OnePlus Watch 2 to Arrive With Support for Improved Battery-Efficient Notification System on Wear OS 4

Google will allow manufacturers to reduce the amount of battery consumption that occurs when notifications are flashed on upcoming Wear OS 4 models.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 27 February 2024 18:38 IST

OnePlus Watch 2 to Arrive With Support for Improved Battery-Efficient Notification System on Wear OS 4

Photo Credit: OnePlus

Smartwatches from Google, Samsung, and OnePlus Watch 2 run on Wear OS 4

Highlights

OnePlus Watch 2 was recently unveiled with a Snapdragon W5 SoC
It features a new Wear OS feature that saves battery life
Wear OS devices track steps, heart rate using a microcontroller unit

Wear OS 4 has reportedly received a tweak that can significantly improve the battery life of smartwatches that run on Google's operating system. It will modify how notifications are processed by sending them to a different system, that is expected to improve the device's battery performance. The OnePlus Watch 2, which was unveiled on Monday at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, will be the first smartwatch that will support the improved functionality that could arrive on devices in the future.

Until now, notifications on Wear OS have been processed and managed by the application processor (AP) which handles tasks requiring more computational processing. As a result, displaying notifications also results in more power being consumed. On the other hand, tasks requiring less power such as step counting and heart rate monitoring are handled by a separate microcontroller unit (MCU). The Verge reports that Google will allow manufacturers to move the notification system to the MCU on Wear OS 4, and that will significantly reduce the amount of battery consumption that occurs when notifications are flashed.

The report highlights that the functionality was specifically designed for the OnePlus Watch 2, however, it is now going to be expanded to more smartwatches as well. Bjorn Kilburn, Vice President of Wear OS at Google told the publication that other companies will also be able to use this capability. This means going forward, showing notifications, dismissing them, or quickly replying to them will all be handled by the MCU. For the end user, this change is not likely to be visually noticeable, but they will be able to see the difference in terms of a longer-lasting battery cycle.

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The OnePlus Watch 2 was showcased on Monday at MWC. The company's latest smartwatch sports a 1.43-inch round AMOLED display and is powered by a Snapdragon W5 chipset as well as a BES2700 chip or background activity. It is backed by a 500mAh battery with 7.5W charging support. The OnePlus Watch 2 is priced at Rs. 24,999 and will go on sale starting March 4 via Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, OnePlus online store, Reliance Digital, Croma, and other offline stores.

On Monday, Google also announced two more Wear OS features. Google Wallet passes have finally been made available on Wear OS and users will be able to access different kinds of passes directly from their smartwatches. Second, Google Maps for Wear OS can now show public transit directions to help users catch a bus, a train, or a ferry.

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OnePlus Watch 2

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design and comfort
Tracking accuracy
Software and ecosystem
Battery life

Good
Good battery life
Fast wired charging
Excellent performance
Can also record short naps

Bad
Only comes in one size
Limited strap options
Watch faces need an overhaul
Thick display bezel

Read detailed OnePlus Watch 2 review

Dial Shape Round

Display Type AMOLED

Ideal For Unisex

More OnePlus Smartwatches

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Further reading: Wear OS 4, Wear OS, OnePlus Watch 2, OnePlus, MWC 2024

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More