tizen and Wear, promoting its enhancements like extended battery life and faster app opening with a 30 percent rate. Other manufacturers producing smartwatches can also take of these enhancements. Additionally, they can add a customized user experience on the top of their platform.
In simple terms, if you wear a Samsung Wear OS, it could appear very different from Google Pixel Watch. Some rumors suggest that Google Pixel Watch may also come out this year. Some other improvements to be included in Wear OS are integrating Fitbit for fitness handling, an easy process to get more and more apps on Wear OS, and new shortcuts to switch faster between apps.
The Google’s Best Shot To Dethrone The Apple Watch
It remains to see how the execution of all these things will pay off, but it looks that the search giant has done everything to make Wear OS capable of competing with Apple Watch. Short battery life and slow performance have been the two most significant issues with the platform that has been addressed. Plus, the integration of Fitbit into the Wear OS will make the operating system capable of fitness tracking.
However, Google has made very decent progress with Google Fit over the years; still, the functionality and appeal of Fitbit are far superior. No doubt, when the Wear OS smarts will combine with Fitbit’s fitness tracking, it will make a great way to success. All these things will help boost the day-to-day, but when it comes to augmenting the sale of the Wear OS more and more, a partnership will undoubtedly help a lot.
As currently, there is no flagship product of Wear OS. There are a decent number of watches from TicWatch, Skagen, and Fossil, but none of these brands carry as much brand awareness and appeal as Samsung has. When Samsung puts its marketing and money behind any device running Wear OS, of course, that will give more visibility to the platform.
The Google and Samsung partnership is also signifying how perfect these Wear OS updates are going to be. Samsung would never throw out Tizen for Wear OS if the company did not believe that it will offer the same excellent user experience that users are used to. If Samsung has taken such a decision, then the search giant has something solid this time.
Overall, none of such things are going to make Apple Watch any less popular or irrelevant. But, of course, it is going to face tough competition. However, it is something that the tech giant needs not be worried about for a few years right now. It will push Apple to become more innovative, Android users will get a better smartwatch experience, and in the coming months will witness some more quality Wear OS.
Hi, this is Elisa Wilson , a tech-savvy from the Canadian province, Alberta. I am a computer science graduate who is currently working as a tech research analyst at Kforce Technologies. Alongside providing detailed info-graphics to studies in question, I also create instruction manuals and troubleshooting guides as per the client’s requirement. Recently, I have created a Roku activation guide, and here’s the link you need to follow: roku.com/link.
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