Wear OS 3 was announced in May 2021 during Google’s I/O developer conference, and was initially made available in August 2021.

Wear OS 3.5 was launched together with the Pixel Watch at Google’s presentation in October 2022, which contains Fit Bit capabilities that allow many more fitness functions than those available before.

Wear OS 3 features

There’s a lot to look forward to in Wear OS 3.5, but remember that not every feature will be accessible on every watch.

Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series uses One UI Watch on Wear OS, which modifies the look and functionality of the user interface.

Below is a list of stock Wear OS 3.5 features – functionality you can expect to see on the Pixel Watch and any other Wear OS 3.5 wearable that hasn’t been heavily changed, such as the current Samsung Galaxy Watch series, which has more variation.

Google applications have been updated and updated.

Google used this opportunity to improve and improve Google Assistant and Google Maps, add additional country support for Google Pay (soon to get replaced by the return of Google Wallet) and bring YouTube Music to your wrist.

It is quicker and lasts longer

Google initially worked with Samsung to create Wear OS 3.5, a combination of Wear OS 2 and Samsung’s Tizen-based wearable operating system, with a few extra features thrown in for good measure.

This collaboration has resulted in up to 30% faster app loading speeds (than Wear OS 2) and improved battery life. That latest upgrade lets you use heart rate monitoring all day or track your sleep without having to charge it very first thing in the morning.

Fitbit Fitness Technology

Since Google now owns Fitbit, it is not surprising that some of the latter’s insights have made their way into Wear OS 3. This includes options to track your health progress throughout the day, such as goal celebrations on the wrist.

A custom overlay

Just as Android smartphone makers can build a custom interface on top of standard Android, wristwatch makers can now do the same with Wear OS. So the platform does not necessarily look or perform the same on every smartwatch.

This should give consumers options and opportunities to choose an interface and features they genuinely enjoy.

One UI Watch, available on the Galaxy Watch 4 series, is an early example; it includes a number of applications and services Samsung together with Google and draws more similarities with the design of the smartphone interface of Samsung.

The exact fitness monitoring capabilities may vary depending on the technology of your wristwatch – most, but not all, contain GPS and heart rate monitors, for example. Then there are less common features, such as ECGs and blood oxygen monitors.

Everything you would expect from a smartwatch.

Wear OS 3.5 is different from and improves on Wear OS 2, but still maintains all the essential functions of the previous platform, including notifications, timers, alarms, and more.