Samsung played a significant role in revitalizing Wear OS through its partnership with Google for Wear OS 4. Thanks to this collaboration, Wear OS smartwatches reportedly achieved half the sales of Apple Watches. As Google prepares to unveil Wear OS 5 at its upcoming I/O event, it appears that Samsung has already begun testing the new version on one of its devices.
The test firmware, identified as R965USQU1BXD8 by Matthew on X (formerly Twitter), is intended for the model SM-R965U, which corresponds to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. This indicates that the device is currently in the testing phase.
The firmware is for the carrier-locked version of the Galaxy Watch 6 in the US. Although further details are currently unavailable, it appears that initial testing has begun.
Regarding Wear OS 5 features, Google has not disclosed much beyond “building better experiences.” If everything progresses as expected, Samsung may release the first Wear OS 5.0 beta as early as June for a select group of users.
Google’s Pixel Watch and Watch 2 have not yet been added to the Beta program, as was expected to happen shortly. However, we should hopefully receive more information about this at the I/O event. The event should also address the unknown Wear OS smartwatch that surfaced a few weeks ago.
Additionally, Google will unveil more details about Android 15, a range of AI features in Gemini, and the highly anticipated mid-range device, the Pixel 8a. The developer keynote is expected to cover a lot of developer-related topics, including ChromeOS and Android Automotive.
What are your expectations for Google I/O 2024, especially regarding Wear OS 5.0? What other announcements are you excited to hear about? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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