The next Samsung smartwatch could arrive running Google’s Wear OS operating system, according to an intriguing report this week.
The company last launched an Android Wear smartwatch back in 2014 and has preferred to release its wrist wear running the homegrown Tizen OS.
However, the latest rumours suggest a smartwatch called the Samsung Galaxy Watch could arrive later this year with Wear OS front and centre.
According to IT Home, (via PhoneArena) the comparative lack of apps on Tizen has convinced Samsung it may benefit from a return to the Google fold.
More intriguingly, the prolific Samsung leaker Ice Universe suggested that Samsung and Google may be in cahoots and collaborating on the release. Could this be the much vaunted Pixel Watch thought to be coming later this year?
Google + Samsung + Qualcomm?
This is very much in the realm of speculation at the moment, but it is still worth theorising over. While dropping Tizen now would be a strange decision from Samsung, it’s clear Google’s platform has improved a lot since 2014.
Related: Best smartwatch 2018
Also, while Samsung’s Gear smartwatches are improving, the most recent Gear S3 and Gear Sport (pictured) releases have struggled to grab the attention. Samsung’s next smartwatch will likely arrive at IFA 2018, if recent tradition is followed. That’s slated to be the Gear S4 or Gear Sport 2, and it’s perfectly possible that watch will still arrive packing Tizen.
However, a Pixel Watch, built by Samsung, packing the new Qualcomm Snapdragon chips designed for wearables, could potentially be the alliance that reels in the dominance of the Apple Watch.
Oh, and there’s also this from master leaker Evan Blass…
Seen on the wrists of Samsung employees: Gear watches running not Tizen, but Wear OS.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) May 23, 2018
Would you be intrigued by Google, Samsung and Qualcomm joining forces to wrest back control of the smartwatch market from Apple? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
