Is it too late for Google’s wearable alliance?

Google’s Android operating system for smartwatches has been revamped several times in less than a decade. First introduced in 2014, the software appeared as Android Wear on devices such as the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. In 2018, Google introduced Android Wear 2.0 with new features like LTE connectivity, Android Pay, and a more modern design. Users should “make the most of every moment”. Soon after, Android Wear was renamed Wear OS, and tech companies as well as fashion brands began to take an interest in the platform.

Fast forward to 2021, and Wear OS has yet to cut the mustard. It’s not even a slip up in the entire smartwatch landscape. But now, with Samsung and Fitbit, can Google finally give us wearable software worth taking over the almighty Apple Watch? Let’s examine whether Google’s latest connections can get Wear OS out of its misery, or if it’s too late for the company’s wearable alliance.

Google + Samsung + Fitbit = The third time is a spell for Wear OS?

It’s been dubbed the biggest overhaul of Wear OS: Samsung brings its software insights from Tizen to the Galaxy watches. Google promises a fresh look that ties in with Material You’s design philosophy. Fitbit brings its familiar features to the party. But is that all enough to take Apple first place or even increase the existing proportion of Fitbit, Samsung and Wear OS devices?

Apple currently dominates almost 40% of the global smartwatch market, followed by Huawei with an 11% share and Samsung with a 9% share. Fitbit is a distant fifth at 6.2%. And none of the non-Apple devices are currently running Wear OS. So you can only imagine the negligible market presence of wearables running Google’s software.

With these numbers, it’s only natural that developers are more inclined to create apps and services for Apple. But that’s not the only reason. While they make remarkable devices, their efforts so far have failed to turn off the Apple Watch and there are many explanations as to why it does.

Pitfalls from Google, Samsung and Fitbit

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is perhaps one of the best premium smartwatches that you can buy right now. Fitbit has devices like the Versa 3 and the Sense that bring good value to the table. Google doesn’t have a Pixel Watch yet, but devices like the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 and Fossil Gen 5 may represent the best that Wear OS has to offer right now.

Also read: Here are the best Wear OS smartwatches you can buy right now

However, all three platforms and brands combined offer far fewer apps than the Apple Watch. Samsung and Wear OS watches may be better off than Fitbit, whose app selection is anemic, but they’re still not on par with Apple.

What is also missing from Samsung, Wear OS and Fitbit wearables is the uncanny seamlessness of the Apple Watch. Aside from apps, the productivity features are more numerous than those of any of the three platforms.

The hardware of the Apple Watch is also far superior. The Series 6 runs on Apple’s new S6 SoC, which is based on the A13 Bionic chip used on the iPhone 11. It’s like an Android watch powered by the Snapdragon 888. There is of course no such thing as the latter.

There’s no guarantee that Google’s alliance with Samsung or Fitbit could ever lead to the much-needed hardware boost for Wear OS smartwatches, which are sluggish and slower by comparison.

Wear OS: the update puzzle

There are other issues pending with the Wear operating system right now. The most annoying thing about the software is the lack of timely updates. Even with Samsung’s collaboration, Google will most likely be the one to release future Wear OS updates. Unlike Android, however, there was never a regular Wear OS update schedule. The situation is reminiscent of LG’s terrible update center, which promised timely software updates, but failed spectacularly.

The same goes for hardware updates for Wear OS watches. Qualcomm processors that power Wear OS devices have unacceptably long gaps between new SoCs. As you may recall, the Snapdragon 4100 series for Wear OS smartwatches launched in 2020 after a hiatus of two years. Since then, only one smartwatch with the silicon has been launched.

In contrast, Apple’s watchOS updates and hardware updates were on point. Apple Watch users know exactly when to expect new software on their devices and when to get a new version of the Apple Watch. This has created an unmatched cycle of trust not only with users but also with the developer community.

What stopped Google, a company that made over three billion Android devices, from going the same route? Apple Watches are so well marketed and the company is constantly expanding its portfolio. On the flip side, Google, with all of its resources, has given little importance to Wear OS over time.

Then why should developers take the opportunity to create apps and services for Wear OS when Google has been playing it for so many years? We know Samsung and Fitbit will bring new Wear OS devices to market. This could solve longstanding problems like poor battery life. But why should app makers spend their time and energy developing products for one or two devices that receive the revamped software? Unless Google explains that existing Wear OS smartwatches will also be updated, there is currently little motivation for developers to spend time and energy on the platform.

If Google doesn’t clarify these details, it’s hard to trust that Google, Samsung, and Fitbit can work together to work wonders for Wear OS that they couldn’t before for themselves.

It’s not all bad news

While Wear OS may not be an overnight sensation thanks to Google’s recent efforts, now it has a lot more to offer than ever.

For starters, Google is committed to bringing more and better apps into the ecosystem. Fitbit and Samsung are part of that endeavor, but Google is also redesigning its own services like Google Maps and Google Assistant to offer an improved experience with smartwatches.

The company is pushing developers to create Wear OS apps using the new Material You design language. Developers can now use redesigned tiles, overlays, app launcher and more to enhance and personalize their apps on Wear OS. The company is also releasing new APIs to attract app makers, including the new health services platform developed in partnership with Samsung. You can read about all of this and other new features of Wear OS here.

In addition to its software efforts, Google could ultimately leverage Samsung’s chip manufacturing expertise for custom smartwatch SoCs, as is happening with the rumored Whitechapel chip for Pixel 6. This has the potential to remove the aforementioned Qualcomm hurdle in the growth of Wear OS.

Is the clock still ticking?

It’s not that Wear OS doesn’t have the potential to take off with all of the pluses just mentioned, but to this day it doesn’t pose a serious threat to Apple’s monopoly in the smartwatch market.

Years of efforts by Google, Fitbit, and even Samsung in the smartwatch space have kept the developers in check, resulting in a lack of or useful apps compared to the Apple Watch. Mixing things up is unlikely to give developers more access to Wear OS than before.

Hardware development for Wear OS watches is also something Google hasn’t touched on yet, and improving the software may not be enough to give it wings.

There is currently little that sets Wear OS apart. Apple has great hardware and software, Fitbit has solid smartwatches for fitness tracking, users seem happy with Samsung’s Tizen OS on Galaxy Watches, and Huawei’s wearables are great value for money. It’s hard to see where Wear OS fits into this area.

With all the forces combined, the chances of Wear OS gaining a head start in the wearables market seem pretty slim for now. We may see some good smartwatches due to Google’s new alliances, but it may be too late to overthrow Apple.

What do you think of the matter? Do you think it’s too late for Google’s wearable alliance? Vote on our poll above and share your thoughts in the comment section below.