Rare Wear OS update teased ahead of Google IO 2021

wear os
(Image credit: Future)

New Wear OS perks will be unveiled at Google IO 2021, according to an official tweet, which could be anything from extra features to a redesign that could be coming to the operating system later this year.

Google didn’t hint at what’s in store in its tweet by the Wear OS team, only that ‘the time has come’. That’s a cute pun befitting Google’s tame ‘dad joke’ humor, and could just be a simple announcement prefacing some new Wear OS perks.

Given how rare Wear OS is updated, this is a big deal for folks toting smartwatches that aren’t sold by Apple or Samsung. Some early scheduling details suggested an update could be coming at Google IO 2021, though it could just be Google pushing third-party app programmers to build more Tile interactions.

Or...another smartwatch?

The tweet’s ‘the time has come’ message could also refer to the Google Pixel Watch, which recent leaks and rumors suggest could be announced soon. Google IO 2021 would obviously be a great stage to debut the wearable, though we’ve only recently seen evidence that the device exists in the form of renders

But it could also refer to a rumored Wear OS-powered Fitbit: Google acquired the fitness wearable company in January and the company quietly started pumping more resources into the operating system in the months since, suggesting Google may introduce a new product under the Fitbit name running Wear OS. This is all conjecture, of course, and with only a day until Google IO 2021, there’s little wait until the company reveals its plans.

The Verge

David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.

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