Enhancements in Wear OS 6 Allegedly Include Two Unspecified, Crucial Quality-of-Life Upgrades for Your Android Timepiece
Unveiling Wear OS 6 and its Hidden Aspects
Gear up for an exciting revision of Android smartwatches, as Wear OS 6 is about to shake things up. Sporting a user-friendly overhaul, incorporating Google Gemini's AI assistant, and offering a host of other enticing updates, it's already sparking a buzz among wearers of the finest Android smartwatches and top-tier wearables. To get a closer look at Wear OS 6's features, check out our comprehensive feature analysis.
In addition to the announced features, there are two more enhancements rumored to make their debut along with Wear OS 6.
First and foremost, anticipate the arrival of adaptive charging. This charging technique, much like what's found in leading Pixel phones, aims to preserve device longevity by preventing overcharging, which can cause battery degradation. By paused charging at 80% capacity and resuming an hour before disconnection, your battery is safeguarded from excessive charging[1]. Besides Pixel Watches, Samsung watches are also expected to receive a similar feature with One UI Watch 8.
Diving Deep: Water Lock for Pixel Watches
Currently, Pixel Watches don't have a water ejection system like that found in popular competitors, such as Apple and Samsung devices. Neither do they offer a dedicated Water Lock, which shuts down the touchscreen during rainfall, showers, or baths. Code analysis of the Wear OS 6 developer preview suggests that at least Pixel Watches will pick up a Water Lock feature[2][3].
The code doesn’t offer any concrete information regarding the new Water Lock feature, so while there's a chance it may offer water ejection, it's more likely that it will improve the device's usage during wet conditions, focusing on securing the touchscreen[2][3].
Stay Tuned for More
In the rainy outdoors or under showering showers, touchscreens can be notoriously finicky. A water lock feature will significantly improve Pixel Watch usability under wet conditions, although it likely won't change the way swimming workouts function[2].
Curated Insights
- Water Lock feature in Wear OS 6 is anticipated to prevent accidental touchscreen activations in wet conditions, making it suitable for swimming and the like
- Exact mechanism of the Water Lock feature is not fully detailed in the code uncovered so far, but it's expected to focus on improving usage on the touchscreen in wet conditions
- Adaptive Charging has been mentioned in relation to Pixel Watch 4 inductive charging, although it's not clear if it refers to Wear OS 6 specifically or a separate feature
[1] Android Authority - Wear OS 6: In-Depth Review[2] Android Police - Wear OS 6 Developer Preview Examines: Water Lock, Paired Device Feature[3] XDA Developers - Dissecting the Wear OS 6 Developer Preview Builds
The upcoming adaptation of adaptive charging in Wear OS 6, similar to that found in Pixel phones, is aimed at preserving the longevity of devices by preventing overcharging and causing less battery degradation. Additionally, the rumored Water Lock feature, anticipated for Pixel Watches, appears to focus on improving touchscreen usage in wet conditions.
