Google’s Developer Preview for Wear OS 5 gives clues about new features that will be added to smartwatches in the near future. The Google Pixel Watch 3, which is expected to be introduced next month, will be one of the first products that will introduce these features to users.
Among the new features brought by Wear OS 5, ultra-wideband and Bluetooth LE Audio support stand out. Ultra-wideband support was one of the features previously mentioned in news about Wear OS 5. With this feature, it will be possible to unlock your smartphone from the watch and for the watch to track your location more accurately.
Bluetooth LE Audio support is a feature that is not currently available on smartwatches and may be offered for the first time with the Pixel Watch 3. Bluetooth LE Audio, a Bluetooth protocol prepared for the Internet of Things, targets smart wearables with small batteries. However, Bluetooth LE cannot carry audio data on its own. Therefore, smartwatches only use this protocol to connect to the phone.
Bluetooth LE Audio support allows wearable devices to connect to your headphones and stream music. Moreover, the protocol has the ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously and stream music. Basically, people who use their smartwatches to stream music on the go will benefit greatly from the BT LE Audio protocol as it will save battery life.
Google Pixel Watch 3 could be the first smartwatch to support Bluetooth LE Audio
The Bluetooth LE Audio protocol has been supported by smartphones and headphones for a long time now, and it looks like the Pixel Watch 3 will soon be the first smartwatch to offer this support.