Technology

Wear OS 5 is finally rolling out to Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 – with older models to follow

November 20, 2024

Samsung is rolling out some of its latest smartwatch features to older models
The company says it’ll help users better understand their health
It’s a far cry from Google’s rollout of Wear OS, which continues to go slowly

If you own a Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, 5 or 4, you’re about to get a host of new features. Samsung is now rolling out the Wear OS 5 operating system, using Samsung’s own One UI 6 Watch interface, to older watches

The tech giant is offering the latest software update to users of Galaxy Watch devices going back to the Galaxy Watch 4, bringing with it some of the latest features found in the current Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

We scored both of those watches with 4 stars in our reviews, noting how much we appreciated the new wellness features on each, and those same features could be coming to your existing devices at no extra charge. Now beta testing for the Watch 6 is complete, Samsung is rolling out the new OS to “previous generations of Galaxy Watch around the world including Galaxy Watch6, Galaxy Watch6 Classic, Galaxy Watch5, Galaxy Watch5 Pro, Galaxy Watch4, Galaxy Watch4 Classic and Galaxy Watch FE” according to a blog post.

The software will arrive first on Watch 6 via , with updates for other watches “available sequentially”.

(Image credit: Future)

Here’s what One UI 6 adds to your Samsung smartwatch

Energy Score is the headline addition, and leverages AI to collect data points from sleep, activity, sleeping heart rate and more to offer an easy to read and understand metric to show you if you’re in need of a rest, or can push your exercise a little further.

The FDA-authorized Sleep Apnea feature is also coming to a ‘wider range of Galaxy Watch devices’, the company said in a press release, as well as new watch faces.

Compatible devices will gain Double Pinch Gestures and AI-powered suggested replies, too, along with AI-powered Suggested Replies and a new Workout Routine, which “allows users to combine various exercises and create personalized routines, uniquely tailored to their individual goals and preferences”. The Race functionality, also new, acts as a virtual pacer for runners and cyclists.

It’s in stark contrast to Google, which has been struggling to get Wear OS 5 out to older devices. The company pulled the software because it was bricking devices, but will finally resume the rollout now.

That’s good news for Pixel Watch 1 and 2 owners, but it’s understandable they may be looking over at Samsung with some degree of jealousy right now.

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