Wear OS 2 smartwatch owners should consider upgrading soon, as support for the Google Assistant app officially ends on August 31.
9to5Google initially broke this story when it discovered a series of code in a recent update to the Wear OS companion app, hinting at the impending shutdown. Since then, Google itself and other brands have started notifying users about older wearables. Industry insider Mishaal Rahman posted one of these announcements of his Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 on his X account (or Twitter, if you prefer). The text recommends getting a “newer smartwatch that supports Google Assistant and runs Wear OS 3 or later.”
Google is announcing that Assistant will soon no longer support smartwatches running Wear OS 2. You’ll need to upgrade to a newer watch with Wear OS 3 (and that supports Google Assistant). I just got this message on my TicWatch Pro 3 – anyone else? pic.twitter.com/NqwddYY2oaAugust 16, 2023
As per their report, 9to5Google says wearables running Wear OS 3 will gain access to the revamped Google Assistant which first came out on the Galaxy Watch 4. The upgrade introduces a streamlined user interface plus voice commands for certain actions, such as setting an alarm.
Messy transition
It’s bad enough that people are essentially forced to buy another device if they want Google Assistant. What makes this situation particularly egregious is the fact that the transition between Wear OS 2 and Wear OS 3 has been messy to say the least. Not every eligible device can run the new system, and those that can may not support the updated Assistant app.
Example: Mobvoi. The smartwatch company issued a statement in May, apologizing to users of certain models, such as the TicWatch Pro 3, for the lack of Wear OS 3 support. To this day, the said devices still don’t run Wear OS 3, although they did recently a closed beta very recently. You could buy the TicWatch Pro 5, which does run the more recent software, but you can’t use Google Assistant. It is not supported.
This problem also occurs elsewhere. The Fitbit Versa 4 can’t use Assistant, even though it was possible on the older Versa 3. It’s a really confusing and frustrating situation. Sure, you can buy the new Pixel Watch. Doing so will solve all your problems, but what if you don’t want or like the Pixel Watch? What if you want your preferred brand, but your favorite cannot operate the software? You’re out of luck.
Left in the dark
Admittedly, changing operating systems isn’t easy, but it’s been two years since the launch of Wear OS 3. You’d think Google would have mastered the process by now or provide all the help needed. Making matters worse is that Wear OS 4 is on the horizon, meaning the tech giant may be too busy rolling out the new system to bother updating the old.
It’s not known if Google plans to help other smartwatch companies so they can catch up or roll out patches to close any gaps. According to The Vergethe tech giant “declined to share future plans” after August 31. Hopefully, users and third-party brands will not be left in the dark.