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

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.

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.