Wear OS on Routine Revelations

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:25:44 -0400

The step count on my Pixel Watch was consistent with expectations yesterday, so it is looking like that disconnecting and re-connecting the watch to the Fitbit app on my phone helped with the problem. I did notice an odd situation of the step counts decreasing by a few hundred after ending a workout and I am not sure what is going on with that, but at least the counts are in the ballpark of being correct. I don’t expect high accuracy here, close enough but consistent is what I need to track how I am doing over time.

Fitbit On Pixel Watch Update 1

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:18:03 -0400

My Reddit post about the Fitbit app on my Pixel Watch is the source of an article on 9to5Google this morning as many people have replied to the post stating they are experiencing the same issue.

As an update, since I disconnected my watch from the Fitbit app on my phone, restarted both watch and phone, deleted yesterday’s step and distance data and then re-connected the watch to the Fitbit app the step count appears to be within expectations.

The problem now is I am not confident that the step count will remain accurate, so the whole situation is requiring more attention that I would like. One needs to be able to rely on data like this or there is no point in even collecting the data.

I have noticed through observations while sitting here at my desk that steps are added slowly over time while they shouldn’t be added at all. I have the felling the sensors on the watch are not being used properly right now, for steps and distance the watch should only increase when one is moving forward and not while sitting at a desk typing.

Fitbit On Pixel Watch Broken

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:28:09 -0400

The March 5, 2026 Wear OS update that Google released has broken the Fitbit app. The Fitbit app of my Pixel Watch 3 is significantly over counting/doubling my steps, mileage, and calories consumed. It looks like it is doubling the counts. As an example, I have taken two walks today and the workout details appear correct, one 12 minute, 0.69 mile walk of 1,515 steps and a second 24 minute, 1.35 mile, 2,967 steps walk, but the overview shown on my phone and watch shows a total of 9,827 steps and 4.7 miles.

As an experiment, I shut off my phone and watch then started my watch. After first start up the watch shows the correct step count, but eventually it connects to the Fitbit servers and is then updated with the higher step count.

I am seeing a recommendation on Reddit of a fix involving resetting the watch, which I think means that I will have to re-install apps, but before doing that I decided to try disconnecting the watch from the Fitbit app on the phone.

After I did the disconnect I deleted the day’s step and distance data from the Fitbit app and the backend server so that it displayed 0 steps. I then restarted my watch, observed that it displayed the correct step count, and then reconnected the watch to the Fitbit app, and after a short period of time the watch and the app on the phone showed 5,462 steps.

Next, I went for another walk of 2,662 steps and afterword it showed the correct sum of about 8,124 steps. I am not ready to declare the situation is fixed with my watch but it’s looking positive.

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:41:07 -0400

Do you like Wear OS 3’s UI and navigation on the Pixel Watch? I like that swiping left or right from the watch face displays a tile because it lets me decide what I want to access most quickly. To be a tile is basically an app, and I find it hard to really differentiate between the two. My main complaint is that recents is not really recents, and seems to constantly change to whatever WearOS thinks I would want. For some reason Fitbit Exercise, which is my swipe left tile, and Fitbit today always end up at the top of recents.

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 09:54:04 -0400

Last year Google completed the acquisition of Fitbit and we still have not seen a Fitbit running Wear OS.

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:45:52 -0400

I don’t see a good way to confirm what processor type is in a Wear OS watch. Settings does not show any processor details. Consequently, I don’t know how you confirm or refute Mobvoi’s claim they are now shipping Qualcomm 4100+ chips rather than the “base” 4100.

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 10:27:07 -0400

Fossil’s Gen 6 line of Wear OS watches is now available to order, they ship at the end of the month and cost around $300. I think this announcement rounds out the watches that will use Qualcomm’s 4100 processor.

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:23:55 -0400

“The Galaxy Watch 4 just isn’t Wear OS’ flagship, it’s a Samsung watch that just happens to be running the platform.” 9to5Google.com

A bit surprised then that there isn’t an official Pixel watch in the rumor mill.

