Google announced the launch of Wear OS 5, the next version operating system for wearable devices which will arrive next November in a stable version, but not before the usual test versions are released.

The developer conference Google I/O 2024 is one of the most interesting editions that the search giant has organized in recent years. Artificial intelligence, which occupies everything and everyone, and for which Google has made the biggest technological commitment in this matter in its history, had a lot to do with it. No less interesting were all the new features announced for Android 15.

The conference also left room for the introduction of news in other segments where Google does business, such as wearables, with a new version of Wear OS that should support the battle against the Apple Watch. We talked about it then. Google’s Android partners have used alternative systems in wearables for years, notably Samsung with Tizen, leaving Apple free to take the wearables segment by storm.

There is strength in numbers, and Google eventually convinced its partners that the only way to compete was to bet on Wear OS as the best platform they could use on their devices. The result of this union was spectacular. Last year, the platform reached a 40% increase in user base, which reaches more than 160 countries and regions with the platform. Google Pixel, Samsung and other prominent brands like Mobvoi with their TicWatch launched watches through Wear OS and then the platform expanded to other brands like OnePlus, OPPO and Xiaomi.

Wear OS 5, in development

Wear OS 5 will be based on Android 14, so it’s not the latest or greatest Google has to offer, but it’s still pretty recent. A smart watch or bracelet doesn’t really need as many updates as a mobile phone, but it does need the latest developments in the industry.

From what we have seen so far, the most interesting optimization will be the battery of the watch increase your autonomy by 20% compared to Wear OS 4. Autonomy is a crucial feature for this type of device, so this great improvement will be welcome.

Google says its partners have created a “A wider range of round screen sizes and resolutions” so the next priority for Wear OS 5 will be Improved user interfaces and screens. The company has published new guidelines for creating responsive user interfaces for different screen sizes.

Google will also introduce new features that need to be built dials with the updated version Watch Face Format, the featured app for creating watch faces on the platform. The update includes, among other things, “flavors” or preset configurations to facilitate user customization. We also see new “goal progress” and “weighted items” to display different data. Watch faces will also have access to current weather and forecasts.

These wearable devices are primarily used for sports activity and monitoring health parameters, so it is not surprising that more news comes from updates to Health Connect and Health Services. The preliminary version of Wear OS 5 is already in the hands of developers, and we can only hope that by November it will be polished and that more manufacturers will join the platform. If you want to be an alternative to Apple Watch…