Google Assistant support on Wear OS 2 ending August 31 [U]

Google will soon stop supporting Assistant on Wear OS 2 watches and is encouraging people to upgrade to Wear OS 3 and newer.

Update 8/17: Following the Wear OS app update, users have been seeing the shutdown notification appear on their watches. Google (via The Verge) now says: “The last day Google Assistant on Wear OS 2 devices will work is August 31, 2023.” It’s a pretty fast turnaround, but probably reflective of how many people are actually still using old watches.

Original 8/15: Version 2.65.11.552438494 of the Wear OS companion app is rolling out today and it contains the following string: “Google Assistant support on this watch is ending soon. Please upgrade to a newer watch that supports Google Assistant and runs Wear OS 3 or later.” 

<string name=”assistant_shutdown_notification_title”>Google Assistant support ending</string>

This companion app is only used by watches running Wear OS 2 (and earlier). With Wear OS 3, responsibility for the phone app shifted to OEMs.

Meanwhile, on Wear OS 2 (and Android Wear before that), Assistant is powered by and updated with the Google app in an arrangement similar to Android phones and tablets. 

Wear OS 3 watches get a new “Google Assistant” app on the Play Store. It first launched on Galaxy Watch 4 in May of 2022 before coming to the Pixel Watch in October and Fossil devices just this June. Requiring “Android 11 and up,” it features a more modern design with supported voice commands letting you:

• Manage your time, “start a timer”, “set an alarm”, “set reminders”
• Keep in touch with family and friends, “start a call”, “send a message”
• Control your smart home, “turn on bedroom light”
• Get your questions answered, “where is the nearest coffee shop?”, “how’s the weather today?”

Assistant on Wear OS 2 vs 3

From the string we have today, there’s no firm date when Google will start the deprecation of Assistant on Wear OS 2, but streamlining what the company has to actively support is presumably the goal. For example, Google Assistant is not available on the Sense 2 and Versa 4 after being available on the previous generation of Fitbit wearables.

However, Google’s commitment to Assistant on Wear OS 3 and 4 should be more resolute. Voice interactions are needed on a small screen. Just yesterday, we spotted working on a new Assistant tile with custom actions. More broadly, Google is working to bring LLMs to Assistant.

Thanks to JEB Decompiler, from which some APK Insight teardowns benefit.

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