Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 5 and Pro 5 Enduro are both getting updates to Google’s WearOS 4, the watch maker announced Tuesday, and the operating system will come with a number of features that will make both watches easier to use.
TicWatch Pro 5 owners of either edition will get a backup and restore feature and notably will also get the ability to unpair and sync a watch with a new phone without needing a factory reset. That latter issue is one that I encountered while switching Android phone review units while reviewing the TicWatch Pro 5, and simplifying that transfer should hopefully save time when switching to a different phone.
TicWatch Pro 5 owners will also get some of the enhancements introduced in the Enduro model, which will include a refreshed TicHealth app that combines the tracking features of several other apps into a more streamlined location. This was a chief complaint I had when reviewing the TicWatch Pro 5 and was something I was glad to first see resolved in the Enduro model. This earlier watch will also gain the ability to customize what the side button does, adding more customization beyond the default action of pulling up a recent apps list.
The WearOS 4 update comes after a beta period for TicWatch owners and comes much faster than the years-long wait TicWatch 3 owners endured for their update from WearOS 2 to WearOS 3. The TicWatch’s WearOS 4 update also arrives just as new smartwatches are set to run on WearOS 5, however, including Google’s Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7. But TicWatch does set itself apart from those watches with its low-power secondary screen, which allows for glanceable information without having to fully power up its OLED display.
It’s also nice to see a smartwatch maker actively supporting their devices that match with many handsets rather than trying to sell you on a matching phone — with Fossil’s departure from the smartwatch market earlier this year, watches from such companies have dwindled.
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