Strava will no longer support Wear OS 2.XX app, only Wear OS 3.0
Strava has announced yesterday on its support pages that from this month it will cease support for the Wear OS app for devices on Wear 2.XX. From now on it will focus on the software for Wear OS 3.0 devices.
This doesn’t mean your app will stop functioning if you have a Wear OS 2.xx watch. It is only support that is ending. Presumably you will be able to continue to use the software as you have done in the past. The app can still be found in the Google Play store but it is very unlikely it will receive many updates in the future.
The announcement is a bit of a surprise considering the only watch that runs Wear OS 3.0 currently is the Samsung Galaxy 4 watch. Sure, we are expecting more devices to be compatible with Google’s new operating system but not until well into next year. Google actually quotes ““mid to second half of 2022”.
The search giant has confirmed that Fossil Gen 6 watches will be compatible with Wear OS 3.0, along with Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, TicWatch Pro 3 Cellular/LTE, TicWatch E3 and follow-on TicWatch devices. But these are “eligible devices”. At the end of the day it will be down to manufacturers to decide whether to enable these watches to run the upgraded operating system.
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The Strava support page goes on to provide some details on the Wear OS 3.0 app. But these are along the lines of the current software. You can still use the app to track various activities that include running, cycling, walking, hiking, E-bike riding and Nordic ski.
There’s also support for Beacon which should give your loved ones confidence they can follow your activity in real-time. Location information updates every 15 seconds. Of course, Wear OS 3.0 devices without LTE functionality will need a live connection from your phone in order to send the Beacon message.
Don’t be surprised if you soon get a notice of termination from Strava for your Wear OS 2.XX based watch. The decision to cut support seems a bit premature and could very well create discontent from existing customers.
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