Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
- A code sleuth uncovered references to a device, code-named Merlot, running WearOS.
- This is believed to be an upcoming WearOS watch from Samsung.
A frequent tipster written down Last month, Samsung had a new smartwatch in the works that will replace Tizen with WearOS. Now there appears to be evidence of a Samsung watch running the Google platform.
XDA developer ivan_meler has looked through the latest kernel source code version of the Exynos Galaxy S20 and found references to a device called “Merlot” in the Wi-Fi driver. The name alone doesn’t say much, but the kicker is that one of the Merlot references appears right next to a “WearOS” reference. So it definitely suggests that the Merlot device is a smartwatch that is running WearOS.
There’s not much else to know about the new device beyond the source code version other than the Merlot name being also associated with the Broadcom BCM43013 bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip.
Connected: Why Samsung Should (and Why Not) Drop Tizen for Wear OS
However, this is the first real evidence that Samsung is working on a WearOS smartwatch. However, this does not necessarily mean that the Korean manufacturer Tizen will do without its smartwatches, as it could theoretically only bring a WearOS variant of an existing Tizen watch on the market to offer consumers more options. So we have to wait for more news and leaks in this regard to find out Samsung’s intentions.
However, there are benefits to using WearOS on watches via Tizen, e.g. B. a more seamless phone integration and more third-party apps. WearOS is clearly neglected by Google, as the voice activation “Okay, Google” is interrupted for months and the platform lacks a YouTube Music client after Google Play Music killed. In fact, Google has already released YouTube Music on the Apple Watch to illustrate how the search giant has neglected its own platform.