Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro inspired Google to introduce new features for WearOS 3.0. The Smartwatch OS, which is also used in an adapted version on the Samsung Smartwatch, has a new application store. You can also be more independently guided with offline maps for Google Maps.
- Google showed off new features for WearOS when it launched the Galaxy Watch 5
- These should also arrive on other smartwatches when updating to version 3.5
- Among them: offline maps for Google Maps and a new app store that gives you more precise suggestions
The most important tech news of the last week was certainly Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked, which took place on August 10th. What went almost unnoticed is that the featured Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will be available with OneUI Watch 4.5, which itself is based on Wear OS 3.5. As Google revealed a few days ago, the next version of WearOS will bring some new features to some smartwatches.
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If your smartwatch is on the list of those receiving the Wear OS 3.0 update, you’ll soon have a fresh version of the Google Play Store on your wrist. In addition, music streaming apps Deezer and SoundCloud will be integrated into Wear OS smartwatches.
Offline browsing and three times more connected watches on Wear OS
Google also revealed at the Unpacked event that it will now be possible to download maps in Google Maps. Combined with the Galaxy Watch 5’s turn-by-turn navigation, this feature could be great for hikes and walks without a smartphone. It is not yet known how many maps can be loaded on the not exactly huge 16 GB memory. When I tested the Galaxy Watch 4, however, I was surprised at how much storage space the OS already occupies at the factory.
The other good news for smartwatch fans, according to 9to5Google, is that the launch of the Galaxy Watch 4 has resulted in three times as many smartwatches running Wear OS. Investing in an Android smartwatch compatible with this operating system could therefore turn out to be a good decision.
In your opinion: Is Wear OS 3.0 a good operating system for smartwatches or have you had negative experiences with it? Let us know in the comments!