When Samsung launches the Galaxy Watch 4 later this year, it could look very different from previous Galaxy Watches. Instead of running Samsung's own Tizen software, a new report claims the upcoming smartwatch will be powered by Wear OS — possibly making it a closer competitor to the Apple Watch than any Galaxy Watch that's come before it.
The Android smartwatch market has felt pretty disjointed for some time now. Brands like Fossil and Skagen release watches running Wear OS, Samsung has been focused on Tizen, and there are plenty of other wearables running their own proprietary operating systems — such as the recently-released OnePlus Watch. Wear OS has the most potential out of any of the platforms, but it's felt like an afterthought over the past few years. Thanks to a big strategy shift from Samsung and Google, that could be changing.
There's been a lot of talk about Samsung ditching Tizen for Wear OS with future smartwatches, and according to a new report from Korean publication MT, that may happen as soon as this year with the Galaxy Watch 4. MT claims that Samsung will launch two smartwatches this year running Wear OS, including the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Active. The watches could be announced as soon as this August, debuting alongside devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 FE.
Why The Galaxy Watch 4 Will Use Wear OS Instead Of Tizen
MT goes on to provide a couple of reasons why Samsung is making this change. From a user-facing perspective, this would result in people being able to access more third-party apps than they're currently able to on Tizen. Tizen's app support has grown over the years, but it's still nowhere near where the level of Wear OS. Not only would users get access to more apps right out of the gate with the Galaxy Watch 4, but Samsung's presence in Wear OS would likely further incentivize developers to keep supporting the platform. MT also sites this being part of a plan to "energize" Wear OS, indicating that Google is looking to take the wearable platform much more seriously than it has been.
Assuming this reporting is correct, this could be a massive win for the Galaxy Watch 4. Tizen is a very enjoyable smartwatch OS, but its lacking app support has long been a thorn in its side. This is one reason why the Apple Watch has been so successful, and by switching to Wear OS, Samsung can finally address this. Furthermore, if a company as big as Samsung is putting its faith in Wear OS, that could be a sign that big improvements are coming to the platform — whether it be optimized performance, more reliable Bluetooth connectivity, or longer battery life. Any of these things would go a long way to "energize" Wear OS, which is critical if Google and Samsung want a real shot at competing with the Apple Watch.
While Wear OS isn't perfect, it also hasn't had a chance to shine on a flagship product in years. It has access to a large selection of apps, robust notification management, a clean user interface, and all the power of the Google Assistant built right into it. If Google and Samsung can fine-tune the experience like never before for the Galaxy Watch 4, it'll be an unstoppable force.
Source: MT