Google Wear Is A Hot Mess

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:58:36 -0400

Google Wear OS is a hot mess. During Google I/O earlier this year I got the impression that due to the partnership between Google and Samsung the pending Galaxy Watch 4 would be more in line with standard Wear OS watches. Given that it appears the Samsung watches will be the only ones to get Wear OS 3 this year, I was considering buying one.

However, as I read more reviews about the Galaxy watches I am becoming less likely to buy one. First I read that Google Assistant is not preinstalled. Next I read that the watches don’t easily pair with non-Samsung phones, nor work the the Android Wear OS app.

Amazingly, it looks like there will not be a serious Wear OS watch to buy in 2021, and there wasn’t one last year. It feels like Google has or should just give up. As the Fossil Sport I have been wearing is getting more finicky, I am contemplating my next step. Buy a Mobvoi that is expected to be the first to get Wear OS 3 next year, or dump Wear OS altogether and buy a Fitbit?

What’s worse are suggestions that Wear OS 3 may not work best on the Qualcomm 4100 chip in the Mobvoi, the chip that is the next generation smart watch chip from Qualcomm. What the heck?

Hot mess indeed

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 16:19:36 -0400

I think that Google and Samsung are planning Wear OS 3 to launch exclusively on Samsung watches. The question is, will it be available for other watches before the Christmas shopping season? The answer might be no.

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:00:42 -0400

Why is it so freakin' difficult to find what is the most current version of Wear OS? Right now I have Version 2.28 on my Fossil Sport, is that the most current version?

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 15:55:16 -0400

I’ve seen two articles today reporting that Google has updated the Play Store on Android Smartphones so that it can remotely (directly) install Wear OS apps on the watch. One of my main complaints about Wear OS is that it requires me to install/manage apps directly on the watch, which is too difficult given the small screen. In the beginning Google enabled one to install/manage their watches from the phone and they took that away in favor of a standalone app store on the watch, a move that made no sense to me at the time even if that is something done on the Apple Watch.

So far I have not seen this update appear on my Pixel 4a. While I can see the Wear OS category in the Play Store, it still really is a list of Android smartphone apps that have Wear OS components, meaning if you have to first install the app on the phone and then go in to the Play Store on the watch to install the associated Wear OS app, which is a totally braindead approach!

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:37:52 -0400

Read about the updates that Google is making to the Wear OS App Store. Wish someone would write about the stupidity of the on watch store existing. In my opinion there will never be a good on watch store experience because there is simply not enough screen space to create one. Smart watches are and will always be accessories and not stand alone computers and it best that designers get this through their heads.

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 13:54:55 -0400

I don’t normally pay much attention to Samsung events because I find their products too expensive. However, I am interested in their upcoming Mobile World Congress virtual event because of their partnership with Google on the next version of Wear OS. I am curious to see what is different and whether they may sell a watch that will work with other Android phones.

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:56:27 -0400

It’s now a year since Qualcomm announced the Wear 4100 processor and there are only two watches, both from Mobvoi, available that use it. I hope most of the watch vendors are working on new products right now that use a new version of Wear OS.

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 18:28:01 -0400

9to5Google says there will be a spring Wear OS Platform update and they cite the Tiles feature added last year. When you swipe left on the watch face you will see some information. First you could only see your Fit “rings” show step and heart point progress, but they added up to five additional tiles. After the step and heart points, I see weekly heart point progress, timer options, the current weather forecast, and my heart rate.

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 11:18:09 -0400

I agree very much with this sentiment that Wear OS Watchmakers Seem Destined to Kill the Platform. My theory is that because Google is not doing much with Wear OS that the watch makers are holding back using the Qualcomm 4100 until the 2021 Christmas shopping season. If they don’t, they won’t have a compelling reason for people to buy watches then. The fact that Google bought Fitbit doesn’t help the matter. My next watch, if it is Wear OS, will have the Qualcomm 4100 and I will wait until one is available.

