Report: Samsung will put a One UI skin on top of Wear OS on Galaxy Watch 4

Ben Schoon | May 17 2021 - 6:19 am PT

Based on countless reports this year, it’s been all but certain that Samsung would be making the switch from Tizen to Wear OS. Now, another report is giving credibility to that report and adding that the Galaxy Watch 4 will be using a Samsung skin on top of Wear OS.

SamMobile reported earlier today that Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Active will indeed be running Wear OS, corroborating reports from a few other sources. Details are still relatively slim on exactly how this will work, but apparently Samsung will be putting a skin on top of Wear OS.

Skins, while not widely used, are nothing new for Wear OS. Companies such as Xiaomi and Oppo have launched smartwatches with Wear OS skins recently, the latter even in western markets. Samsung, though, would definitely be the biggest name adopting this change to Google’s platform which, originally, was locked down heavily for UI changes.

One UI will apparently be the inspiration for the skin Samsung uses on top of Wear OS, but it’s unclear what it will look like at this point. Reportedly, it will be an “entirely new version” with better “ease of use” and Samsung SmartThings features. Another new feature will apparently turn the Galaxy Watch 4 into a “walkie talkie,” something Apple added to its Watch in recent years.

The report goes on to mention only three models instead of the four we’ve been expecting. “Wise” is the codename for the normal Galaxy Watch 4, the “classy” model that will still retain the rotating bezel. “Fresh” and “Lucky” will have “sporty” designs. It’s unclear if these three models are all the options that will be available or if they’ll all have multiple sizes, too.