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It's 'almost time' for a 'brand new' version of Google's Wear OS (which Samsung approves of)

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: May 17, 2021, 2:46 PM

Just because this year's edition of the annual Google I/O developer conference is set to take place virtually rather than physically host thousands of the search giant's most hardcore fans in a glamorous venue like Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheatre, that doesn't mean tech enthusiasts should ignore what's coming between May 18 and 20.

We already know Android 12 will be a pretty big deal (when it rolls out in stable form sometime in the fall), and while the Pixel 5a may not be ready for primetime yet (let alone the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro), the budget-friendly Pixel Buds A-Series are all but guaranteed to see daylight this week.

Obviously, there's a lot more to get excited about on the software release front, including a "brand new Wear version" that's making headlines for the very first time today. In all honesty, we don't know anything of substance about this yet, but it is apparently "almost time" for it to go official, and something tells us Samsung will be paying close attention to its reception.

The time has come for #GoogleIO.

Join us tomorrow for a look at what’s new on Wear OS. pic.twitter.com/ylGiIevTc4
— Wear OS by Google (@WearOSbyGoogle) May 17, 2021

That's because the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and second-largest smartwatch vendor is reportedly preparing a shocking and rather abrupt move from its own in-house Tizen software platform to Google's Wear OS for this year's Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch Active 4 (or 3).

While Samsung is likely to take its sweet time tweaking this "new version" of Wear OS until presumably releasing its next-gen intelligent timepieces in August (or maybe as early as July), the untimely and completely unexpected Tizen death could finally put Google's long-struggling operating system for your wrist on the global map of a thriving industry.

After all, these are the makers of not one but two of the best smartwatches money can buy right now, so if there's someone that can save Wear OS, that's definitely Samsung.

Of course, Google still needs to do a lot of the heavy lifting, getting people to care about a platform that's been running on autopilot for the better part of a decade now. And no, a new app or two will most definitely not cut it this time around.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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