Wearables
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will soon get revamped Play Store and offline Google Maps support
During the Galaxy Unpacked event when Samsung launched Galaxy Watch 5 series, Google also announced that it’s bringing new features like revamped Play Store and better Google Maps support to the Wear OS devices.
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The new Galaxy Watch 5 series runs Wear OS 3.5-based One UI Watch 4.5 out of the box, which introduces a lot of advanced technologies including a body temperature measurement feature. Meanwhile, the addition of improvements to the Play Store and Google Maps will surely enhance the users’ experience.
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Going by the information, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series will get revamped Play Store to better match the smartphone’s version, later this year. It will provide new collections of apps, display trending apps, as well as will show personalized recommendations to the users.
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On the other hand, Wear OS users will also get offline Google Maps support which will navigate you even when there’s no internet. Currently, the Maps app on your Galaxy watch requires you to be connected to a smartphone for navigation but after the upgrade that will release later this year, you won’t need your phone to use this functionality.
Aside from these, Samsung further said the Galaxy Watch 4 led 3x the market compared to many active Wear OS watches. Then it brought Google to talk about the upcoming changes to Wear OS that includes SoundCloud and Deezer support, which is also coming later this year.
Samsung said:
“And coming soon, find your way using Google Maps from your wrist without a smartphone connection. Music and audio lovers will appreciate updates that include new apps like SoundCloud and Deezer.”
Google briefly showed off the new UI during Unpacked, check here.
Galaxy Watch 5 pre-order:
Samsung started the Galaxy Watch 5 series pre-orders at the time of launch on August 10. The Watch 5 comes for $279.99 for the Bluetooth version and $329.99 for the LTE version, whereas, the Watch 5 Pro is priced at $449 for the Bluetooth version and $499 for the LTE version.
You’ll be able to pre-book your watch till August 25 and from August 26, these will officially go on sale.
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
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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.
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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.