Revolutionizing Wear OS: Google Partners with Masimo to Upgrade Smartwatch Health Features

In a surprising move, Google has teamed up with Masimo, a company that's been at odds with Apple over blood oxygen tracking technology, to develop a new reference platform for Wear OS smartwatches. This partnership aims to supercharge the abilities of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create innovative, competitive, and compelling smartwatches for consumers. The new platform will feature optimized hardware and software components, biosensors, and a companion Android smartphone app, all designed, provided, and tested by Masimo. The health and wellness capabilities of these smartwatches will be powered by the same biosensing innovations and analytics that drive Masimo's own W1 Sport and upcoming Masimo Freedom smartwatches. This means that users can expect accurate, reliable data, seamless integration with their Android phones, and a smooth, high-performance experience. Masimo's engineers have worked tirelessly to optimize the "guts" of the smartwatch, ensuring that OEMs have creative control over the user interface and exterior design. The platform will be compatible with existing Google apps and services created for the Wear OS platform, making it easier for developers to integrate the new features. This partnership marks a significant shift in the wearables industry, as Masimo's technology will be used to enhance the health-tracking capabilities of Wear OS smartwatches. With this new platform, OEMs will be able to create smartwatches that go beyond basic fitness tracking, offering users a more comprehensive and accurate picture of their health.