The Samsung Gear S4 is already in the works. Over a year ago, a leaked Samsung patent showed possible Gear S4 features. The South Korean tech giant didn’t release the S4 last year but only new variants of the S3 such as the Frontier TUMI edition and the Gear S3 Classic. The company hasn’t abandoned the wearable industry yet. A new smartwatch is being prepped for lunch and before we know it, we’re presented with a Gear watch running Wear OS and not Tizen.
This isn’t the first time we’re hearing the idea of a Wear OS-powered Samsung Gear S4. The leaked Samsung patent from last year showed us the possible features. Codenamed SM-R800, the device may have an LTE version already. That’s not the biggest advancement though, as the smartwatch may now be powered by the new Wear OS platform.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch is reportedly going back to Android with Wear OS. Master Leakster Evan Blass said he’s seen something interesting on the wrists of Samsung employees–Gear watches running not Tizen, but Wear OS. We have no idea where @evleaks was hanging out but we know he’s a reliable source.
The idea of a Gear watch running Android Wear or Wear OS may help boost Samsung sales. Having Tizen sets limits to Samsung Gear line’s growth because choices for watch models are limited. Meanwhile, Wear OS is now a standard that can run on different smartwatches by different OEMs.
It’s interesting to note that last year, Tizen has overtaken Android Wear for the first time since 2015 according to Strategy Analytics. We found it hard to believe but it’s not impossible.
Tizen OS VS Wear OS/Android Wear
The latest Samsung Galaxy Watch patents tell us the new line may be called the Galaxy Watch instead of Gear S. Perhaps this has something to do with the move to Wear OS (rebranded Android Wear). Does the wearable OS really matter? Of course, it does as in any other gadget.
So how is Wear OS different or better from the Tizen OS?
Aside from the fact Tizen is limited to Samsung-made watches, the features are limited. Obviously, they are Gear S-focused. It’s not just for wearable but also for available for other devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooks, and in-vehicle infotainment devices among others. It brings rich and flexible features to smaller devices by improving battery life and performance. It’s very easy to use.
At one point, Samsung was rumored to be considering Tizen for all its devices. First Tizen devices made an appearance at the MWC 2014. Tizen phones were also believed to be revealed then but some Tizen partners lost interest ahead of MWC.
Features of the latest Tizen OS (Tizen 3.0) offer mainly the following: multi-user supports, intensified security, latest web technology, and high-performance graphics. Here’s a list of the major Tizen 3.0 features:
• 64-bit support
• Crosswalk
• Latest Linux LTS (Long Term Support) Kernel
• Multi-user support
• Multimedia recognition
• Simple and Flexible Security
• UHD support, Optimized Native Graphics
• User Interface
• Vulkan – New Generation Graphics API
• Wayland – Lighter and better display server
• IoT Capability (Device Convergence and IoTivity for Connectivity)
As for Wear OS, the platform recently received enhanced battery saver actions on Google, new Actions and Assistant features, and latest system images on the official Android Emulator. The Wear OS’ numerous advantages include the Google Assistant, integrations of apps (Google Calendar/Google Pay/Keep/Maps/Uber), advanced communication (Messaging/Gmail/Phone), Google Fit/health app integration, Music download or streaming, and Android and iPhone compatibility.
Seen on the wrists of Samsung employees: Gear watches running not Tizen, but Wear OS.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) May 23, 2018
