This is the public rollout we were waiting for after Verizon support pages jumped early last week. Those pages gave the game away early, but Google’s official update note now confirms what owners are actually getting.

Pixel Watch 2 and newer get Wear OS 7

The rollout covers Pixel Watch 2 and above. The original Pixel Watch is not included, which lines up with where Google’s support window now sits for that first model. So, no surprise there.

As usual, the update may not appear for everyone at the same time. Region, model and connection type can all affect timing, so some owners may see it before others.

The build number is CP2A.260603.001. It also includes the June 2026 security patch, so this is both a platform upgrade and a routine maintenance release.

Battery gains, Live Updates and widgets

Wear OS 7 brings up to 10 percent better average battery life compared with Wear OS 6. Real-world gains will depend on LTE use, always-on display, workout tracking and notification load.

Live Updates are also part of the update. These show real-time information such as rides, deliveries, timers and sports scores directly on the watch.

Wear Widgets add another layer of glanceable information. They give developers a more flexible way to show compact app content on the wrist, rather than relying only on traditional full-screen Tiles.

Gemini gets a gesture fix

Google says Raise to Talk with Gemini now uses an improved gesture model. That should make wrist activation more accurate and reduce failed or accidental triggers.

This is not the wider Gemini Intelligence rollout Google has discussed elsewhere. It is a specific fix for how Gemini activates on the watch.

Media routing moves to the watch

Remote Media Routing lets users switch audio and video output devices from the watch. That includes Bluetooth headphones, Google Cast devices, smart displays and compatible speakers.

The feature uses the paired Android phone, but the controls now sit on the wrist. That should make it quicker to move playback between devices.

Contacts, Messages and Emergency Sharing

Wear Contacts gets a refreshed Material 3 layout. Contact cards now show larger photos and quick action buttons, while favourite contacts get a new layout.

Search also improves. Keyboard and voice search are now available directly from the contact list screen, so users no longer need to jump through Recent Contacts first. Messages gets a three-button layout designed to make common actions easier to reach.

Google has also integrated Loss of Pulse Detection, Fall Detection and Car Crash Detection with Emergency Sharing. Supported Pixel Watches and Pixel Phones can automatically notify emergency contacts when a serious incident is detected.

That change does not appear to remove any existing safety features. Instead, Google is bringing them together under a single emergency framework.

The official Google Blog has the detailed change-log.

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Hyrox is the main story

The biggest addition is HYROX support. The update adds an official HYROX workout library in the Zepp Health app, with templates that can sync to the watch for dedicated training sessions.

That gives Cheetah 2 Ultra owners a more structured way to prepare for the race format. Instead of treating HYROX as a generic workout, the watch can now work around the specific demands of the event.

HYROX Virtual Pace is probably the most interesting part. The feature generates a race strategy based on the conditions of the competition venue, then lets users adjust target times for each segment and see whether they are ahead or behind during the session.

Zepp Health has also added HYROX simulation training. This supports full race, half race, first half, second half and custom modes, which should help users practise parts of the format without always committing to a complete race simulation.

On this topic, earlier today Zepp Health held an event ahead of the HYROX World Championships in Stockholm. It showcased the new hybrid training system, along with the newly launched Amazfit Balance 3 and Ultra.

HybridCharge gets smarter

The update also brings a fully upgraded version of HybridCharge. This builds on the original BioCharge concept with more advanced calculation logic and intelligent scheduling. The point is to make the score adapt better to different sports and daily scenarios.

There is also a wording change around recovery. The watch now refers to “recommended rest time before your next high, medium or low intensity workout”, which is clearer than a simple full recovery time label.

Navigation gets a small visual upgrade

Route preview has been added to navigation. When selecting a route, the watch now shows a preview image on the workout preparation page before the activity starts.

That should help avoid loading the wrong route, although early user feedback in the Reddit thread sounds lukewarm. One user said the feature does not get in the way, but also described it as not especially useful.  

The map scale display has also been improved during activities and inside the Map app. New scale levels include 75 metres, 200 metres, 750 metres, 2 kilometres and 8 kilometres, with imperial equivalents also added.

Topographic map display gets some attention too. The update improves how the background looks when map resources have not been downloaded and adjusts the display hierarchy of some map points.

