Technology

Google Wear OS 5: release date, compatible watches and new features

Published

5 days ago

July 12, 2024

At Google’s I/O conference in May, the company revealed more details about what smartwatch users can expect from the new version of Wear OS.

Luckily, you won’t have to wait long, as we’ve just learned the release date and the first devices that will run Wear OS 5.

So, is it something to get excited about and how will it change the way you use that smart wearable on your wrist? This is everything we know about Wear OS 5 so far.

When will Wear OS 5 be released?

Wear OS 5 officially debuted alongside the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra at Samsung’s Unpacked launch event in Paris on July 10, 2024.

There are plenty of point releases (2.2, 3.5, etc.) that introduced new features, but this is where the previous major version made its debut:

Wear OS 1 – March 2018
Wear OS 2 – September 2018
Wear OS 3 – August 2021
Wear OS 4 – July 2023

Which devices are compatible with Wear OS 5?

The first devices with Wear OS 5 are the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. However, keep in mind that the Wear OS is Powered by Samsung, based on Wear OS 5, so will differ from other versions.

Furthermore, Google has not yet released a list of devices that will be supported by Wear OS 5, so we can only speculate about which other watches will be able to work with the new software.

The only obvious device is the upcoming Pixel Watch 3, which will launch alongside the Pixel 9 on August 13.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Naturally, we expect the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 to receive the update. Recent models from the likes of OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo, Mobvoi and more should also be kept in mind.

We’ll update this as we get more solid information.

What new features will there be in Wear OS 5?

Google has announced some of the major new updates coming with Wear OS 5 at I/O, although it seems more like a refinement and performance release than an overhaul with lots of shiny new stuff.

Here are the highlights:

Battery life improvements

In its The Keyword blog, Google confirmed that improved battery life will be a priority in Wear OS 5.

It seems to suggest that this will be achieved through greater performance efficiency, with the post stating that ‘running a marathon outdoors will use up to 20% less energy compared to watches running Wear OS 4’.

Since some smartwatches struggle to last a day, this is good news.

More advanced fitness tracking features

In the same blog post, Google outlined how Wear OS 5 will support advanced tracking metrics including “ground contact time, stride length, and vertical oscillation.”

All of this is good news for runners who really want to pay attention to their technique and movement style. It probably won’t be of much use for other fitness activities, but Google could still announce improvements related to sports and monitoring your workouts.

Google is adding some flavor to watch faces

Another improvement coming with Wear OS 5 is an updated approach to how watch faces are designed and laid out.

The Watch Face format – the tool developers can use to create watch faces for Wear OS – now offers more advanced complications (the extra bits of data you see on the watch face).

This should make for a more interactive and useful display, with Google saying the complications will support two key new features: goal progression and weighted elements.

This allows you to see on the display how close you are to completing the goal you are following, and whether you have already achieved the goal. Weighted elements split the information displayed into smaller parts or subsets, which act like a pie chart where you can see your progress in more detail.

There are also the new ‘flavors’ being introduced, giving developers a range of preset layouts to choose from when creating watch faces.

Live weather data

Another nice addition is the inclusion of live weather data in Wear OS 5, so you can see if it’s going to rain soon or if you should put on your shorts for the impending heatwave that will arrive in the afternoon.

That’s all we’ve seen so far, but Google could announce other features in the coming months, so we’ll continue to update this article as new information comes to light. Until then, be sure to check out our guide to the best smartwatches to see which wearables you should consider this year.