Wear OS smartwatches will get a major software update every year

The director of product management for Wear OS, Björn Kilburn, talked with Wired and revealed that Google is aiming to “release a new version of Wear OS generally every year in a similar fashion to mobile.” This means that Wear OS watch owners will get a new firmware update every year, just like they receive one on their Android smartphones.

However, it is a bit unclear if that annual update means receiving Wear OS 3.0 to Wear OS 4.0 or Wear OS 3.0 to Wear OS 3.5, as we had this year for Galaxy Watches and the Pixel Watch. The annual update might have been born out of the fact that Google wants to make sure the latest Android features are released for smartwatches as well.

Wear OS 3 updates for older smartwatches are still expected to arrive this year

As noted by 9To5Google, Kilburn refers to “quarterly Wear updates to bring ’new experiences throughout the year.” This possibly means the Feature Drops that the Pixel Watch is getting or the ones that are released for Android watches. On the other hand, Wear OS 3 updates are the responsibility of the watch manufacturers instead of Google.

When asked about when the Wear OS 3 update will arrive for Wear OS 2 watch owners, Google stated that Wear OS 3 updates for Snapdragon Wear 4100 and 4100+ powered smartwatches are still expected later this year. The device does require to be reset, though. Also, Google added that it is ‘absolutely committed‘ to Wear OS, and the team is working on various aspects, such as battery life improvements.

On top of what Wear OS updates bring, Samsung will definitely add some more features and improvements through its One UI for Watch interface. So, we are excited about Samsung's Galaxy Watches and the new features they will get each year.