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Wear OS 3.5 is the biggest update to Wear OS smartwatches to date. In partnership with Samsung, it offers faster app load times, fitness tracking powered by Fitbit’s technology, a redesigned interface, and more.
The debut was announced along with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro at Google’s October 2022 event, where the Pixel Watch was showcased.
It’s a major upgrade that could breathe new life into the operating system — if consumers and smartwatch makers embrace it.
Below you’ll find all the details of everything Wear OS 3.5 has to offer, along with information on when, where and how to get it.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The latest version of Google’s smartwatch operating system
- When is it out? Now – first for the Pixel Watch, then for other wearables
- How much is it? It is free
Wear OS 3 release date
Wear OS 3 was announced at Google’s I/O developer conference in May 2021 and first became available in August 2021.
At the Google event in October 2022, Wear OS 3.5 was announced alongside the Pixel Watch, with Fit Bit features enabling many more fitness features than previously offered.
Wear OS 3 Compatibility
Despite being available since 2021, there are currently very few smartwatches that actually run Wear OS 3. In fact, at the time of writing, you can only get it on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and the duration – Montblanc Summit 3.
There are no previously available smartwatches that have received a software update for Wear OS 3, but some will; with the Fossil Gen 6, Michael Kors Gen 6, Skagen Falster Gen 6, Razer X Fossil Gen 6, TicWatch Pro 3, TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, and TicWatch E3 all theoretically getting updated before the end of 2022.
Some of the current crop of the best smartwatches may also be updated, but no other devices have been confirmed yet.
We also expect new smartwatches with Wear OS 3 to be launched soon, including the Google Pixel Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 line.
Please note that to use a Wear OS 3 watch, you also need a compatible operating system on your phone. In theory it will work with both iOS and Android, but at the time of writing, only the Montblanc Summit 3 includes iOS support – the Galaxy Watch 4 line doesn’t, and neither the Pixel Watch nor the Galaxy Watch 5 line is expected.
Wear OS 3 Features
There’s plenty to see in Wear OS 3.5, but it’s worth noting that not every feature will be available on every watch. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 line runs One UI Watch on top of Wear OS, which changes the look and some aspects of the UI.
Below is an overview of the stock Wear OS 3.5 features – functionality you can expect on the Pixel Watch and all the other Wear OS 3.5 wearables that haven’t been extensively modified, such as Samsung’s current Galaxy Watch series, where you can find more variation can be expected.
Faster and longer lasting
Google first partnered with Samsung to build Wear OS 3.5 (opens in new tab), and the result is a combination of Wear OS 2 and Samsung’s Tizen-based wearable OS; with some new features coming in for good measure.
Key improvements resulting from this partnership include app load times that are up to 30% faster (than Wear OS 2) and improved battery life. That last improvement makes it more viable to do things like run the heart rate monitor all day or track your sleep without having to charge in the morning, every morning.
An improved interface
Wear OS 3 also brings interface changes, with Google focusing on making your wearable faster and easier. No one wants to swipe through menus on a watch’s relatively small screen for ages, so there’s a focus on shortcuts and gesture controls; along with the ability to use Tiles (basically mini widgets) to customize the carousel on your watch’s home screen in more ways than before.
You can also quickly access smart home controls in Google Home and quickly switch between apps in use with a new task switcher.
A custom overlay
Just as Android smartphone manufacturers can add a custom interface to the stock Android, smartwatch makers can now pull off a similar trick with Wear OS, so the platform won’t necessarily look or behave identically on every smartwatch.
This should give buyers more choice and more options to find an interface and features they really love.
One UI Watch, found on the Galaxy Watch 4 line, is an early example of this; it offers a number of Samsung apps and services in addition to Google’s, drawing more parallels with Samsung’s smartphone interface design.
New and improved Google apps
Google took this opportunity to redesign and improve the Google Assistant and Google Maps, as well as adding support for more countries in Google Pay (soon to be replaced by the return of Google Wallet) and bringing YouTube Music to your wrist.
Fitness powered by Fitbit
Given that Google now owns Fitbit, it’s no surprise that some of the latter company’s expertise has ended up in Wear OS 3. This includes features such as celebrating goals on the wrist and various tools to track your health progress throughout the day.
The exact fitness tracking capabilities depend on the hardware your smartwatch offers — most, but not all, include GPS and heart rate monitors, for example — and then there are less common features, such as EKGs and blood oxygen monitors.
Better third-party apps
Google is also pushing for better third-party app support in a number of ways. First, the company makes it easier for developers to build great apps; with tools such as a new Tiles API and a watch face design editor.
In addition, Google aims to reward developers for high-quality apps — and penalize those that make little effort — by adjusting their search rankings in the Play Store.
Google has guidelines for what good Wear OS apps should do, such as making sure they’re formatted for both square and round screens, have clear and easy-to-read text, and let the app work without a smartphone or tablet.
All the core smartwatch stuff you’d expect
Above, we detailed ways Wear OS 3.5 deviates from and improves on Wear OS 2, but it also retains all the core functionality of that previous platform, such as notifications, timers, alarms and more.