Grade: B
As Android Central’s Wearables Editor, I ended 2024 by predicting what would occur with Galaxy, Pixel, OnePlus, and different Put on OS watches in 2025. Some predictions have been useless on; others have been wishful considering. Trying again, I am grading the place these corporations met, exceeded, or fell wanting my expectations.
I incorrectly guessed that Samsung would not “go the squircle route” and that we might see a Moto 360 successor this 12 months. However regardless of my misses, I am typically proud of my educated guesswork.
Put on OS in 2025
This 12 months noticed the launch of the brand new Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip, and whereas I noticed this coming, I did not anticipate its incremental effectivity enhance and satellite tv for pc tech. I might hoped for main energy positive aspects or for Google and Qualcomm to launch their joint RISC-V chip initiative, however alas, neither materialized in 2025.
Alternatively, Put on OS 6 introduced a serious well being & health focus with Samsung including an equal to coaching load (Vascular Load) and different well being instruments (Antioxidant Index), although the upcoming coronary heart failure predictor is a pleasing shock.
With Google, the Fitbit Private Well being Coach preview reveals Google making an attempt to “sustain with health rivals,” with coaching plans for biking, weightlifting, and different sports activities apart from working, as I might hoped. Plus, the Pixel Watch 4 obtained a pleasant enhance with dual-band GPS.
Nonetheless, I’ll admit that Put on OS 6 had extra substantial UI and system modifications than I might anticipated with the arrival of Materials 3 Expressive.
I had a sense that Gemini wouldn’t solely blow up on Put on OS after taking on the Google Assistant but in addition grow to be the Pixel Watch 4’s “killer app.” It is not too shocking that Google made certain to present its smartwatch unique AI tips: Increase to Discuss and on-watch good replies.
On the Galaxy Watch 8, I famous that I did not anticipate Samsung to make use of a squircle show, that we might see a Galaxy Watch 8 Basic, and that Samsung would hold promoting the Extremely earlier than launching an Extremely 2 subsequent 12 months, all of which largely got here true this 12 months. Nonetheless, I did not anticipate the Galaxy Watch 8 to ditch its ordinary rounded model for a squircle design, giving it its first main redesign in a while.
One good factor we noticed this 12 months was that Facer’s declare that it was “working onerous with Google” to resolve its Put on OS 5 ban wasn’t simply corporate-speak: It partnered with Google to deliver Third-party watch faces again to Put on OS 6, they usually look nice.
Sadly, not everybody was on board with Put on OS like I had hoped. It was wishful considering that Motorola would return to Put on OS. We did see an HMD World Put on OS leak this summer season for 2 “Rubber” youngsters’ smartwatches, however they’ve but to grow to be official, and since HMD has deserted American Nokia smartphone gross sales, I am undecided if they will ever launch.
I additionally warned that Put on OS would proceed to be plagued with gradual updates from corporations that are not Samsung and Google, notably that Mobvoi would wrestle to implement Put on OS 5 on TicWatches; seems, Mobvoi could have stopped promoting TicWatches for good. OnePlus was additionally not proof against gradual updates, regardless of having probably the greatest Put on OS watches available on the market, and it is now months behind its promised Q3 replace window for the Watch 2.
There have been additionally no {hardware} updates for Fitbit watches in 2025, which isn’t any shock. Whereas I knew I used to be “going out on a limb,” I assumed Google would possibly cease promoting Fitbit {hardware} completely — apart from the Pixel Watch — and would possibly increase its app to extra watches. As a substitute, Google is promising new Fitbit {hardware} in 2026, so I am thrilled to be incorrect.
Google in 2025: B+
Trying again on Google’s 12 months, it is largely very optimistic. I gave the Pixel Watch 4 a glowing evaluation and have continued to get pleasure from utilizing it months later. Each my battery take a look at and health take a look at confirmed important enhancements over the past technology. Put on OS 6 impressed me with its overhauled UI, and the brand new Fitbit app is promising — although that is extra of a 2026 improvement.
