At the I / O 2023 developer conference, Google announced Wear OS 4, which will launch later this year and promises a better suite of watch apps, improved battery management and better accessibility, as well as improved TTS (text-to-speech) input.
Wear OS 4 has improved integration with Google Home, providing more control options for connected devices. Google also confirmed more features for Google Workspace, Gmail and Google Calendar apps, allowing users to access two Workplace favourites, quickly reply to Gmail emails, and reply to events and update tasks in the calendar from the Wear OS 4 watch.
Third-party app WhatsApp is here too, offering the first watch app with end-to-end encryption, voice response and device calling; Spotify brings new tiles to make it easier to access your favourite music and podcasts; Peloton is adding continuous workout tiles to its Wear OS 4 app; Samsung and Google have also collaborated on a new dial format that helps developers create dials and reduces the burden of dials on battery life.
Another major addition to Wear OS 4 is the ability to back up and restore your watch without having to restore factory settings.
Google has not yet announced a specific release date for Wear OS 4, but it is expected that Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series watches and Google Pixel Watch 2 will be the first to come with Wear OS 4.
