What you need to know
- Pixel Watch 1 and Watch 2 users will again have to wait longer for the Wear OS 5 rollout.
- While the September update was released as part of the Wear OS 5 expansion, it caused issues with the older Pixel Watches.
- It included the devices getting stuck on a blank screen after updating.
- Google says it is observing the issues, and the Wear OS 5 rollout will only resume later this year.
Google's Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 very recently received the September update as part of the Wear OS 5 expansion. While it brought some issues to the smartwatches, Google halted the update and shared more details regarding the expansion on Friday (Oct 12).
As mentioned above, the smartwatches bearing Wear OS 3.5 and 4 were eligible for the latest OTA update, which was rolled out on September 24. However, it was quickly paused the next day because some Pixel Watch 1 and Watch 2 owners experienced issues like the device getting stuck with a blank screen right after the firmware update.
In a new Pixel Watch community post, the company announced that it is still "actively working on a resolution." This means there is no specific release date for the new update just yet. Google notes that the Wear OS 5 rollout will only begin later this year after the team mitigates "the observed issues." More updates regarding the rollout will likely be shared in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Pixel Watch 1 and Watch 2 users experiencing the issues are guided to reset their smartwatches. The company is also providing relevant guides and steps on how to fix smartwatches with blank or frozen screens.
So, users who have installed the September update bearing AW2A.240903.005.A2 version for the Pixel Watch 1 and Pixel Watch 2 with AW2A.240903.005.A1 are likely the ones experiencing the aforementioned issues and are advised to reset their devices.
Although Google's prompt resolution of the Pixel Watch issue is welcome, it would have been more interesting if the search giant had developed a workable solution instead of giving the owners an ambiguous time frame.
For those wondering, Wear OS 5 was first previewed at Google I/O this year. It ought to bring major upgrades to battery life, fitness, and watch faces. For example, with Wear OS 5-powered Pixel Watch, users can experience 20% less power consumption than with the smartwatch bearing Wear OS 4.
