TAG Heuer Connected Wear OS update future

Feanor

Google announced a big update for the Wear OS platform for later this year. Questions were immediately raised about compatibility of the new OS version with older hardware (i.e. the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor that powers the Connected 2020).
Now Fossil announced that indeed all current Fossil smartwatches (also largely powered by the 3100) WILL NOT be updated to the next version of Wear OS:
https://9to5google.com/2021/06/05/fossil-gen-6-wear-os/
Fossil does not specify whether they made this decision based on incompatibility between the new Wear OS and the 3100 or because they didn't want to dedicate resources to the update, but things definitely don't look good for our TAG Heuer Connected watches either. I was always afraid that this day might come, since TAG Heuer decided to launch their latest smartwatch with a processor that was technologically obsolete since it was first launched. It's 28nm fabrication process was state of the art back in 2013...

binlo

Perhaps this all makes sense now, timing wise, that Tag has started the trade-in offer to entice people into getting rid of these Gen 3 watches as this may now cause their sales to slow down? 🙁

neowatch

My sentiments exactly method in their madness , though they are not giving them away.

binlo

Perhaps this all makes sense now, timing wise, that Tag has started the trade-in offer to entice people into getting rid of these Gen 3 watches as this may now cause their sales to slow down? 🙁

Anthony.R

But the trade in is for the Gen 2 to entice people to buy a Gen 3.

binlo

My thinking is the modular path is now gone to good, they will stick with this design and therefore introduce a new watch head to replace the 3rd gen device with the new Snapdragon 4100+ SoC , but will market in such a way that they will say that all your accessories etc will be fully compatible with the 4th gen version. They may even sell the watch head head on its own this time. 😁

Feanor

New info by Qualcomm says that in the end the Snapdragon 3100 inside the Connected 2020 is actually capable of running the upcoming version of Wear OS.
https://9to5google.com/2021/06/17/qualcomm-snapdragon-3100-wear-os-capable/
So, Great news! ...ooooor maybe not really, as Qualcomm weirdly proceeds that they are actively working on implementation of the new version only for the newer 4100 family of processors. And Google reiterates that nothing is certain yet.
The whole thing doesn't sound good at all for the future of our TAG Heuer Connected, but it seems that they try to hide the bad news from potential customers of the current crop of 3100-powered Wear OS watches.

Feanor

Today's new nail in the coffin of software support for the Connected; with the next Wear OS update, Google is apparently transitioning to a 64bit architecture, whereas the Snapdragon 3100 of the Connected is a 32bit SoC.
I don't even know if there is any possibility to squeeze a 64bit OS onto a 32bit SoC but I'm afraid that this would slow down the system so much that you'd wish to not get the update. What is worse than losing access to updates is receiving bad updates that botch your device.

V VCoupe376ci

If Google is transitioning to a 64 bit architecture, the Connected 2020 will not be capable of running the new OS. You can install a 32 bit OS on a 64 bit machine but cannot install a 64 bit OS on a 32 bit machine. The processor cannot natively support it.

The exception to this is in a virtual environment (zero relevance to this) where a 32 bit host can have 64 bit VMs, however emulation that is highly inefficient must be utilized.

If Google is truly moving to a native 64 bit architecture and dropping 32 bit support, this will be the end of the road for software updates at least as far as major revisions are concerned and our $2000 smartwatches are theoretically being made obsolete after a little more than a year after release.

Qualcomm’s statement that the 3100 is “capable” is confusing considering what Google has said. It seems like all the info and statements by watch manufacturers are vague or nonexistent (except Fossil). These watches cost a fortune by smart wearable standards and if the watch will stop receiving major software revisions after only one year this will be my last Connected device even though this is theoretically outside of Tag’s control.

What Wear OS 3 means for you
Wear OS has always been about wearing what you want. We’ve grown our hardware and developer ecosystems as part of our effort to offer more user choice in experience and style. As we look into the future, this continues to remain true as we provide more transparency so that you can make the choices that work best for you.

User experience is a top priority for us and we are excited about the interest we’ve received on Wear OS 3, the new unified platform. For the previous generation of Wear OS smartwatches, a system update to Wear OS 3 will bring the benefit of many of the new experiences, and in some limited cases, the user experience will also be impacted. The extent of changes brought to Wear OS 3 will also require you to upgrade and reset your smartwatch to the way it was when you first got it ("factory settings").

We expect that for these reasons, some of you will prefer to keep your current Wear OS experience. Therefore, we will offer the system upgrade on an opt-in basis for eligible devices. We will provide more details in advance of the update so you can make an informed decision. We expect our partners to be able to roll out the system update starting in mid to second half of 2022.

Wear OS devices that will be eligible for upgrade include Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, TicWatch Pro 3 Cellular/LTE, TicWatch E3 and follow on TicWatch devices, as well as Fossil Group’s new generation of devices launching later this year.

For all other Wear OS smartwatches and those of you who choose not to upgrade your device, we are committed to bringing new app experiences, like the recent updates to Gboard and Google Play, as well as maintaining security updates for a minimum of two years from device launch.

C clarkey12

I have just ordered a TAG connected but I’m wondering what the lifespan would be with the OS change? Should I keep it or wait for a newer version?