Formerly known as Android Wear, the new Wear OS for wearable devices recently received an update that allows Android 11 support.
The new Wear OS update will bring support for some upcoming flagship wearable devices. Some notable devices from Xiaomi, Oppo, and Suunto are expected to hit the market soon. Also, the update will bring the necessary support for the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset.
Wear OS for Android 11
Android 11 is the upcoming major release of the flagship mobile operating system from Google. While the operating system mainly focuses on smartphones, it has also found its way into smart wearable devices. This is part of Google’s effort to streamline all of its supported platforms for easy integration.
Google did not specifically announce the release of the Wear OS for Android 11 update. However, the tech giant did confirm that several Android 11 features will find its way into Wear OS.
The grill is calling your name. Set a timer with Google Assistant on #WearOSbyGoogle to make sure your food is grilled to perfection. pic.twitter.com/42tTFYwnaE
— Wear OS by Google (@WearOSbyGoogle) August 6, 2020
Among the expected features to arrive alongside the update is seamless and faster access into the info screen. The pairing process will also be simplified for easy integration. There are also tons of improvements coming for the SysUI for more intuitive control of the device.
In terms of hardware update, there will be significant integration that will bring CPU improvements of up to 20%. Support for 5G LTE technology will be significantly improved with the update.
Perhaps the most important update will be the support for Snapdragon 4100 and 4100+ hardware. These two chipsets are the flagship chipsets from Qualcomm, which are expected to hit the market soon.
Additional features
Considering the current surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the update brings a new handwashing timer. This will encourage users on how to properly wash their hands to prevent the spread of the virus.
Earlier this month, a leak revealed that a new upgrade is coming for the Weather Tile design. This is expected to be part of the upcoming update as well.
Google also hints that it will be making it easy for wearable developers to develop apps.
Upgrades on Android Studio, Jetpack libraries, and Kotlin are expected to be included in the upcoming update.
Google also released the Androidx.wear 1.1.0 Release Candidate. This allows developers to build and test their wearable apps easily.
Just like in previous releases, Google will slowly roll out the update in different regions. The Wear OS platform is slated to receive more updates in the coming weeks.
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