Samsung Galaxy Watch may not run Wear OS after all

Looks like it'll be plain old Tizen

Previously we've heard the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch (which may be the same product we've heard called the Gear S4) would come with Google's own Wear OS software rather than Tizen, but it now looks like that won't be the case.

Evan Blass previously claimed Samsung employees had been spotted wearing Gear watches with Wear OS software on board, but he's now clarified that these aren't devices that are set to come to market.

He said the devices were "just one-offs made by Google and seeded to some Samsung workers". That sounds like some excited developers have been tinkering behind the scenes but that these aren't watches you'll be able to buy on shop shelves.

Update: turns out these were actually just one-offs made by Google and seeded to some Samsung workers (i.e. keep moving, nothing to see here).

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 7, 2018

Although this throws salt on perhaps the most important piece of evidence suggesting the Gear S4 will in fact be called the Galaxy Watch, it doesn't mean Samsung won't adopt that name for its next watch anyway.

We've seen trademark applications for the name Samsung Galaxy Watch so it may be that the company is still going to opt for that moniker but just include Tizen software.

A strange name

Although the devices spotted on the wrists of Samsung employees may not be developed for the market, the company may still be experimenting with Wear OS software behind the scenes.

Switching to the name Galaxy Watch without including Google's own software is a strange move. Samsung originally used Android Wear software on the Samsung Galaxy Gear Watch back in 2013, but then dropped the Galaxy name when it switched to Tizen software.

Ever since then devices have come sporting Tizen and there has been no mention of the Galaxy name, which is also used on its phones that run Android software. Everything is set to get a little more confusing if the Galaxy name makes a comeback on a watch that's still running Samsung's own OS.

SOURCE BY TechRadar