Wear OS 6 is Here: Rewritten From the Ground Up
Along with the Android 16 hype, Google also had some exciting news for smartwatch enthusiasts: Wear OS 6 is here, and it's been rewritten from the ground up. With the same new Material 3 Expressive design language, this release is all about fresh looks, better performance, more battery life, and some serious intelligence with the inclusion of Gemini chatbot integration.
A Design That Truly Embraces the Circle
Google's calling Wear OS 6 its most personal yet. That fresh Material 3 Expressive appearance has been specifically tailored for those circular smartwatch displays. It nearly feels like they've committed to the 'circle' as a core design element this time around.
You'll notice little, simple buttons neatly placed along the edges of the screen, designed to allow a whole lot more one-handed use on the go. Lists, menus, and other bits of UI now animate in sync with the curves of the screen. Scrolling even has a depth effect, and UI objects will shift shape and morph depending on what you're doing. Quick setting tiles, for instance, are no longer round; they're 'pill-shaped' and expand when you tap them, just like on Android 16.
Colors That Match Your Style
The system's color scheme will now shift to suit the face you've chosen. That 'Dynamic Color' function we love on Android smartphones and tablets. It's being added to Wear OS, where you can pick an accent color that themes the entire interface.
Notifications Get Smarter and More Informative
Notifications are also receiving a visual update. They're designed to be read-at-a-glance, with avatars and inline image thumbnails so you can quickly see who messaged you and what's about it. And you'll be able to quickly send a message to a favorite contact or start a workout from the home screen, without having to enter into specific apps.
Gemini AI on Your Wrist
One of the massive updates to Wear OS 6 is the inclusion of Google's Gemini AI service. This is not your run-of-the-mill voice assistant. Gemini processes natural, spoken language, understands multi-step commands, and even can interact with other services like Gmail and Calendar. Imagine being able to tell your watch to remind you of your gym locker combo or just summarize a lengthy email for you. One major caveat: Gemini will initially need to be paired with an internet-enabled smartphone, though Google indicates it will eventually have an offline mode. The bright spot. Gemini doesn't necessarily require Wear OS 6 – it'll run on all watches that already support Google Assistant.
Better Battery Life. Yes, Please.
Even with all these extra features and show-me-ya visual drama, Google is guaranteeing a 10% improvement in battery life over previous versions. They've concentrated especially on conserving energy for tasks like media handling and playback of content. Of course, Google includes that your mileage may actually change based on how you'll be using your watch and what model phone you own.
When Can You Get It.
Wear OS 6 will be coming in late 2025. It will be released on Pixel Watch and subsequently roll out over time to other partner devices.
