Wear OS App Update Brings Faster Google Pay, Time Zone Bug Fix, Appointment Redesign

Alongside the release of Android P Beta 4 aka Android P Developer Preview 5, Google has also started to roll out an update to its Wear OS app. The latest app update brings with it some key modifications including some bug fixes. Specifically, the latest version of the Wear OS app comes with certain changes that will enable Wear OS smartwatches to open Google Pay app quicker than before. Earlier, it was easier and quicker to make payments using contactless cards or via smartphones. But now, the method of making payments via wearables is said to be faster than earlier.

The latest version of the Wear OS app is now available via Google Play. The Wear OS companion app update has listed some changes for Wear OS, revealing the new features. To recall, last year, Google made some changes to how it delivers new features and improvements to Android Wear-powered smartwatches. It had noted that users will soon be able to receive some of these new features to their smartwatches via Google Play store. This is probably the first time that Google is using this update method. For the uninitiated, Google had rebranded Android Wear to Wear OS earlier this year.

According to the changelog, the Wear OS update will "allow you to pay faster with quick-starting Google Pay." Apart from the Google Pay speed upgrade, certain design tweaks have also been introduced in the update. The updated Wear OS app gets a new 'glanceable design' for events and appointments. Additionally, a fix for a time zone bug that has affected some users is included in the latest update.

Notably, users will now have to update the entire Wear OS for these changes, meaning anyone with a Google Pay supported smartwatch running Wear OS can head to the Play Store and download the update. The update for the Wear OS app was pushed out on July 20.