Wearables
Wear OS 3.5 March 2023 update brings various new features, expect some for Samsung Watch
Google announced a big firmware update on the Wear OS 3.5 platform as part of its March 2023 Feature Drop. The Pixel Watch is getting benefited directly, and we hope, Samsung will also bring crucial bells and whistles to the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 series running Wear OS 3.5.
According to Google, the Pixel Watch’s March 2023 software update includes numerous bug fixes and improvements for users. However, the changelog lists various a handful of new features, and improvements for a better user experience on Wear OS 3.5 devices.
The March update brings new Watch Faces to the Wear OS 3.5. On the Pixel Watch, the new Digital Clock is available with a button press when the smartwatch is powered down. The time will now appear upon crown push, along with the red low battery indicator.
In addition to Pixel Watch-specific content, the March 2023 update changelog mentions crucial improvements for Wear OS 3.5. That said, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 users may also get crucial improvements and optimization, thanks to the Wear OS 3.5 platform.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 lineups run Wear OS 3.5-based One UI Watch 4.5 operating system. The company rolls out Galaxy-exclusive firmware updates and features to consumers, and we expect a big yet feature-rich update in the coming weeks.
Wear OS 3.5 March update changelog
- Watch Faces
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- Digital Clock is now available with button press when the device is powered down. The time will now appear upon crown push, alongside the red low battery indicator.
- Display
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- In addition to tap, tilt, button press to wake the watch, you can now rotate the Crown to wake.
- Touch
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- Optimizations have been added to improve sensitivity of touch screen behavior.
- Settings
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- Battery saver enable/disable single tap support in QSS has been fully enabled in this release.
- Alarms
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- In the coming weeks, a fix will be rolled out via PlayStore to update the Clock app that addresses some alarms which have been having a delayed or false start.
- Ensure Auto-update apps is selected in Play Store > Settings on your watch and you will get this update once it’s available when your watch is on charger and connected to Wi-Fi.
As highlighted in the Google Pixel March Feature Drop post, these features are now also available with this software update:
- Settings
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- Mono-audio which limits the disorientation of split-audio
- New color-correction and greyscale modes that better optimize the display for a wider range of vision preferences.
- Fall Detection
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- Your Pixel Watch now has fall detection which can detect if you’ve taken a hard fall and connect you to emergency services. Once connected to emergency services, your Pixel Watch will play an automated message to request help to wherever you are.
- Device Applicability
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- Updates are available for all supported Pixel Watch devices.
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On July 10, Samsung launched the smallest and most compact product within the Galaxy lineup, the Galaxy Ring. It offers several innovative health management functions along with an exciting way to control your phone using simple gestures. You can easily activate gesture features on your Galaxy Ring.
Samsung Galaxy Ring’s gesture feature lets you turn on an alarm or take a photo or video while the camera app is running by double-clicking your finger and thumb while wearing the ring.
How to activate gestures on Galaxy Ring :
To use the Galaxy Ring’s gesture controls, follow these steps:
- Open the Galaxy Wearable app on the smartphone connected to the Galaxy Ring.
- Navigate to the “Gestures” section within the Galaxy Ring’ Settings.
- Choose which functions you want to control with gestures. Options include dismissing an alarm or taking a photo or video.
After you have chosen your desired functions, you can start using them by performing a simple gesture. To dismiss an alarm or capture a photo or video, double-tap with your finger and thumb while wearing the Galaxy Ring. This gesture will start the selected function without needing to touch your phone.
If you have a Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Z Flip 6 model, you can start using these features. This feature will be extended to other Galaxy devices through future software updates.
Galaxy Ring
Samsung Galaxy Ring features a sleek design with dimensions of 7.0 mm x 2.6 mm, 24-hour-a-day health monitoring, long-lasting battery from 18mAh (Size 5) to 23.5mAh (Size 13), Galaxy AI features, and more.
Moreover, the Galaxy Ring provides comprehensive health insights and analysis via the Samsung Health app without any additional fees. It gives detailed metrics on sleep patterns, including movement, sleep latency, heart rate, and breathing rate during sleep. It also introduces Energy score and Wellness tips for daily health insights.
Samsung finally releases Galaxy Ring: Here’s all you need to know
Samsung Galaxy Ring is cheapest in South Korea followed by the US. The company’s first ring-type wearable is available for pre-order in six countries. Of these countries, Korea is the cheapest while the UK is the most expensive Galaxy Ring market.
Galaxy Ring pricing data gathered by AndroidAuthority shows that the product is the cheapest in South Korea. In US dollar terms, Samsung is selling the Galaxy Ring for $360, translated from the 499,400 Korean won retail price.
Samsung is selling the Galaxy Ring for $400 in the United States. The pricing decision makes it $40 more expensive than South Korea. It costs $412 (2,999 CNY) in China, $489 (440 EUR) in Germany and France, and $515 (399 GBP) in the UK.
As of now, the Korean tech giant is availing the Galaxy Ring in two Asian and three European countries alongside the United States. Notably, the US price in the below-mentioned chart doesn’t include sales tax, which could be approximately $40 or $45.
Samsung will put the Galaxy Ring on general sale on July 24, 2024. If you travel abroad, you will be able to save some money on your Ring purchase. However, your trip destination should be South Korea or China to have travel discount perks.
The general availability will commence the day after tomorrow. We expect US e-commerce platforms would bring some sharp discounts for local shoppers in the US. Amazon and Best Buy may put the Galaxy Ring on sale, bringing additional discounts.
Well, it would take time for Galaxy Ring to see any significant price reduction. It all depends on the popularity of the product and production volume. If the product becomes hit, forget about any severe cash discount for at least 6 months.
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is available in 9 different sizes. Pre-order your Ring to claim early buyer perks and faster delivery at your doorstep. You can also opt for a Sizing Kit, which will help you determine the perfect Ring size for yourself.
Samsung has pushed a new update for its Galaxy Store app, specifically for Galaxy smartwatches running Wear OS 5 with One UI 6 Watch Beta. This update can be identified via version 1.0.06.8 and enhances the overall performance.
The latest update enhances user experience by improving the performance and reliability of the Galaxy Store app on Samsung wearable devices. It includes fixes for known issues to ensure smoother operations. However, it does not contain any new features or changes.
The update is compatible with Galaxy devices running Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch Beta. Samsung advises users to update promptly to enjoy the improved features and stability offered by version 1.0.06.8.
Users can easily access and install the update through the Galaxy Store app itself. Also, you can download the update directly from the third-party app source link mentioned here.
With version 1.0.06.8 of the Galaxy Store app, users of One UI 6 Watch Beta can expect a more stable and efficient app experience on their Samsung wearable devices.
One UI 6 Watch Beta
In early July 2024, Samsung released the One UI 6 Watch Beta 3 update for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series with version ZXG3. The same version update rolled out for the Galaxy Watch 5 series with July 2024 security patch. The update brought a bunch of enhancements to improve user experience and address existing issues.
The update arrived with improved system stability and optimized performance to address issues related to battery consumption and application execution speed. Also, it enhanced network interoperability to provide better connectivity experiences.
The Beta update is not without its known issues. Users noticed an issue where the Always-On Display (AOD) fails to deactivate when the watch is not being worn after installing this update.
Aside from this, Samsung will soon make the stable One UI 6 Watch available for Wear OS watches. It is expected to bring several new features and improvements to enhance the Galaxy Watch experience.
One UI 6 Watch Beta 3 live for Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series