Google has stopped the distribution of Wear OS 5

After serious problems with two of its smartwatch models, Google has temporarily suspended distribution of Wear OS 5. After installation, some users’ screens remained black. According to the company, they are already working on a solution.

Slow launch of Wear OS 5

The company had already announced Watch OS 5 at Google I/O in May of this year. Since then, the new Android-based operating system has been distributed very slowly to different smartwatches. In addition to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, this also includes the Pixel Watch 3. The update is now also available for download for owners of a Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2. However, some are now reporting serious problems after installation.

Pixel Watch and Watch 2 with soft brick

The screen of some watches remains black during or after the update process. Only a small Bluetooth symbol appears at the bottom of the display. It is currently unclear what the error is and under what circumstances it occurs. However, the only thing that helps is to restart and reset the clock in Fastboot.

While the number of affected users is probably relatively small, Google has stopped the distribution of Wear OS 5 for the time being. An update via the watch settings menu is therefore no longer possible at the moment. However, the OTA images of the operating system are still listed on the Google Play website and can still be manually uploaded to the smartwatches. However, the original Pixel Watch requires a debug adapter, which Google only distributes to selected people.

Solution at work

A Google spokesperson has now issued a statement on the situation to 9to5Google. Although it does not mention how long the rollout will remain paused, it assures users that we are working with all means possible to solve the problem.

We are aware of the issue affecting some Pixel Watch users, and in the meantime, we have paused the Wear OS 5 rollout and are actively working on a resolution.

Goodbye to old watch faces

However, the new version of the operating system had already caused some angry users before it was released. Because of the update, old watch faces can no longer be used. This is due to a change in the format to an XML-based standard. At least this simplifies the creation of watch faces by third parties. The new format is also easier to maintain across version updates.

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