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With Wear OS 5, Google promises better battery life and improved user interfaces

Google unveiled a few announcements ahead of the Wear OS 5 rollout slated for later this year. Here's what to expect from your next Wear OS wearable.
Written by Nina Raemont, Associate Editor
Two runners wearing Wear OS smart watches
Google/ZDNET

It's been a great year for Google's Wear OS, and more advancements are coming. During its annual developer conference, Google unveiled several announcements, like better battery life and larger displays, for WearOS that users can look forward to. Wear OS 5, based on Android 14, arrives later this year. Here's what we can expect from WearOS 5 based on the announcements Google unveiled at its I/O event. 

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The less time we have to spend charging our wearables, the better. Google is putting enhanced battery life front and center with its Wear OS 5 update, which means that you can track your workouts, whether they're a 20-mile run or triathlon, and use less of your watch's battery life while doing so. Running a marathon using Wear OS 5 now consumes up to 20% less power compared to Wear OS 4, according to Google. 

Google says it's seeing a "wider variety of round screen sizes and resolutions" through Wear OS. Its priority for Wear OS 5 is improved user interfaces and displays. It's releasing new guidelines for building responsive UIs for various display sizes, so your next Google Pixel Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch display could get an upgrade very soon. 

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Last year was a major one for Google's Wear OS, with a 40% user base growth and with users in over 160 countries and regions. Google Pixel, Samsung, and other notable brands launched watches through Wear OS, and the operating system has expanded to other tech brands, like OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi. 

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