Image source: Google

Gemini AI lands on Wear OS but will it dent battery life?

Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, is now making its way onto Wear OS smartwatches. The rollout begins today and covers devices from Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO and Xiaomi, with full support for watches running Wear OS 4 or later.


Smarter help, now strapped to your wrist

The Gemini assistant on Wear OS uses the same AI models that power its smartphone version. So in theory, users should get the same fluid, natural-language responses. But instead of reaching for your phone, you just talk to your watch. That’s the plan.

To start Gemini, you can say “Hey Google”, long-press the side button or tap its icon on your watch face. The setup mimics the existing Google Assistant behaviour, but the engine underneath has changed. That could make a difference in how quickly and helpfully it responds. Whether it consistently delivers better results than the older Assistant remains to be seen.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

What’s clear is that Gemini’s integration goes beyond basic Q&A. You can ask it to remember small things like where you parked, pull up emails, create calendar entries or even start a workout playlist. This blends the AI layer with the existing app infrastructure on your phone. And that’s where things could get interesting, or potentially frustrating, depending on how deep the integrations go.


But what about the battery?

The big unknown here is impact on battery life. Most Wear OS watches are already working with limited capacity, often needing daily or near-daily charging. The addition of an always-listening or frequently-used AI assistant could tip that balance further in the wrong direction.

In real-world use, if users start relying on Gemini for quick tasks like setting reminders, checking weather or replying to messages during workouts, it may increase watch usage overall. That’s useful, but also potentially power-hungry. Especially if Gemini requires a stable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection with the phone to fetch information or sync with apps like Gmail or Calendar.

Google hasn’t offered any specific battery optimisation notes with this rollout. So for now, users will have to monitor how it performs over time.


Deeper integrations will take time

While Gemini already taps into Google’s core services, the bigger promise lies in how it might evolve. As Wear OS 6 arrives and brands like Samsung and OnePlus layer in their own app ecosystems, Gemini could end up becoming more deeply embedded.

But that’s not automatic. You still need to enable permissions through the Gemini app on your phone, and app support might vary. So it’s less plug-and-play, more opt-in with setup required.

Rollout starts today, but it will take a few weeks to fully complete. The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 series, which was officially announced a few hours ago, will run Gemini AI out-of-the-box.

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Ivan Jovin

Ivan has been a tech journalist for over 12 years now, covering all kinds of technology issues. Based in the US - he is the guy who gets to dive deep into the latest wearable tech news.

Ivan Jovin has 1844 posts and counting. See all posts by Ivan Jovin

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