(Credit: Google)
Google I/O 2026 mostly focused on AI improvements across Gemini, but Google also unveiled Wear OS 7 with the changes to expect on your smartwatch when it receives the next-gen software.
The biggest upcoming feature is called Live Updates, which first debuted on phones running Android 16, allowing you to track rideshares, deliveries, select live events, and more through a new type of notification that emulates other online tracking tools.
The notification style lets developers create a timeline to keep you informed about the service's status, showing the progress it has made so far. Google has designed it so developers can easily port the feature between Android phones and watches, meaning you should see it appear across multiple apps as development time is reduced.
You could also find that your smartwatch lasts longer when it receives Wear OS 7, with Google claiming improvements of up to 10% in daily use, thanks to new power optimizations.
Improved widgets are also imminent, giving instant, glanceable information for supported apps. It uses the same background tech as Android's most recent widget tech, allowing them to appear in either 2x1 or 2x2 layouts with clear, easy-to-use features.
AI-powered upgrades include Google sharing that “select watches arriving later this year” will come with Gemini Intelligence by default. It says that this will provide “proactive and personalized help to our users so they can focus on what matters.”
Google hasn’t shared which upcoming smartwatches will support it, but it may be ready for the rumored next-gen Samsung Galaxy Watch or the next Google Pixel Watch.
Developers can offer similar but distinct features via the AppFunctions API, which lets them port Google's Gemini assistant into the app so users can interact with the service to navigate and set up features.
Google's aim is to make talking to your watch easier by letting all developers use Gemini, meaning users don't have to rethink how to talk to their watch each time they activate it. This may be a while before it appears within apps, as Google is only now setting up an early access program.
Wear OS 7 also gives you more control over which settings appear for each media app. It lets you choose which apps auto-launch controls on your wrist when you’re playing music from your phone. For example, you can tailor it so these appear automatically in Spotify but not when watching YouTube videos.
It also lets you control where audio plays from your wrist using Bluetooth, just as it does on your phone. It lets you switch to other connected devices, such as playing music from a Google Nest Hub, and lets you control tracks from your smartwatch.
We don’t yet know when Wear OS 7 will launch, as Google doesn’t maintain a consistent yearly cadence for its smartwatch software. The last update, Wear OS 6, launched in July 2025, and it’s still rolling out to many new devices, so it may be a wait until this arrives on your wrist.