Android Wear is back on the front page. Google's wearable operating system has to try to gain some prominence now that it seems the Apple Watch has not only recovered lost ground, but has surpassed the search engine's. Among the new functions From the update we find the activation of WiFi in smart watches, which will allow us use the watch without your mobile phone.
Integrated WiFi
Until now, if we wanted to reply to an email or check the weather, we needed the watch to be properly connected to our smartphone, and the latter to some internet connection, either cellular or Wi-Fi. Well, now that won't be necessary, as the latest Android Wear update enables built-in Wi-Fi in smartwatches. These smartwatches can now connect autonomously to a Wi-Fi network, allowing them to do away with their phones for a bit longer. This means more independence from your phone without losing key functions. Obviously, it will still be necessary on the go, or when we don't have a Wi-Fi network available, but at least the watch will become much more useful when we're at home, for example.
In addition, Google has prioritized that Update and data downloads are done first over Wi-Fi or mobile network when available, leaving Bluetooth as a secondary option. The result is significantly faster installations and backups, and fewer interruptions when the watch is catching up with apps and services.
Does my watch have WiFi?
You might be surprised when we say that the new version of Android Wear now enables Wi-Fi on smartwatches. In principle, this shouldn't matter to you if you already have a watch, but only to those who are about to buy a new one. However, that's not the case. Most Android Wear smartwatches already on the market have built-in Wi-Fi., although it was not currently used because the software did not allow it. So, if you have an LG G Watch R, a Motorola Moto 360 or are lucky enough to have a LG Watch UrbaneYou'll be able to use Wi-Fi to connect to the internet from your smartwatch. Activating Wi-Fi was important because the Apple Watch has this connectivity technology, and without it, Android Wear watches would lose all credibility.
On models with Wi‑Fi support, the watch itself can, even on luxury models like Tag Heuer, Search for nearby networks, connect, and enter passwords from your wrist, without relying on your phone. Many devices support corporate-grade WPA, WEP, and EAP networks. You can also view advanced connection details such as link speed, band and channel, IP address, and signal strength, as well as forget networks or temporarily disable Wi-Fi when you need to save battery life.
If your watch doesn't appear in the compatibility lists or you have any questions, check your watch's settings to see if it has a Wi-Fi menu. There are exceptions: Some older or square models, such as certain LG models and the first ZenWatch, do not have built-in Wi-Fi radios and will not be able to benefit from this feature.
Always-on apps
The screen on most smartwatches was configured to stay on when we weren't using it. For example, we could still see the time, although the screen would switch to dark colors, with black being the main color, to save battery life. This won't be possible now when viewing the time, but it will also be possible with apps. If we're using GPS while cycling, the map will appear black when we're not looking at the screen, but it will still be visible, so we can look at our wrist and see the map without having to wait for the screen to turn on. A very useful function.
Recent versions of the system have gone a step further with a more universal always-on mode This allows apps to display specific low-power interfaces. Services like music, maps, and notes retain essential information and controls while reducing brightness and refresh rates. This prevents apps from being forced to close in the background and makes it easier to view data at a glance.
Gestures
Specifically, if we're cycling, we won't be able to navigate through the different options on the watch. If we've received a WhatsApp message or an email and are reading it, we can't scroll through the entire email to read it while cycling. By turning our wrist forward, the watch will detect that we want to continue reading and will scroll through the content on the screen. This is the addition of gestures to navigate the smartwatch. We hope that more gestures will come soon..
By the way, it's now easier to navigate between apps and contacts. While viewing the time, just swipe right to reach apps, and right again to reach contacts. One last swipe right will take you to contacts. Google Now voice commands.
These gestures coexist with a more polished interface where The cards or tiles show more information in fewer taps. You can stack and customize them to prioritize what you check most, from health metrics to your calendar or the weather.
Emojis
When the Apple Watch included the option of being able to send drawings that we make on the screen to contacts, it seemed silly to us. But the fear that it will become a function that everyone uses in the end is what has led Google to include a similar function in Android Wear. To reply to a message we just have to draw an emoji. Unless it looks nothing like the original emoji, the watch will recognize what it is and send it as a response. You can also toggle with voice or quick replies to answer without taking out your phone.
Smarter notifications and revamped tiles
One of the biggest improvements in the latest versions is the organizing notifications by appInstead of an endless list, they're now grouped by app on a single screen. So, with a single gesture, you can review all your WhatsApp alerts and, with a swipe, switch to Gmail alerts, improving speed and clarity.
The interface adopts the language Material 3 Expressive, with more legible cards, contextual colors, and smooth animations. The tiles They add more data to each panel and allow you to stack widgets of different functions to see health, calendar and weather at a glance without navigating through menus.
AI on the wrist: Gemini built-in
Native integration of Gemini on the clock It elevates what you can do with your voice: send messages, look up information, request turn-by-turn directions, create reminders, or start complex timers, all from your wrist. The most interesting thing is that these tasks can be linked together, for example, by searching for a nearby restaurant, asking for directions, and sending the location to a contact.
On some watches with their own layers, like Samsung's, compatibility comes as part of their watch layer. May require an update to the assistant app to replace the previous one and activate all functions, which is sometimes enabled gradually.
Performance and battery: more autonomy and protection
With the latest optimizations, many Wear OS watches go from a battery life of one or a day and a half to occasionally reach two days, depending on usage, brightness, and active sensors. It's not a revolution, but it is a solid step forward in efficiency.
In addition, several models incorporate a battery protection mode which limits charging to 90% and resumes at 85% to extend cell life. Along with energy-saving profiles and smarter management of connections, sensors, and always-on, the impact on everyday life is noticeable.
Faster updates and useful tweaks
Another practical novelty: when you update your watch, Wi-Fi and mobile data will be prioritized over Bluetooth to download components. If your watch doesn't have Wi-Fi available, you can choose the model's cellular network with LTE or use your mobile phone as a tethering network.
The option is also added to automatically adjust the time based on your location, ideal for traveling to avoid manual corrections. And if you manage networks from the watch, you'll find advanced tools for:
- Explore nearby networks, log in and manage passwords from the watch screen.
- Multi-device Compatibility WPA, WEP, and EAP in domestic and corporate environments.
- Visualize connection details (speed, band, channel, IP, signal) and forget or deactivate networks as needed.
- Access to web logins in captive portals of public networks in compatible models and versions.
How to update on your watch
To keep your watch up to date, go to Settings > System > Updates and check for new versions. You can also do this from your phone: on Wear OS or the manufacturer's app, go to Watch Settings > Software Update. On Samsung watches with their layer, the section is usually called Software update within Galaxy Wearable, and the download is applied to the watch directly.
Release of the update
Although the update was announced today, the truth is that it will reach the seven clocks with Android Wear: LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live, Motorola Moto 360, LG G Watch R, Sony SmartWatch 3, Asus ZenWatch, and LG Watch Urbane; in the coming weeks, the latter being the first to update to the new version.
With this new package, Android Wear and Wear OS strengthen their offering: more independence with Wi‑Fi, an interface that shows you what's important with fewer taps, grouped notifications, gestures for navigating with one hand, a really useful always-on mode and the power of AI directly on your wrist. If you don't see the update yet, check back regularly and, when it arrives, turn on Wi-Fi on your watch to download it faster.