Whereas the primary {hardware} launch will get an “A,” I’ve to knock Google for a number of different developments. First, the Pixel Watch 1 did not get Put on OS 6, confirming that Galaxy Watches get no less than one additional model replace than Google’s, if not two. This lessens Pixel Watches’ long-term worth.
The messy Put on OS 5.1 replace in March proved that Google had some QC work to do, although later updates have been pain-free. My larger criticism is about Google’s Put on OS stewardship: Mobvoi fleeing the platform in 2025, after Fossil left in 2024, suggests the “open” platform is not worthwhile sufficient for smaller, non-Android manufacturers anymore.
We do not have Pixel Watch 4 gross sales numbers, however Omdia‘s chart reveals how Google’s wearable income since 2022 have peaked in each fourth quarter, and we will assume the Watch 4 will hit a brand new excessive, given its wonderful {hardware} and optimistic person critiques up to now.
Samsung in 2025: B
Samsung is persistently one of many high smartwatch manufacturers worldwide, however its gross sales dipped dramatically in Q1 2025 and have not totally recovered. Omnia reveals Samsung wearable gross sales climbed this fall, however Samsung nonetheless misplaced 2% market share, whereas Counterpoint tracked a 5% market drop for Samsung smartwatches within the final quarter.
You may blame a number of elements, like a lackluster Galaxy Watch 7 technology or Huawei stealing Samsung’s worldwide market share. It is smart that Samsung took a giant swing with the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Basic designs, making an attempt to recapture client curiosity, and reversing its falling tendencies is perhaps a long-term venture.
My colleague Brady loves how skinny and lightweight his Watch 8 is, and says individuals should not dismiss the squircle design as ugly till they see it in particular person. I additionally like my Basic’s rotating bezel and scale border, however I am extra lukewarm on its cumbersome weight and smaller show. The Extremely (2025) is barely price mentioning, with the cheaper fashions stealing the Extremely’s look, third button, and brighter show.
I respect Samsung’s dogged willpower to trace as many well being metrics as attainable. On the health aspect, the Working Coach and the new iFit video exercises will not wow anybody.
I am extra captivated with Samsung’s spin-off of Put on OS 6, One UI 8 Watch, which provides wonderful Tiles and the helpful Now Bar alongside new watch faces and an effectivity enhance. And with the Galaxy Watch 4 anticipated to obtain the replace earlier than EOY, Samsung has established itself as the higher choice for software program help over Google.
OnePlus in 2025: B-
Talking particularly about OnePlus’s Put on OS fashions, I am much less enthused than I used to be earlier within the 12 months. Issues began out robust with the OnePlus Watch 3: Its battery life is unprecedented for a real smartwatch, it fastened a number of flaws within the final mannequin (reminiscent of including a useful crown), and it has an aesthetic titanium look.
Sure, the “Meda in China” typo delayed its launch into April, however that was a nothingburger. And OnePlus adopted up by launching a Watch 3 43mm in July, and whereas the signature battery life has shrunk, it nonetheless lasts two days, the identical because the Pixel Watch 4 45mm.
The larger situation issues the OnePlus Watch 2 and Watch 2R. OnePlus Watches are as a consequence of obtain two OS updates, however these 2024 fashions are nonetheless caught on Put on OS 4 — two variations behind the competitors — delayed from OnePlus’s promised Q3 2025 replace window for Put on OS 5. I assumed OnePlus could be higher than Fossil and Mobvoi at promptly updating its watches, and I am involved that historical past is repeating itself.
Then we ended the 12 months with the OnePlus Watch Lite, which I hoped could be an inexpensive Put on OS watch; as an alternative, it will use a proprietary OS, much like the unique OnePlus Watch. This does not assure that OnePlus will abandon Put on OS for good, however it does really feel like one other warning signal.
