Samsung has taken the wraps off it and Google’s new unified smartwatch platform at MWC 2021 — kind of. The firm isn’t saying a brand new Galaxy Watch right now, and even what the brand new platform will likely be known as (it’s unofficially known as Wear); these bulletins will come later this summer time at a correct Galaxy Unpacked occasion. But what Samsung did showcase was a primary have a look at what its new One UI Watch software program will appear like, and it elaborated on simply what the brand new Google / Samsung partnership might imply for future Galaxy Watches.

To be clear: what Samsung is displaying of One UI Watch gained’t be what all smartwatches constructed on the brand new unified Google / Samsung platform appear like — it’s an added layer on prime particularly for Samsung gadgets. It’s much like what Samsung’s One UI does for Samsung’s smartphones. The objective is a constant look and expertise throughout all of Samsung’s {hardware} and software program, and thus far it appears to be like beautiful.

The Settings menu has been redesigned to look extra just like the cellphone’s menu, and issues sync from the cellphone: if in case you have extra time zones set in your clock app, they’ll be there on the watch, and blocked callers on the cellphone will likely be blocked on watches, too. Samsung additionally confirmed off a brand new watchface design device, which will likely be accessible for Android builders subsequent yr to simply create new watchfaces for the platform. It’s unclear but if present Tizen or Wear OS watchfaces will work with the brand new OS or One UI Watch, however the present choices have additionally been severely missing, so any new selections — even ones largely reliant on builders — are welcome.

Best of all, much like the Apple Watch, if you set up a smartwatch-compatible app in your cellphone, the corresponding watch app will robotically set up on the watch as effectively. You will not have to manually set up something as you at the moment do on Tizen-based watches, or deal with the weird on-wrist app store that has made getting apps on Wear OS irritating. You’ll simply obtain an app to your cellphone and it ought to seem instantly in your wrist, too.

The new One UI Watch expertise is predicted to first seem on Samsung wearables at a Samsung Unpacked occasion later this yr. Given different current Samsung {hardware} rumors, it seems like this Unpacked ought to be an enormous flipping deal.