Mar. 12th 2019 3:17 pm

One of the biggest complaints of most smartwatches today is battery life. Almost any proper smartwatch lasts only a day or two before needing a charge. This is especially true on Wear OS, but Google is apparently trying to combat it. With the latest Google Fit update, some Wear OS watches will be able to use a battery saving low power GPS mode, and it launches on the Ticwatch Pro.

A new update for Google Fit on Wear OS brings some under the hood improvements which can lead to battery life gains, Google tells us. The update apparently enables Google Fit to take advantage of a special low power mode for GPS functionality, specifically during a workout.

Google hasn’t provided any details on exactly how this works or what kind of hardware is required as of yet. The company does tell us that if a Wear OS watch does support the mode’s requirements, any Wear OS partner can take advantage of it.

The first Wear OS device to support this new low power mode in Google Fit is the Ticwatch Pro from Mobvoi. While no specific numbers are available, the company tells us that users will see battery life improvements in “most situations” when Google Fit is being used.

Update: Google does mention, however, that the battery savings require more specific to the situation. One example cited is using Google Fit to actively track a workout while disconnected from a paired smartphone.

The new Google Fit update with low power GPS mode on Wear OS is available now for Ticwatch Pro owners and rolling out for other models.

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