Wear OS formerly Android Wear is continuing to evolve as Google attempts to improve the platform. With this new update comes a lot of visual changes as well as functional. Wear OS appears to be making a shift to focus on being smarter, more useful, and I can’t wait.
Wear OS is getting smarter and more practical gestures
First up the UI and gestures are getting a bit of an overhaul. Swiping to the left or right no longer changes your watch faces and instead becomes more practical. From now on, swiping to the right now brings up Google Assistant.
The new revamped Google Assistant has gotten smarter and will provide you with helpful info based on your location. For instance, if you’re on the way to the airport it would show your flight status or hotel reservation. It might even give you the weather forecast for your destination, and the more you use it the more relevant the information will become.
Swiping to the left brings up the all-new Google Fit putting a larger focus on using your watch as a fitness device. The recent upgrade to Google Fit brought the addition of Move Minutes and Heart Points.
Google worked with the AHA and WHO to provide better ways to track your health. It only makes sense to give you quicker access to your health information. Which is why your health info will only be a swipe away from now on.
Improved notifications and shortcuts
With the world being so connected now and more information flying at us than ever, Google has revamped the notification system as well. Swiping up still reveals your notifications except now you will see them in a continuous stream.
In order to manage them better, Wear OS makes it easy to reply by simply tapping one and providing you with smart replies. All of this without ever leaving your stream. Talk about streamlining your communications.
Swiping down has always revealed shortcuts and that hasn’t changed. However, the shortcuts you see will be changing. Find my phone and Google Pay have both been added making it quicker than ever to locate your phone or make mobile payments.
When can you expect the change
Over the next month, these changes will be rolling out to Wear OS watches. However, some of the features may vary by phone OS, watch, or country.