Google releases Android 15-based Wear OS 5.1

Google has released a new version of its operating system for smartwatches — Wear OS 5.1 — without any fanfare. It is based on the brand’s latest version of OS for smartphones — Android 15 — and succeeds Android 14-based Wear OS 5.

The company is currently rolling it out to the Pixel Watch 1, Watch 2, and Watch 3, making them the first wearables to get it. Unfortunately, there’s no information about which Samsung Galaxy Watch models will get it and when they will get it.

Wear OS 5.1 features

Google released the preview version of Wear OS 5.1 in November 2024. It brought two major features, Credentials Manager and the ability to play media via a smartwatch's inbuilt speaker. Credential Manager makes it easier for you to sign into apps and services by saving PINs, passwords, passkeys, and federated identity authentication (such as Sign-in with Google).

Google is offering Wear OS 5.1 to Pixel Watches as part of the March 2025 software update. Apart from the features mentioned above, it offers three more features, menstrual health support, media controls upgrade, and step count enhancements, However, there’s no information on whether they are part of Wear OS 5.1 or if Google is offering them exclusively to Pixel Watches.

Menstrual health tracking is already available on Galaxy Watches. As for media controls upgrade, this enhancement makes it easier to “control audio content from the watch with control types based on content being played (such as Podcasts within YouTube music).” Whereas, enhancements to step counts include a new algorithm to count steps while walking/running that offers better accuracy.

When will Samsung Galaxy Watch models get it?

Samsung may release Wear OS 5.1 to Galaxy Watch models with a new version of One UI Watch, most likely One UI 6.5 Watch. The brand may offer it to Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 6, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Watch FE. Considering that it will take Samsung a considerable amount of time to bake it with One UI, don’t expect Wear OS 5.1 to arrive on Samsung wearables soon.

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