Wearables
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 gain Google Home app (Wear OS 3)
Google announced to bring the Google Home app for smartwatches running Wear OS at I/O this year. As promised, the company has released this application to the users now. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, and various other Wear OS smartwatches are getting the Google Home app.
Yesterday, Google held a “Made by Google” launch event to introduce the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and Nest smart home portfolio. At the same same, the company has also rolled out the Google Home app for Wear OS devices in the Play Store.
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All Wear OS 3 and Wear OS 3.5 customers including the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5, can simply head over to the Play Store application on their smartwatches to download and install the Google Home app.
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Before you download, it’s with noting that the application is currently in a Public Preview release stage, which means it may not support some wearables that runs Wear OS. It also doesn’t run all the features and only offers limited smart home controls.
FINALLY! The Google Home app for Wear OS is now available!
Sadly, it only works on Wear OS 3 and above. I tried sideloading it onto a Wear OS 2 watch, but it failed because it requires SDK version 30 and above (Android 11+). pic.twitter.com/gUUXp4ytko
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 6, 2022
Wear OS Google Home app:
With the Google Home app released for Wear OS devices, you get quick access to smart home controls on your wrist. It provides you access to all the rooms you’ve set up in the Google Home app on your phone on the app’s home screen. Just tap on them to open the device controls for each room.
Furthermore, on the room page, the app has sliders to adjust the brightness of connected lights, the volume of connected speakers and other media devices, and the temperature of connected thermostats or smart AC units. Tapping on these sliders will also let you turn the devices On or Off.
Besides these, the Wear OS Google Home app has nothing much to offer. At this moment, it also cannot be said whether or not Google will bring more features for wearables.
Apple has just announced the Apple Watch Series 10 at the “It’s Glowtime” event. The new model comes with a fresh design that hasn’t been updated since 2021. The Watch Series 10 features a thinner design and a larger display. It’s a strong competitor against Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch 7.
Apple Watch Series 10 launches with several notable enhancements. It supports fast charging, so you can get up to 80% battery in just 30 minutes. Now, you don’t have to wait long for your watch to be ready to go.
Moreover, the Watch Series 10 Titanium design integrates a new built-in speaker, which allows users to play music or podcasts directly from their wrist. It also has better water resistance and is certified for high-speed water sports up to 20 meters deep. It means that the watch can handle more intense water activities and includes the Depth app, which was previously only available on the Ultra models.
Following Galaxy Watch 7, the Watch Series 10 now includes the ability to detect sleep apnea. This is a condition where your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. The watch tracks your sleep patterns and can identify signs of sleep apnea if you wear it every night for a few days. This feature works similarly to the new Vitals app in watchOS 11.
Apple Watch Series 10 will be available for pre-order from September 13 and officially release on September 20. The starting price is $399 for the 44mm version. With these advancements, the Series 10 is set to challenge the Galaxy Watch 7, offering a range of new improvements.
Samsung collaborated with the University of Michigan to assess Galaxy Watch features accuracy. The study validated the high accuracy of fitness tracking features. Dr. Hon Pak also encouraged MiPR’s validation of Galaxy Watch accuracy.
The Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR) found a significant correlation between Galaxy Watch and the clinical and sport science reference devices’ measurement of heart rate, sweat loss, VO2 max, and body fat percentage measurements.
The MiPR studies verified the accuracy of Samsung Galaxy Watch fitness tracking features by monitoring key metrics from elite runners, including:
Heart rate: It measures how hard the heart works during physical activity.
- Findings show an excellent 90% correlation with electrocardiogram equipment while running, the gold standard in heart rate measurement.
Sweat loss: Sweat loss estimates the amount of fluid lost during physical activity and helps guide proper hydration after workouts.
- The study found a 95% correlation for Galaxy Watch in assessing sweat loss over varying distances ranging from 2.5 km to 20 km.
VO2 max: Understanding how much oxygen the body absorbs during a workout helps individuals assess their fitness levels and set optimal goals and limits.
- The study demonstrated an 82% correlation, indicating acceptable alignment between Galaxy Watch and clinical-grade diagnostic equipment.
Body fat percentage: Measuring a person’s body fat percentage allows for a better understanding of physical health and fitness than tracking body weight alone.
- Galaxy Watch readings showed a 95% correlation with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) results, the standard diagnostic test for body composition using low-dose X-rays.
“We’re proud to be recognized by the renowned Michigan Performance Research Laboratory — their skilled researchers and expertise in wearable technology give us confidence in the accuracy of the Galaxy Watch’s fitness tracking capabilities.”
Google has rolled out a new update to the Weather Tile for Wear OS devices, which was initially available for the Pixel Watch 3 running Wear OS 5. This update is now rolling out to all Wear OS wearables including the Samsung Galaxy Watch series. It improves the functionality and information density provided by the Weather Tile.
The updated Weather Tile provides more detailed weather information. Instead of just showing the location name, current temperature, high and low temperatures, and weather conditions, the new tile provides more details. It now includes a forecast for the next 3 hours on the 41 mm Pixel Watch 3 and the next 4 hours on the 45 mm variant.
It means you can now see more information about the upcoming weather directly on the tile without opening the full weather app. This change makes it easier to check the weather at a glance on Wear OS devices. Notably, it does not change the UV Index or Sun Tiles.
Previously, the Weather Tile on Wear OS devices offered general information. Users could see the location name, current temperature, high/low, and a simple weather condition description. The new update improves this by adding a better forecast, which provides a more detailed view of the weather in the coming hours.
The update is available with the Weather app version 1.9.269.x. It was first rolled out to the Pixel Watch 3 but is now being extended to other Wear OS devices including Galaxy watches.
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