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 17:24:55 -0400

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, and it’s LTE equivalent, are the only Wear OS watch currently on the market that uses Qualcomm’s 4100 watch processor.

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 14:30:00 -0400

I’ve been wondering about the future of Wear OS in light of Google closing the acquisition of Fitbit and that there are so few watches with the new Qualcomm 4100 processor. I suspect Google has drastically slowed development on Wear OS and that has forced companies to hold back launching watches with the 4100 because it may be the only new thing about them in the next year. If I am right that may mean we won’t see many watches with the latest processor until the fall.

Personally, the Fossil Sport that I currently wear has all the “features” I need but performance is not exactly reliable. I’ve begun to think one of the latest Fitbits might be good. I really wish Apple would do with Apple Watch what they did with the iPod and make it work with Android, which I think would decisively the end Wear OS, but Apple appears committed to the halo Watch gives to iPhone.

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:43:35 -0400

Google’s acquisition of Fitbit is complete, will we now see something new relating to Wear OS?

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:01:51 -0400

I really don’t think anyone should buy the Wear OS watches just announced by Fossil because they don’t have the Qualcomm 4100 chip. You are being asked to pay a lot of money for a watch that does not have the best battery life and is slower that what watches with the 4100 chip will provide. I really don’t understand why none of the new watches have the 4100 chip.

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 15:18:24 -0400

I am really surprised that there haven’t been more Wear OS watches with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4100 CPU announced for the Christmas buying season. Wondering what that might mean for Wear OS?

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:33:57 -0400

I am keeping an eye on the latest Wear OS watch announcements Fossil announced their new Gen 5E line, which I recommend people do not buy. The Gen 5E still uses the Qualcomm 3100 chip while there is a newer and better chip, the Qualcomm 4100 now available. I am waiting for a watch running the Qualcomm 4100 before I replace my Fossil Sport.

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 13:41:13 -0400

Dear Google, You do a wonderful job of making it easy to move from one Android phone to another but moving a Wear OS watch along with that phone is horrible. Please bring back the ability to install and manage apps from the phone. I should not have to factory reset and reinstall all watch apps just to move to another phone.

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:02:41 -0400

I am one of the many people who used and really liked the DarkSky weather app on Android. While the Android app is great, the main reason why I bought the premium subscription was for the Wear OS app. Now that Apple bought DarkSky and shutdown the Android app, I’ve lost the DarkSky app and complications on my watch.

I switched to the AccuWeather app on my smartphone, but while it does have a Wear OS component, it is really bad in comparison to DarkSky and doesn’t have complications. I am hoping AccuWeather beefs up the Wear OS app over time. The whole DarkSky aquisition by Apple was really disappointing.

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:02:06 -0400

I am very disappointed to learn that Apple has acquired Dark Sky and decided to discontinue it’s Android application. I’ve been a happy user of Dark Sky on my Android smartphone and Wear OS watch for several years, and find it to be the best weather app on Android. I I guess I will be seeking a replacement.

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 23:45:17 -0400

Suunto 7 promises a Wear OS sports smartwatch with 12-hour battery life - SlashGear

Nice to see an old Microsoft SPOT watch vendor still in the game.

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 20:26:22 -0400

Google’s purchase of smartwatch intellectual property from Fossil is interesting. I don’t know if it is a harbinger of a Google watch but I find the statement that Google did the deal so that the IP will be available to all brands, interesting. If nothing else it affirms Google’s commitment to Wear OS.

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 22:16:31 -0400

Update regarding the freeze/resumption issue I have been having ever since the Wear OS H update was installed on my watch. I’ve turned off always on display and since doing that the symptom has not appeared.

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 19:22:38 -0400

Did a little more gardening today, updated the Fossil Q Explorist page with an observation on what I think is triggering the freeze/long resumption issue the watch has had ever since installing the H update of Wear OS.

