Can Google and Qualcomm Create a Strong Competitor to the Apple Watch?
Apple Watch faces yet another challenge from Google, which now has Qualcomm on its side. The two tech giants are joining hands to build the ideal Apple Watch competitor and develop a chip that can provide reliable performance and efficiency to Wear OS smartwatches.
The Apple Watch is the undisputed market leader with a high price tag that offers added value to iPhone users. But Wear OS watches have seen less success thanks to frequent tweaks to their formula and strategy.
Google has tried its best to modify the software first with Samsung, and now Qualcomm seems to be the ideal hardware ally to develop the perfect final product. Both companies plan to develop the chip from scratch and use it in Wear OS smartwatches.
The companies say they are working on a RISC-V-based Snapdragon Wear chipset for upcoming Wear OS smartwatches, which could start with the Pixel Watch 3? RISC-V technology allows these chip giants to develop their own architecture without relying on ARM’s resources, for which they have to pay royalties.
Wear OS watches have gotten better in recent years, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 6 series demonstrate those changes. Even the Pixel Watch 2 is rumored to improve performance and battery life (I have yet to test those claims). Wear OS has had several false dawns over the years, and it feels like yet another attempt to dethrone the invincible, which will hopefully work in favor of consumers.
Now it remains to be seen whether Google and Qualcomm along with Samsung can put up a strong fight with the Apple Watch and make a compelling product that appeals to both Android and iPhone users across the globe.
