Last year at Google I/O, Samsung and Google announced the new unified platform of Wear OS that brought Google and Samsung wearable technology together. The two companies have been working closely for years, but this was a further step in combining forces on software.
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While many welcomed the unification, there were equally as many disappointed because Samsung did not integrate all of Google’s technology. Google Assistant was a feature that many Galaxy Watch4 owners wanted but didn’t get in the new WearOS.
The release of Wear OS Powered by Samsung on the Galaxy Watch4series was a momentous step for both companies and one that could only be accomplished through a truly collaborative partnership driven by our shared goals. When we merged our very own Tizen-based software platform with Google’s operating system, we knew that we could bring immense improvements to the overall user experience via Wear OS. It was – and still is – enabling various features like the Watch Face Studio, which helps both users and designers easily and intuitively create their own watch faces.
We’re bringing the best of our partnership forward, and together, we’re striving to create innovative experiences for Samsung Galaxy users. As such, Wear OS truly exemplifies the value of our collaboration. In fact, I think we can officially call Wear OS an undeniable success, as there are now more than three times as many active Wear OS devices as there were last year. We see this growth in our wearables as just the beginning of even greater things to come.
Samsung
On the 11th of this month, Patrick Chomet, EVP and Head of Customer Experience Office at Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung, announced that Google Assistant would come this summer on a Wear OS update. Today is that day; Galaxy Watch4 owners should update their watches and have access to the new feature.
With the Wear OS update that opens access to Google Play, Galaxy Watch4 owners will be able to download Google Assistant – enabling fast and more natural voice interactions. The update will also give users access to Google Pay, Maps and YouTube Music.
Once Google Assistant has been downloaded and activated, it can be run in the app tray of the watch. Users can also invoke Google Assistant by voice or by assigning the home button to run it with a press and hold. It can also run independently on Galaxy Watch4 – meaning it can be used on the watch even if Google Assistant isn’t installed on your phone.
Samsung
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