Wearables
Roaring HarmonyOS watch growth is potential threat to Wear OS, Samsung!
Huawei’s HarmonyOS smartwatch is growing quite fast in China. Counterpoint Research, in its latest report, predicts that Huawei smartwatch sales will further grow in the country, seizing a whopping 61% market share in 2024, up from 48% last year.
Whenever Huawei grows, it comes as a red alert for global tech titans like Apple and Samsung. As the company now has its own operating system, Google is also on the list of affected vendors. HarmonyOS is also aiming to cross China’s boundaries right after reaching the app ecosystem milestone.
Samsung and Google’s collaboration continues to benefit the Wear OS ecosystem. Whether it’s Watch OS Format or third-party app support, both companies are effectively investing in the ecosystem. Meanwhile, Huawei’s growth in Europe would hurt Samsung, Apple and Google too.
Huawei’s HarmonyOS-powered smartwatches are popular in China. Local consumers who don’t prefer Apple’s watchOS opt for HarmonyOS watch rather than Google’s Wear OS. Apart from innovations, this growth is powered by the sentiments of Chinese citizens.
Image: Huawei
Last year, the overall HarmonyOS shipments grew almost 2x, surpassing Apple’s WatchOS. HarmonyOS’ shipment share is further estimated to reach 61% in China in 2024, up from 48% in 2023, Counterpoint Research report highlights.
The report predicts growth for the entire smartwatch ecosystem including Wear OS and WatchOS. However, Huawei’s resurgence is a potential threat to Google’s Wear OS and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch segment – the same way as HarmonyOS Vs Android smartphones.
Huawei is pushing the boundaries of innovation with next-gen features in wearables. The company’s recent smartwatch offers a satellite SOS feature, which is one of its kind in the industry. At the same time, HarmonyOS is smart, smooth, and fluid that readily attracts users.
Stay up-to-date on Samsung Galaxy, One UI & Tech Stuffs by following Sammy Fans on X/Twitter. You can also discover the latest news, polls, reviews, and new features for Samsung & Google Apps, Galaxy Phones, and the One UI/Android operating system.
Do you like this post? Kindly, let us know on X/Twitter: we love hearing your feedback! If you prefer using other social platforms besides X, follow/join us on Google News, Facebook, and Telegram.
Samsung finally started the Stable One UI 6 Watch update rollout today. The company revealed all the eligible Galaxy Watch models for the update. There are many new features, Galaxy AI advancements, and functional improvements.
The Stable One UI 6 Watch update update will first rollout to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series and then become available sequentially to previous generations. Feature availability and support may vary by market, carrier, model, and paired device.
Pay attention, the One UI 6 Watch is based on Google’s Wear OS 5. It aims to expand Watch 7 and Watch Ultra features to previous generations of Galaxy Watch including the Watch 6 series, Watch 5 series, Watch 4 series, and Watch FE.
The best features of One UI 6 Watch update:
Sleep Tracking
You will get a deeper and more accurate understanding of sleep with a detailed analysis powered by an advanced AI algorithm and new sleep metrics.
Sleep Apnea
- It helps users proactively spot potential signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Race
- Monitor progress in real time when running or cycling with Race.
Workout Routine
- This feature lets users combine various exercises and create personalized routines.
Energy Score
- Users can better understand their physical and mental conditions through an intuitive score calculated from various health metrics.
New Watch Faces
- The One UI 6 Watch also brings a handful of new watch faces namely Spatial Number, Simple Digital and Ultra Info Board.
- Simple Digital watch face reflects a minimalist design
- Ultra Info Board watch face to check info at a glance without sacrificing style
Must Read:
While the One UI 6 Watch update contains Galaxy AI features, Samsung does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the output provided by AI features.
It is also advised that users should not treat any health-related info accessed through the Galaxy Watch as medical advice. Medical advice from a physician is highly recommended in case of any health-related sign shown on your wrist device.
Samsung’s new XR glasses are expected to launch in the second half of 2025. These glasses are being made in partnership with Google. A new report reveals that the glasses will share some features with the popular Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses but will not have a display.
According to the information, the upcoming XR glasses of Samsung will be powered by Qualcomm’s AR1 chipset, the same used in Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While details on the specific AR1 version remain unclear, the use of Qualcomm’s chip suggests a focus on lightweight, efficient computing.
Like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Samsung’s XR glasses will reportedly sport a 12MP camera and a 155 mAh battery, giving them a similar form factor. It also claims to weigh around 50 grams slightly heavier than the Ray-Ban model.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
There has been much speculation about whether these glasses would feature a display, and the fresh report suggests they will not. It would be hard to add a display while keeping the glasses lightweight, so Samsung is likely skipping this feature.
Even without a display, the Samsung XR glasses will still include some smart features. These include AI functions for making payments, scanning QR codes, recognizing gestures, and even identifying people.
Although the full details aren’t clear, it seems the glasses will offer more capabilities than the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The Samsung XR glasses are expected to be released in late 2025, but Samsung might tease them off earlier.
Samsung crafting mixed-reality smart glasses with Qualcomm, Google
Samsung has rolled out a new beta update for the Galaxy Watch 6 Plugin app, introducing new features and fixes for users enrolled in the One UI 6 Watch Beta program. Identified as version 2.2.13.24110851, the fresh update enhances Galaxy Watch users’ functionality and customization options.
The fresh beta update adds the ability to install watch faces from the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7, spotted on update notes. Now, Galaxy Watch 6 users can enjoy more watch faces that were previously available only on the newer Galaxy Watch models.
This new capability gives users more options to personalize the look of their watch, similar to the latest Galaxy watches.
Along with the new watch face options, this update also fixes some bugs and improves overall performance. However, the changelog does not mention specific details in the changelog.
The installation package size of this update is around 155MB. The new version aims to make the Galaxy Watch 6 Plugin app run more smoothly for those testing the One UI 6 Watch Beta.
By adding more customization options and fixing issues, Samsung hopes to give users a better, more enjoyable smartwatch experience.
If you’re testing the One UI 6 Watch Beta, you can download this update now through the Galaxy Store or from the third-party app link mentioned here. Once installed, you’ll be able to enjoy the new watch faces and benefit from the improvements that come with this update.