Wear OS 5 Update: Which Smartwatches Are Eligible?

By Mehtab Ansari • Updated On 12 Aug 2024

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Google has introduced the latest version of its smartwatch operating system, Wear OS, which is based on Android. The company will be launching the Pixel Watch 3 next week with the Wear OS 5 update. So, which smartwatches will get the Wear OS 5 update? Let us find out in this post. We’ll also share some of the Wear OS 5 features and some details about the upcoming Wear OS 5.1. Read on.

Wear OS 5 Update Supported Smartwatches

At the time of writing this article, only the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra are running Wear OS 5, thanks to Samsung’s close partnership with Google. Other watcjes, including the Pixel Watch series, are in line to get the update soon.

Here’s a list of devices expected to receive Wear OS 5:

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Xiaomi and Fossil watches running Wear OS 4 might also get the update, but we haven’t heard anything official from them or Google yet. The rollout is expected to kick off when the Pixel Watch 3 launches later this week.

Wear OS 5 Features

That aside, the Wear OS 5 update brings some new features and improvements. For starters, Wear OS 5 brings a Grid-Based App Launcher that feels a lot like what you’d find on an Apple Watch, making it easier to navigate through your apps.

Another improvement is the power efficiency—Wear OS 5 devices are expected to use up to 20% less power compared to those running on Wear OS 4. This means better battery life for your smartwatch, which, let’s be honest, is something we all want.

With Wear OS 5, you’ll be able to customize your watch face more than evrr before, thanks to new options like complication, weather data, and configurable presets, which Google is calling “Flavors.”

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However, there’s one major change. Wear OS 5 now only supports the Watch Face Format (WFF) which means that many older watch faces and third-party ones too will simply not work. This means that you’ll need to stick with what Google and its partners offer.

There’s a new Privacy Dashboard, much like what you see on Android, where you can check out what permissions have been used in the past 24 hours. Plus, a new Media Output feature lets you easily switch between your speaker and any other connected device.

Wear OS 5.1 based on Android 15?

Wear OS 5 is based on Android 14. So, naturally you’d expect Wear OS 5.1 to also be based on Android 14. But now, Google seems to be switching things up, testing Wear OS 5.1 on the Pixel Watch 2, and this one’s set to be based on Android 15. The twist? We’re not sure yet if it’ll stick to being called Wear OS 5.1, or if Google will slap a “6” on it when it officially launches.

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Mehtab Ansari

Mehtab Ansari is the Assistant Editor – Features & Reviews at Smartprix, where he writes about smartphones, laptops, audio gear, and everything in between. A computer science student by degree but a tech nerd by heart, he’s been into consumer tech for years and started reviewing products professionally in February 2024. He’s especially into photography and audio, often spending more time testing a smartphone’s camera than he probably should. For him, tech isn’t just work, it’s what he’s always thinking about.

Expertise

Smartphones, laptops, tablets, monitors, smartwatches, photography, and audio gear. I’ve reviewed over 60 products across these categories on Smartprix in the past year and a half.

Education - Bachelor of Computer Applications – Nizam College, Hyderabad (2022–2025) | Joined Smartprix -February 2024 | Published Reviews & Stories - 723

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