Wear OS smartwatch update just quietly brought a huge new feature - TechRadar

Although a massive Wear OS upgrade is expected very soon, it seems Google isn't leaving us waiting until then, because it has updated its smartwatch operating system with a new feature which you'll be surprised didn't exist already.

As per a post on the Wear OS blog, you'll soon be able to install apps for your Wear OS smartwatch via a paired Android phone, instead of having to use the Play Store app on the watch.

When this update rolls out, via your phone's Play Store, you'll be able to search for Wear OS apps and watch faces as well as ones for your phone, and install them straight from your handset?

There's also going to be an update to the design of the Play Store, inspired by Android 12's Material You design feature, which supposedly makes information easier to comprehend.

But for years before, Wear OS barely saw any updates, making it one of the lesser-used smartwatch operating systems, with manufacturers often opting to design their own software rather than use Google's. .

Though Samsung is reportedly using the new Wear OS for its Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch Active 4, the last few doldrum years may have resulted in lots of watchmakers being wary.

Lots of smartwatch fans have long hoped for Wear OS to get frequent large updates like Android does, and while that could be the case in the future, Google is going to have to prove it before we believe it.