Wear OS 6 Update Arrives on Pixel Watch 2 and 3

Google not only pushed out a fresh update to Pixel phones today, it is giving Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 owners a huge update to Wear OS 6 with Material 3 Expressive. The update went live without mention from Google, but we spotted the factory images. The update should rollout shortly if it hasn’t started already.

The new update arrives as build BP3A.250905.014.W3 for all models of the Pixel Watch 3 and 2 in both WiFi/Bluetooth and LTE configurations. You can try this trick to force the update if you haven’t and can’t wait for it to pop-up on your watch.

• UPDATE: The tapping trick worked on my Pixel Watch 3 and it is now running Wear OS 6 with all of the Material 3 Expressive goodness. The update is large, so make sure you have at least 50% battery before attempting to install.

So what’s new in Wear OS 6? We’ll still attempting to update our Pixel Watch 3, but Google detailed this major Wear OS 6 and Material 3 Expressive update back in May before Google I/O. They mostly talked about the updated design with bold colors throughout (you choose the color), bigger buttons, and a fuller screen experience with improved animations. Google has also told us that this new version of Wear OS brings at least a 10% increase in battery life, thanks to optimizations.

We just reviewed the Pixel Watch 4, which had Wear OS 6 on it already, and I can tell you that the experience is a nice change from Wear OS 5. The colors everywhere with dynamic theming are a nice touch, the animations really add to the fun of a Pixel Watch, and battery life seems somewhat better. This will be an update you’ll like.

• UPDATE 2: Google has posted the official changelog with the below fixes.

• • Dynamic color theming
  • Rounded fonts & icons
  • New Wear 6 components (Edge buttons, Pickers, Dialogs, Scrollbar, etc.)
  • Updated Tile templates/layouts

• • Stay on track with directions that auto-launch on your smartwatch when you walk or bike with the latest version of Google Maps app

• • Users can add time to an active Safety Check.

// Google