The tech powering Wear OS - previously Android Wear - watches has stagnated since the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 was released in early 2016, but the chipmaker has confirmed there's new and improved internal tech coming soon.
Speaking with Wareable, senior director of wearables at Qualcomm Pankaj Kedia confirmed the company is set to announce a new platform for upcoming Wear OS smartwatches.
He revealed it would come alongside a new flagship smartwatch and will be inside a variety of new Wear OS devices that will be on sale for the Christmas period.
Exactly what that flagship watch will be is unclear. We're hearing a lot of rumors about the LG Watch Timepiece and considering LG supplied the two headline devices for Android Wear 2.0, it would make sense that the Timepiece will be a big focus.
We don't yet know the new of Qualcomm's new platform or many specifics about what it will offer, but it seems the company will officially be unveiling it in the coming months.
What will it bring?
Kedia confirmed some of the key features of the new platform as well as the fact it's the first purpose built chips for Wear OS smartwatches. Qualcomm has been working on the tech for over two years and it has involved a whole rethink of the system architecture.
The chipset will come in many variants that all include both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, while some third-party manufacturers will be able to turn on GPS or LTE features.
Another new upgrade will be to "improve the look and feel of the watch whether you're interacting with it or not". That likely means we'll be seeing a better always-on display features, but it could represent a surprise new feature too.
Kedia also believes the new chipset architecture will allow for Wear OS manufacturers to make smaller watches too, so expect to see some thinner and lighter devices later this year.
He also confirmed new upgrades when it comes to health and fitness as well as battery life, but exact differences between the new platform and the existing Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset are unclear.
Perhaps the most exciting part is the confirmation there will be high-tech Wear OS watches to follow later this year including that flagship product, and considering the start of 2018 has been quiet from Google's smartwatch platform that will be a good sign for smartwatch lovers everywhere.
