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Qualcomm has taken a hell of a beating in recent weeks over its previous Wear OS support and the failures of the chips it supplied. The wave of criticism has started following Samsung and Google’s announcement of a new co-developed Wear platform that will attempt to give Android wearable devices a fresh start. The fact that Google has moved closer to Samsung, and the two companies don’t seem to be on the same page when it comes to support for Qualcomm’s Wear chips and the new platform, has led to a ask whether or not Qualcomm had a future with Portez OS.
Today, to make it clear that they’re not going anywhere, Qualcomm announced yet another commitment to Snapdragon Wear chips and platforms, while naming partners who will bring those experiences to devices. One of their biggest partners, Fossil, has confirmed that it will continue to use Qualcomm for its Wear OS watches, including its flagship Gen 6 which is expected to be here soon.
This may not sound like big news to some of you, but trust me, many industry watchers have asked if Samsung will open up its new portable chips for use in devices from other companies. It could still happen, of course, but I would assume that apart from Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 4 devices, most others will continue to use whatever Qualcomm made available at the time.
Qualcomm didn’t announce any new chips today, only that they “plan to roll out new Snapdragon Wear platforms across all segments over the next year to meet our long-term vision.” That could mean a Snapdragon Wear 5100 or a 4300+ or a brand new naming scheme for all we know. But what you need to know is that Qualcomm will be in most Wear OS watches unless Samsung changes its approach.
As for the Fossil Gen 6, the company’s director of wearable strategy, Chris Hartley, said they will be launching “smartwatches” later this year with Qualcomm chips and that one of they should be the “best Wear OS smartwatch possible.” [on] the market.”
Prepare for more Qualcomm in your watches in the future.
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