Since 2014’s Gear 2 series, Samsung has been using its Tizen platform on smartwatches, but it will likely go back to its Android roots in the near future. Both SamMobile and known leakage Ice Universe claims Samsung makes a smartwatch using Android (possibly Wear OS) rather than its regular platform. This would be the first time Samsung has used Android on the wrist since early products like the Galaxy Gear and Gear Live.
It’s not sure what this wristband will look like and whether it will be a wholesale switch to Android. GalaxyClub recently spotted two model numbers indicating that Samsung’s next watches will be in two sizes, regardless of the software they use.
There are no guarantees that Samsung will make the leap. However, this may be a logical step. Although Tizen-based smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch have 3 key apps like Spotify and are generally highly regarded, there is no doubt that Wear OS’s Android ecosystem connections are lacking. Samsung might have decided that the wider compatibility is worth any compromises. This will definitely help Google, which has not had much success in portable items compared to Apple or Samsung.
With that said, it could be a controversial switch. Samsung nowadays has its smartwatch fans through a unique control scheme and a strong battery life – we did not characterize the latest watch as the best design from Apple. Would it lose the enthusiasm if it goes with Wear OS or another Android version? Wear OS devices did not produce much excitement after all. We will not exclude the use of Android that retains the benefits of Samsung, but this is far from guaranteed.