I’m positive that 2025 might be a transformative 12 months for Wear OS watches, development off of 2024’s sturdy basis and the long-awaited payoff of latest Snapdragon {hardware} and Google’s Gemini push.
That mentioned, we will be able to additionally see caution indicators in what came about in 2024 that would lead to a few angst for Android watch house owners this 12 months — relying on which emblem you personal. So excellent and dangerous, let’s spoil down what we think to look from Wear OS watches in 2025, each for {hardware} and tool!Contents
New Snapdragon {hardware} (and a change to RISC-V)
Google, Mobvoi, OnePlus, and Xiaomi used the 2022 Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 SoC in the vast majority of their Wear OS watches during the last 2.5 years. Unlike annual smartphone chips, watches shouldn’t have an software like gaming that calls for a lot headroom; those watches are rapid sufficient with 2GB of RAM and outdated silicon. Still, it is honest to be expecting an improve in 2025, as the newest Wear used a Cortex-A53 core first introduced in 2012.
I interviewed Qualcomm VP Dino Bekis about Snapdragon Wear in October, and he all however promised that they would have a Snapdragon Wear chip announcement in 2025. While he introduced no specifics about cores, he described it as a “feature-focused” and “AI-driven” chip that would “scale for more than one years” as a result of it is going to have sufficient compute capacity to specialise in no matter gear OEMs need.
Assuming it follows Qualcomm’s naming conventions, the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 would most definitely energy maximum Wear OS watches thru 2027. It would possibly use RISC-V, the open-source, energy-efficient platform with customized cores that Qualcomm and Google first partnered on in 2023.
Bekis mentioned the 2 firms are nonetheless running on porting Wear OS tool to RISC-V and that the transition may just make Wear OS watches longer-lived, with “every week’s price of battery existence” because the objective. I doubt we’re going to hit that anytime quickly, however it is one thing to wish for.
Anshel Sag, fundamental analyst for Moor Insights & Strategy, known as the possible RISC-V transfer “extraordinarily attention-grabbing,” praising that they would have inexpensive customized chips specialised for the applying and that it could “open the door” for brand new gear. He warned me that he “thinks RISC-V will nonetheless take a bit of longer than expected,” however “the payoff may well be large.” That may just lead Google into in search of possible choices for its Pixel Watch 4, if it isn’t in a position by means of the 2025 closing date.
Google faces a Snapdragon/Tensor crossroads
You’d somewhat think the Pixel Watch 4 will use the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, however one leak advised Google would possibly play it protected and expand a Tensor chip in-house that is necessarily a lower-powered model of the Exynos W1000 within the Galaxy Watch 7, with a 2020 Cortex-A78 core and two Cortex-A55 cores.
Google’s present Tensor technique with telephones is to focal point extra on in-house building (partnered with Samsung LSI) and robust AI functionality on the expense of benchmarked energy. Google may just take a an identical way with watches, deciding it does not want a lot headroom and striking extra emphasis on a formidable NPU for Gemini duties relatively than pay Qualcomm a top rate to license its Snapdragon chips.
Google’s partnership with Samsung underpins Wear OS’s good fortune, and staying in lockstep would make joint tool building more uncomplicated. Or it is going to pass all-in on RISC-V to take a look at and differentiate its Pixel circle of relatives from Samsung’s. I will most effective speculate on which trail Google will take; I hope it chooses the latter, just because it could make the Pixel Watch 4 in 2025 extra intriguing, whilst additionally being concerned that Google will take the more secure course.
Health and health will stay a number one focal point
This is this sort of protected wager that I would possibly not spend too lengthy residing on it. However, Wear OS 6 will proceed Google and Samsung’s quest to take a look at to stay alongside of health competitors like Apple and Garmin.
A wholesome portion of Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch updates interested in well being options (e.g., sleep apnea / Energy Score / Cardio Load) and exercise gear (e.g., AI training / working shape research / tempo or HR objectives throughout workout routines).
With Wear OS 6 watches, Google will optimistically upload dual-band GPS like Samsung, in addition to focal point on different sports activities like biking and weightlifting to counterpoint its newfound working focal point. Samsung will most definitely replica Google and Apple and enforce some type of coaching load function, appearing the short- and long-term affect of workout routines.
We may just additionally see new well being gear, however I’ll stay skeptical of non-invasive blood glucose till it occurs, regardless of how time and again firms say they need to do it. And I do not know what different non-gimmicky information issues those firms have left so as to add; possibly psychological well being would be the subsequent smartwatch focal point.
Gemini will blow up on smartwatches
Google spent 2024 cramming Gemini into each Google provider and product that would improve it, and ended the 12 months promising that Gemini will be the baseline for its new sensible glasses OS, Android XR. Even if I shouldn’t have any proof, I’m moderately assured Google will make Gemini to be had with Wear OS 6 as a Pixel Watch 4 killer app — most likely a stripped-down model of Gemini Live.
