Wear OS 4 reportedly has a change that could significantly improve the battery life of smartwatches running Google’s operating system. It will modify how information is processed by sending it to a separate system, which is expected to improve the device’s battery performance. The OnePlus Watch 2, which was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 on Monday, will be the first smartwatch to support the improved functionality coming to the devices in the future.
Until now, information on Wear OS has been processed and managed by application processors (APs) that handle tasks requiring more computational processing. As a result, displaying notifications also consumes more power. On the other hand, functions requiring less power such as step counting and heart rate monitoring are handled by a separate microcontroller unit (MCU). The Verge reports that Google will allow manufacturers to move the notification system on Wear OS 4 to the MCU, and this will significantly reduce the battery consumption caused by flashing notifications.
The report notes that the functionality was designed specifically for the OnePlus Watch 2, however, it is now being expanded to more smartwatches as well. Bjorn Kilburn, vice president of Wear OS at Google, told the publication that other companies will also be able to use this capability. This means that proceeding, showing notifications, dismissing them, or responding to them immediately will all be controlled by the MCU. To the end user, this change is not visually noticeable, but they will be able to see a difference in terms of longer battery cycles.
OnePlus Watch 2 was showcased at MWC on Monday. The company’s latest smartwatch features a 1.43-inch round AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon W5 chipset as well as the BES2700 chip. It has a 500mAh battery with 7.5W charging support. OnePlus Watch 2 is priced at Rs. 24,999 and its sale will start from March 4 on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, OnePlus Online Store, Reliance Digital, Croma and other offline stores.
On Monday, Google also announced two more Wear OS features. Google Wallet Passes has finally been made available on Wear OS and users will be able to access different types of passes directly from their smartwatch. Second, Google Maps for Wear OS can now show public transit directions to help users catch a bus, train, or ferry.