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 11:31:57 -0400

Wear OS H Update Problems

Wear OS Update H installed on my watch two days ago. There appears to be a problem recovering from the new “deep sleep” / suspend mode. At intermittent times the watch appears to be unresponsive, basically it looks as though it is frozen after I attempt to wake it by either moving my arm, tapping the screen or pressing the crown. Eventually it does come back/recover, which leads me to suspect the watch has gone in to suspend/deep sleep and takes a long time to resume. I appreciate the idea of saving battery life by going into such a state, but the watch needs to recover much faster as right now it is a horrible user experience. Is anyone else seeing this? Is this a known problem with a fix in progress, or is there a way to disable this “feature?”

I started to notice this behavior yesterday. I’ve restarted the watch in hopes that might resolve. My fear is that this is a processor issue causing this watch to not be able to resume from this form of suspend fast enough.

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 11:50:04 -0400

The Wear OS “H” update arrived on my Fossil Q Explorist yesterday. I am curious to see how much battery life improves. Apparently Google has added a deep sleep mode that kicks in after 30 minutes of no activity, but I am not sure how activity is defined.

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 16:08:26 -0400

Wear OS update today: 5 reasons to be excited - SlashGear

Awaiting the update for my Fossil Q Explorist.

Keep An Eye On The Watch

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:55:34 -0400

I think the smart watch market is fascinating. On one hand you have Apple, with one design and software innovation and on the other hand you have a multitude of watch designers producing a variety of different looking watches at different price points using comparatively mediocre Wear OS. It also highlights the advantage of designing your own chips because Wear OS has been constrained by slow chip development by Qualcomm.

BTW, if one is in the market for a Wear OS watch, wait until when watches with the new chips release later this year, early next. I know a number of new watches are being released to coincide with the new version of Wear OS coming next month, but I expect the new chip to provide better battery life and processing for the future.

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:41:22 -0400

I am wearing a Fossil Q Explorist, third generation. Battery life has been good enough to get through my day up until recently. It’s hard to get solid evidence because the Wear OS app does not provide much useful info on power drainers. It feels as though the problem started when upgrading my Pixel 2 to Android P. Doing a factory resert and re-pair to see if that fixes it.

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 13:42:05 -0400

Apparently Google announced they will be releasing a new version of Wear OS within the next month. Articles are available from several sources, all appearing pretty much the same. It would be nice to see a video of the changes, but apparently that has not been provided by Google.

I’ve been running the new version of Google Fit for four days, and I am pretty happy with the change. I had already made the mental shift from steps to move minutes. Fit has even suggested in an increase in my goals after using the defaults and monitoring my activity for a few days.

One problem that I do have with my watch, which is a Fossil Q Explorist, is that the battery life has been worse since upgrading my phone to Android P. I am not sure that is the exact correlation, but it feels to be the case. I’ve had several occurrences of the battery running out on my watch by early evening, which was not an issue in the past.

Mon, 07 May 2018 17:15:50 -0400

Updates to Google Assistant are coming to Wear OS.

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 09:27:04 -0400

Did a little more investigation into the watch face that Fossil “pushed” to my smart watch last weekend. What happens is, you receive a notification saying that you “unlocked” a face and whether you want to enable it. What I have found is that amongst the many faces that are pre-installed on the watch is one called Seasonal, and this is the face that Fossil pushes updates to. Consequently, Fossil is not consuming additional storage space on the watch with each “new face” as it is updating one face that is designed for different appearances, which in reality is how all faces work.

I am wondering whether there is a Wear OS app that will automatically change watch faces I specify on a set schedule. I would like to rotate through some like the Outlook face that I like to use during the work day.

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 15:35:42 -0400

I got a Fossil Explorist Q, which is a Wear OS smart watch, for my birthday. Today Fossil pushed a face, commemorating Earth Day, to my watch, which was unexpected. Now I am curious to learn what other faces Fossil will push. I think this is a nice Easter egg.

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 13:45:41 -0400

Everything restored on the Pixel 2 except for the Android Wear settings, so now I have to factory reset my watches and completely reconfigure them to manage them in the Wear OS app. What an awful user experience.