This assumes Google can take Gemini Nano — the “smallest” model for smartphone on-device AI gear — and port it right down to paintings on a smartwatch processor. It would possibly rely on what sort of energy the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 can ship, and may just close out present Android watches with last-gen {hardware} no longer designed for Gemini.
“On the Gemini entrance, I feel Google nonetheless wishes to determine a strategy to get Gemini to run easily on such performance-limited {hardware},” Sag advised me. “That may just include RISC-V or every other extra succesful platform.” But he agreed that “at this time I don’t believe Google Assistant functionality is the place it will have to be,” and mentioned that he may just see AI turning into “the connective material between all of our wearables.”
If I’m fallacious that Gemini will also be scaled right down to wearable shape, I nonetheless be expecting Google so as to add extra AI-powered tips to Wear OS in some shape. For instance, it will upload its Fitbit Insight Explorer to the Pixel Watch 4, so it’s worthwhile to ask for context about your fresh workout routines — very similar to Zepp Coach on Amazfit watches.
Samsung, which has all the time introduced Bixby and Assistant, would additionally get get right of entry to to Gemini. It just lately unveiled Bixby AI with LLM functions, however it is unique to Chinese telephones for now; we do not know if it would be in a position by means of the Galaxy Watch 8. Still, One UI 6 Watch had a lot of AI tips like Energy Score and auto-suggested replies, and Samsung will most definitely focal point on different area of interest options, with a mixture of cloud computing and on-device tips.
Samsung WON’T pass the squircle course with Galaxy Watch 8
In March 2024, SamMobile reported within wisdom that Samsung used to be “having a look to deliver again the squarish design for its smartwatches,” with “enthusiastic” interior improve for the plan. The Galaxy Watch 8 appeared the perhaps candidate.
Samsung hasn’t bought a squircle watch for the reason that Gear S in 2014; even supposing the Galaxy Watch Ultra seems to be extra square-shaped because of its titanium bezel, the show remains to be round. At the time, some Galaxy Watch enthusiasts resented the theory of forsaking the normal watch search for the squircle design so carefully related to Apple Watches.
I did not thoughts the theory on the time and located the file believable. But I lately remembered this August file that Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong allegedly lambasted the MX Division for “design plagiarism,” with the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Buds Pro 3 too very similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and AirPods Pro in options and appears.
Lee’s “indignant” reaction makes me doubt that Samsung’s interior enthusiasm for squircles will make it onto a mainline Galaxy Watch. Even if Samsung designed a squircle watch prior to Samsung, most of the people would nonetheless see it as copying Apple, and that appears to be a sore spot for its chairman.
So do not be shocked if the Galaxy Watch 8 seems to be so much just like the final 4 Galaxy Watches: machine-cut, flat, and bezel-less. As for different fashions, we are due for our biannual Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, and Samsung would possibly stay promoting the Ultra as is for some other 12 months prior to progressing to the Ultra 2 (or forsaking it find it irresistible did the Watch 5 Pro).
Wear OS will deliver again Facer
This could also be not anything greater than wishful pondering since Facer used to be one in all my favourite Wear OS apps prior to Google made the XML Watch Face Format the default on Wear OS 5 to increase battery existence and left the decade-old app and its builders top and dry. But I need Facer again, and I feel it is going to occur in 2025.
Google would possibly not return on its restriction and let battery-guzzling faces again on Wear OS; they make the watches glance short-lived for aesthetics. But its present answer — scrolling thru an extended checklist of watch faces within the Play Store with none group — is horrible. Facer says it is “running exhausting with Google to unravel this factor” and supply an alternate, and I imagine them.
My wager is that Google will as soon as once more permit third-party apps to percentage watch faces to Wear OS so long as they are XML-coded, which might let Facer again onto new Wear OS watches — even though maximum of its 500,000 faces don’t seem to be appropriate anymore. At the very least, amusing XML watch faces can be a lot more findable on Facer, which might, in flip, incentivize builders to begin making ingenious XML faces for us.
My much less dependable 2025 Wear OS predictions
None of the above is bound, however I a minimum of have proof or forged causes for speculating. Now I’ll throw out my 2025 Wear OS predictions that don’t seem to be in keeping with anything else excluding vibes:
I would possibly not be shocked if some other Android OEM makes a Wear OS watch. Motorola, which as soon as bought the Android Wear-based Moto 360 however now specializes in finances Moto OS trackers, turns out like a imaginable candidate.
I’m additionally fearful about slower Wear OS updates in 2025. Admittedly, this has been an issue since Wear OS 3, however I’m fearful that manufacturers like Mobvoi will truly combat with Wear OS 5 and stay promoting Wear OS 4 watches in the intervening time. And with Wear OS 6, the distance between when new and last-gen watches get it may well be even wider.
We may just really well see the primary Wear OS watch with Masimo well being sensors, even though it is imaginable that the {hardware} would possibly not be in a position to include into watches till after 2025.
Lastly, I’ll pass out on a limb and wager that Google will make Fitbit to be had on all Wear OS watches in 2025. Even if it manner shedding that exclusivity for Pixel Watches, the information payoff can be price it for them.
Source: www.androidcentral.com
