Google and Samsung plan to revitalize Wear OS

Ahead of Google I/O 2021, there were rumours that Samsung planned to switch back to Wear OS on its upcoming wearables. Instead, what we got is a collaboration between Samsung and Google to develop Wear OS, bringing the best of Tizen and Google's smartwatch platform together. 

Google didn't really show off the new operating system, but from what we've seen so far, there will be navigation changes. Like, you can double-tap a physical button on the watch case to switch between current and previous apps.

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Google teases big Wear OS update to be announced at I/O 2021

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Google hasn't made any upgrades to its Wear OS since 2018. But the company is ready to update the smartwatch platform with announcements at this week's Google I/O Developer Conference. The company sent out a tweet from the official Wear OS Twitter account, teasing updates to be announced this Tuesday. Google has also hinted at featuring an entirely new version of Wear OS on the I/O Adventure page, a "virtual sandbox" for trying out Google products announced at the conference.

There are rumours that Google might have some new hardware to share, with Samsung reportedly dropping Tizen OS to release a Wear OS watch. If that's true, we might hear more about it this Tuesday.

Source: The Verge

Casio now has a Wear OS-enabled G-Shock watch

If you're a G-Shock fan and want to own a smartwatch, you can finally get both. The Casio G-Squad Pro GSW-H1000 has the G-Shock's signature design paired with full smartwatch OS capabilities. As a G-Shock watch, you get shock resistance and 20 bar water resistance. Its back is made from titanium, while its buttons and portions of the top part are cased in aluminum.

It has a round 1.2-inch dual-layer display with an always-on monochrome panel on top of its colour LCD screen. Like other smartwatches, it can track your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, sleep, and stress. The G-Squad Pro also has an on-board GPS, a compass, and a barometer. It can track 15 activities and 24 indoor workouts.

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Google opens custom Tiles for Wear OS to third-party developers

Source: Google

After limiting Wear OS's Tiles to Google or other smartwatch manufacturers on the platform, Google is finally opening this feature to third-party developers. Tiles are widgets that give wearers of Wear OS-powered smartwatches at-a-glance information on things like calendar notifications, weather, and stats.

Google describes Tiles as providing "easy access to the information and actions users need in order to get things done. With a simple swipe from the watch face, a user can find out the latest forecast or start a timer."

This new addition may or may not revitalize interest in Wear OS. Only time will tell. Google plans to roll these custom Tiles to users later this spring when they "roll out the corresponding Wear OS platform update."

Source: The Verge