Galaxy Watch 4: Samsung teases new One UI Watch at MWC 2020
In the period leading up to Samsung's presentation at MWC, all signs pointed to a new smartwatch! The internet assumed that the manufacturer would introduce the new Galaxy Watch 4. However, the new smartwatch was only teased briefly and focused on One UI Watch. Even though, what Google and Samsung are creating with it is no less exciting.
- Samsung focused on the new operating system "One UI Watch" at the MWC event on June 28.
- With this, the collaboration between Google and Samsung finally gets a name.
- The manufacturer only briefly teased the Galaxy Watch 4.
Samsung's smartwatch fan base is likely to walk out of the evening of June 28 with mixed feelings. Those who were looking forward to technical details and a price for the new Galaxy Watch 4 were disappointed. What Samsung showed off at Mobile World Congress 2021, nevertheless, is no less exciting. Because we now know that Samsung's smartwatches will be running an operating system called One UI Watch in the future.
As was made clear at Google I/O in May, Samsung will be moving away from its own "Tizen" operating system for wearables. Google's WearOS and Tizen are now merging and going by the name "One UI Watch". A naming scheme laid out to Samsung's customized Android version "One UI", which has many fans in the smartphone world.
This is what One UI Watch is supposed to do better
What you'll benefit most from with the new One UI Watch is the tighter connection between Android and the mobile operating system. As Samsung shows in a video, the installation of apps will work automatically in the future. If you install Spotify on your phone, you can also use the music streaming service on the Galaxy Watch 4.
You also no longer have to search for alarm tones or battery settings in Samsung's wearable app, but directly on the phone. This sounds convenient, but in practice it could also lead to more search times for new features. After all, not all features are conveniently bundled in one app anymore.
Google also wants to get designers on board with One UI Watch and has developed a platform for this, with which new watch faces can be designed. In general, however, menus and buttons are more reminiscent of Samsung's One UI 3.0 in dark mode, as found on the new Samsung Galaxy S21 models, for example.
Before we get back to the question of when the Galaxy Watch 4 will finally be available, here are a few numbers:
- Apps are said to be nearly 30% faster under One UI Watch.
- Despite that, the mobile OS remains more power efficient and is said to allow for longer battery life.
- The first time we can try out One UI Watch is on a mysterious new smartwatch, for which there is already a rough presentation date.
Galaxy Watch 4 to be unveiled in summer
In a press release, Samsung does reveal when we might get to see the Galaxy Watch 4. "The new Galaxy Watch" will be unveiled "as part of Samsung's next Unpacked event this summer," it said. The accompanying teaser on YouTube is rarely vacuous, though.
Which smartwatch Samsung will end up showing remains to be seen. As soon as the summer event gets a date, we'll let you know and when it does, of course, we'll write you the link to the live stream and a recap like this one. Until then, the comments section is open for speculations and opinions!
