At I/O 2026, Google officially announced Wear OS 7, the next major update for its smartwatch platform. The new update brings better battery life, Gemini Intelligence integration, new widget support, improved media controls, and several developer-focused upgrades.
Google says watches upgrading from Wear OS 6 to Wear OS 7 can deliver up to 10% better battery life for average users.
Select smartwatches running Wear OS 7 will get support for Gemini Intelligence. Because we know there are minimum hardware requirements for Gemini Intelligence. The company has not shared a full list of supported watches yet. Smartwatches supporting Gemini Intelligence will be launching later this year. Google says Gemini will provide more proactive and personalized help directly from the wrist.
Google has also announced a new Wear OS 7 Canary Emulator based on Android 17. Developers can use it to test apps and features before the official rollout later this year.
Wear OS 7 also introduces a completely new widget system called Wear Widgets. Until now, Wear OS has mostly relied on Tiles for glanceable information. The new Wear Widgets are designed to work more similarly to widgets across Android phones and tablets.
Google says the new widgets are powered by Jetpack Glance and the RemoteCompose framework. They support small and large card layouts similar to Android’s 2×1 and 2×2 widget formats.
The company believes this will make app experiences more consistent across phones, tablets, and watches.
Another major addition is Live Updates. This feature allows apps to show real-time updates directly on the watch screen. For example, delivery apps can show live order tracking, while fitness apps can display ongoing workout progress.
Google says Live Updates will replace the older Ongoing Activities API for Wear OS 7 devices.
The company is also expanding AI integration for third-party apps through the new AppFunctions API. This allows apps to connect directly with Gemini AI for voice-based actions. For example, users could say “Start tracking my run” to launch tracking in apps like Samsung Health without manually opening the app.
Google is also working on task automation features that will allow users to trigger app actions directly from their smartwatch. The company even showed examples like placing orders through DoorDash directly from the wrist.
Fitness apps are also getting improvements through the new Wear Workout Tracker system. Google says the feature will help developers build workout tracking experiences more easily by providing built-in support for heart-rate monitoring, media controls, and workout tools.
The company confirmed it has been working with ASICS Runkeeper for implementation.
Wear OS 7 also improves media controls. Users can now customize automatic media launching settings for individual apps directly from the watch.
Google has additionally introduced a Remote Output Switcher feature that lets users switch audio playback devices directly from the smartwatch while media is playing on a connected phone.
Apart from user-facing features, Google also announced several developer toolkit upgrades.
Compose for Wear OS 1.6 introduces improved navigation, better list management tools, and optimized ambient mode handling.
Google also updated Protolayout and Tiles libraries with faster loading, improved image handling, and Material 3 integration.
Watch Face Format version 5 is also now available with better text alignment, autosizing improvements, blend modes, and more advanced customization options for watch faces.
The announcement shows Google is pushing Wear OS much deeper into the AI era. Smartwatches are increasingly becoming AI-powered assistants instead of simple notification devices. The addition of Gemini Intelligence could also become one of the biggest upgrades for future Android smartwatches, especially as companies continue competing with Apple and its AI-focused wearable ecosystem.
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