Zepp OS 6 appears to be part of the package

The update also improves status indicator behaviour. After briefly appearing on the watch face, indicators now sit more consistently in the status area at the bottom centre of the Control Centre.

Zepp Health says it has also improved the fluidity and performance of certain applications. That is vague, but these small speed and interface fixes often make a watch feel better after a few days of use.

Finally, Zepp OS 6 is also part of the package. Which means Cheetah 2 Ultra has joined Balance 3 and Balance Ultra as the only Amazfit device to feature the latest version of the operating system. Other devices are due to join this list soon. According to the schedule, Bip Max should be next.

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The calorie claim is the story

The calorie tracking system relies on bioelectrical impedance data to estimate calorie intake from changes in the body after eating. So nothing for you to enter, it is all automatically calculated for you.

The watch does not identify food on your plate or instantly know what you ate. It tries to estimate absorbed calories after the body reacts to food, which means the result is more of a delayed estimate than a live meal counter.

Sharp says the watch can compare calorie intake with calorie burn, then show whether the user is drifting into surplus or deficit. At least that’s the idea. Most people do not want to weigh food or manually enter every snack.

This brings GoBe back into the conversation

GoBe also promised automatic calorie intake tracking through the body rather than through manual logging. Sharp’s watch uses the same broad concept, but places it inside a more normal-looking smartwatch with Sharp branding and a broader health app around it.

That makes Karada Mate Watch more interesting than GoBe in one sense. It has a better chance of looking like a regular wearable rather than a single-purpose gadget with a strange claim attached.

Still, the same caution applies. This should not be treated as a precise calorie counter until independent testing proves it.

Sharp also makes the wear requirement clear. Users need to wear the watch for 22 to 23 hours per day for calorie intake and calorie burn tracking. That is a big ask, especially when battery life is listed at around 2.5 days.

The watch specs are fairly normal

The rest of Karada Mate Watch looks like a standard health smartwatch. It has a 1.32-inch OLED display with 466 x 466 resolution, always-on display support, GPS, optical heart rate, SpO2, skin temperature, bioelectrical impedance, motion sensors, barometer, compass and light sensor.

The body measures around 42 x 42 x 9.4mm, with a listed weight of about 33 grams. Sharp uses stainless steel, Gorilla Glass 5 and standard 20mm straps, so the design sounds more wearable than the calorie claim might suggest.

Water and dust resistance also look decent. Sharp lists 5ATM, IPX8 and IP6X, and says the watch can be washed with domestic foam-type hand soap under its stated conditions.

The price is ¥59,400 in Japan. That puts it well above basic fitness trackers, so the automatic calorie feature needs to carry the pitch.

The ring plays a different role

Sharp also announced Karada Mate Ring, model MH-R01. This is not the calorie-tracking device. It is the easier, lower-maintenance wearable for sleep and baseline health tracking.

The ring uses sensing technology from SOXAI, the Japanese smart ring company. It tracks heart rate, SpO2, skin temperature, activity and sleep, with data shown in the Karada Mate app.

The hardware looks competitive on paper. Sharp lists a titanium exterior, Duratect coating, 6.7mm width, 2.8mm thickness and a weight of 2.1 to 3.1 grams depending on size. Battery life is up to 14 days, which is far stronger than the watch.

The ring costs ¥41,800 in Japan and comes in gold and silver. Sizes run from 4 to 13.

The important point is that Sharp has split the roles clearly. The watch carries the unusual HEALBE calorie feature. The ring handles the familiar smart ring job of continuous tracking, especially sleep.

Sharp’s move into wearables is interesting because it does not start with another sports watch or another sleep ring clone. It starts with a risky nutrition claim and a companion ring that makes the Karada Mate brand feel more like a small ecosystem.

The post Sharp’s first smartwatch revives the automatic calorie tracking debate appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The move gives the company a clearer performance identity. Instead of treating HYROX as a logo partnership, Zepp Health is building features around the actual shape of the sport, with race pacing, training plans, recovery guidance and post-race analysis designed for hybrid athletes.

We were at the launch event earlier today. Some of the images in this article are from this gathering.

Zepp Health is building around hybrid training

Zepp Health describes the new system as a fully integrated hybrid training setup. The company says it is designed for athletes who need to balance endurance, strength and speed rather than train for one discipline in isolation.

