Wear OS 3 was announced a little over two years ago. Since then it has seen flagship devices with Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and the Google Pixel Watch being notable devices that have pushed the platform forward. With Wear OS seeing 5x growth since 2021, it’s no wonder that the app ecosystem, both first and third party, has come a long way.
During the Android Wear and Wear OS 2 era, I thought of smartwatches as primarily being time-telling devices and glorified wrist pagers that tell me when to check my phone. When the platform was stagnant before Wear OS 3, I stopped using a Google watch for some time and turned to the Apple Watch and Fitbit. My usage habits for wearables did not change, and I was expecting them to remain the same when I returned with the Galaxy Watch 4.
I’m now using apps, especially with the Pixel Watch, on a daily to hourly basis. Here are some of the most notable and best Wear OS apps that showcase how Google’s platform has really matured.
Google Weather
Google’s Weather app on Wear OS is great and a tremendous step up from when it was just a Tile. It’s now a simple feed that starts with the current temperature, high/low, and UV index. All that information appears on a single screen without having to scroll. This is followed by precipitation, the “Next 8 hours,” a five-day forecast, and a sunrise/sunset section.
Old vs. new
However, the best way to get that sun information is via the Tile that features both a countdown and an arc. This is joined by Tiles for Forecast and UV Index with live updating watch face complications for all three also available.
Spotify ft. YouTube Music
In many ways, Spotify is the quintessential Wear OS app because of Spotify Connect. Opening the application immediately lets you play/pause and next/back anything that is playing on any device from phones and tablets to your computer and speakers. It’s incredibly fast and convenient, while a swipe up (which is a bit too hidden) lets you access shuffle and repeat for your current queue.
Meanwhile, a swipe left lets you find anything and direct where it plays. Spotify for Wear OS was just updated with very useful Tiles that gives you quick access to your “Heavy rotation,” latest podcast episodes, and AI DJ, with a tap immediately starting playback. It also added a complication that’s just the Spotify logo but is better than placing a full color app icon that stayed green and couldn’t be themed like the option we now have. Another big plus is support for an AOD mode/screen that simply notes what’s currently playing and the time.
While we’re on the topic of tunes, let’s talk about YouTube Music for Wear OS. YTM is my streaming service of choice on phones, tablets, and the web for a number of reasons, but definitely not on smartwatches. It lacks a cross-device equivalent to Spotify Connect that Google has shown no indication of replicating.
At the very least, I want any Wear OS media app to be able to control the phone client as I’m personally never without my daily driver, even when exercising. That being said, YTM for Wear OS does have full access to the YouTUbe Music library, including podcasts with offline and streaming support.
Google Home
Speaking of control, Google Home for Wear OS is also fantastic following the redesign last month that introduced the Favorites tab and more device controls, especially for lights and Casted media.
The app, following its version 2.66 revamp, is a simple feed with your frequently used smart devices shown first. Previously, the app was organized by rooms and required too much tapping and scrolling. The Google Home team correctly adapted here, while it’s nice that the device tiles are identical on the watch and phone app.
There’s a Quick Settings shortcut for Google Home on the Pixel Watch, while all other devices can place a complication. All apps should really offer a simple complication of their app icon that allows for watch face accent (and soon dynamic) color theming.
WhatsApp ft. Messages by Google
WhatsApp is a new app that’s still in beta, but came out of the gate with support for many Wear OS features. There’s a complication that serves as an unread message count, while Tiles let you quickly jump into a specific conversation and immediately record a voice message. The app even supporting that capability is a huge plus.
Meanwhile, Messages by Google is a bit more basic though it gets the job done. It was last modernized in 2021 — new icon last year — with a straightforward focus on letting you read conversation history in full. More functionality would be nice – Google Contacts has the Favorites Tile as a workaround – but it’s already better than most other chat services.
It speaks to how most messaging apps on Android don’t have a Wear OS counterpart for letting you take action once the incoming message notification has disappeared. A Google Chat and/or Voice app would be great, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for one.
Notable mentions
- In the past year, Google Keep has received a number of updates from a Material You redesign to a richer notes feed. Complications and Tiles let you quickly create a note or list, while a single note Tile is rolling out soon. It’s quite full-featured, but I wish Google would add AOD support when viewing a note. This would be useful for shopping lists when in stores.
- Google Maps does have AOD support when navigating, which works without a phone if you have an LTE watch/data connection, and a convenient Tile.
What’s next for Wear OS apps
Looking forward, Gmail and Google Calendar are coming to Wear OS later this year. Browsing your inbox might be useful, but the second new Google app is much more exciting. The Agenda experience today is too basic, with Google Calendar set to let you also manage Google Tasks from your wrist.
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