Wear OS updates will pick Wi-Fi, cellular over Bluetooth for downloads

Abner Li | Dec 16 2024 - 3:55 pm PT

A new version of Google Play services on Wear OS will see watches download updates using Wi-Fi and cellular networks instead of Bluetooth.

The changelog for version 24.49 of Google Play services has two entries for Wear OS under “System Management”:

[Wear] When you update your wearable device, Wi-Fi and cellular networks will now be prioritized over Bluetooth for faster downloads. If Wi-Fi isn’t available, you can choose your preferred network instead.

Downloading/transferring updates over Bluetooth is very slow and the go-to tip (for the Pixel Watch) is turning off that radio to force Wi-Fi connectivity. This might no longer be necessary going forward. It’s unclear if this is just for the Pixel Watch or all wearables.

(Meanwhile, another nice quality-of-life improvement would be the addition of a “Check for update” button instead of having to repeatedly tap the screen.)

Meanwhile, the second entry is about automatically setting the timezone:

[Wear] With this new feature, you’ll be able to update the timezone of your watch to match your current location, even when your watch is offline.

Under Device Connectivity, Google touts a new invitations settings screen for Cross-Device Services. Today, it’s Call casing and Internet sharing, with Google promising more.

[Phone] With the new cross-device services with invitations settings screen, you’ll be able to find, invite, and turn on cross-device features.

Like with all Google System Release Notes, it might take a few weeks (if not months) for the features to actually become available even after the latest app version becomes available on your device.