Pixel Watch: Wear OS 5 causes massive problems, Google delays rollout

Google began rolling out the Wear OS 5 update to the Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 on September 24, 2024. Shortly after the rollout started, users complained on Reddit, among other places, that the update made their smartwatch practically unusable because the watch was stuck on a black screen.

Affected users will have to reset their Pixel Watch to factory settings, but this will result in the loss of all data stored on the watch, requiring apps to be reinstalled and watch faces to be set up again. Google has now confirmed in a support article that the company is working on a solution to this problem. Meanwhile, the rollout of Wear OS 5 for the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 was halted back on September 26th to prevent more users from encountering this error.

The rollout of Wear OS 5 for the Pixel Watch is scheduled to continue later this year; Google has not yet been able to provide a more precise schedule. It is unclear whether this means that updates for users who have already installed Wear OS 5, such as the security update from October, will also be delayed. Wear OS 5 introduces a number of new features already known from the Pixel Watch 3 (approx. 399 euros on Amazon), including a grid view for app selection, an audio recorder app, and a privacy dashboard Improved run tracking and longer battery life.

I have been writing for various publications in the technology sector since 2009 until I joined the Notebookcheck news editorial team in 2018. Since then, I have combined my many years of experience in notebooks and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to inform our readers about new developments on the market. My design background as an art director of an advertising agency also allows me deep insights into the peculiarities of this industry.