HYROX exposes a weakness in many wearables. A normal running watch can handle the 1 km run sections well enough, but the race also includes sled work, carries, lunges, rowing, SkiErg and wall balls. That mix creates a different kind of fatigue.

The system centres on the Zepp Health app and the Amazfit Balance 3 and Amazfit Balance Ultra watches. The app acts as the hub, while the watches handle the training and race-day tools. Helio Strap fits into the wider picture as a way to improve heart-rate tracking during strength-heavy sections where wrist readings can become less stable.

This is the more interesting story. Zepp Health is not only adding another sport mode. It is trying to make Amazfit wearables more useful before, during and after a HYROX race.

The Zepp Health app gets the intelligence layer

Inside the Zepp Health app, the main additions are Training Balance, Weekly Focus and Hybrid Charge. We’ve seen these roll out to a number of different watches in recent months. The metrics are meant to give users a clearer view of how their training is split between strength and endurance, what type of work should come next and how recovered you are.

That makes sense for HYROX. A week can look manageable on paper if you only count running load, but station work changes the picture quickly. Heavy sled pushes, lunges and grip-heavy carries can leave fatigue that a pure endurance model may not understand properly.

Zepp Health says users can adjust fatigue levels after each session based on subjective feedback. As reflected in the panel discussion at the event, that detail is useful because hybrid training does not always fit neatly into sensor data. Sometimes the watch sees the numbers, but the athlete knows the session landed harder than expected.

Hybrid Charge expands that idea by combining training load, activity outside workouts, recovery, sleep and stress factors. Zepp Health also says it can include inputs such as work intensity, time pressure and reduced wellbeing caused by illness.

HYROX Virtual Pace is the feature to watch

The most specific addition is HYROX Virtual Pace. This shows whether an athlete is ahead or behind their target strategy, including the time left for each running lap and workout station.

That is a smart fit for HYROX because pacing the event is awkward. Athletes are not just trying to hold one pace. They are running under rising fatigue, moving through stations and dealing with Rox Zone transitions between efforts.

The Zepp Health app can create a race strategy based on a target result. That plan includes split times for the running segments and workout stations, with Rox Zone time shown separately. Athletes can also adjust the strategy manually, which is crucial because no two HYROX athletes lose time in the same places.

A good pacing screen could be genuinely useful in HYROX, especially for athletes trying to avoid going too hard early. The practical question is how much tapping or manual control the watch needs during the race.

Training plans are moving onto the watch

The HYROX Training Library adds another layer. Athletes can download hybrid sessions to Amazfit Balance 3 and Amazfit Balance Ultra, including different difficulty levels and race-specific sessions such as HYROX First Half Simulation and HYROX Second Half Simulation.

That is more useful than a generic workout library. HYROX training has a specific rhythm, with running mixed into functional stations. If the watch can guide that structure cleanly, it could help users train closer to race conditions.

The next step would be adaptation. Fixed sessions are fine for structure, but the bigger opportunity is adjusting plans based on fatigue, weakness, recovery and race goals. Zepp Health already has the pieces for that, at least on paper, with Training Balance, Weekly Focus and Hybrid Charge.

That does not mean the system is there yet. It means the direction is clear. Zepp Health wants the Zepp Health app to become the planning layer and the Amazfit watch to become the execution tool.

Helio Strap gives the system a cleaner data path

Hidde Weersma’s briefing points to an issue that anyone testing hybrid sports wearables will recognise. Watches tend to perform well during running, but strength elements can make wrist-based heart-rate tracking harder.

He specifically mentions Sled Push, Sled Pull and Farmer’s Carry as situations where stabilising data with a chest strap or armband such as Helio Strap can help. That gives Helio Strap a more obvious role in the system. It is not the headline device, but it could make the data cleaner when HYROX movements get awkward for wrist sensors.

For HYROX, that combination is probably more realistic than expecting one wrist device to do everything perfectly. The sport is too messy for that.

The athlete angle adds useful context

Zepp Health is also leaning on Elite 15 athletes to explain why data helps in HYROX. Weersma, the 2026 European Champion, talks about finding weak points rather than simply training harder.

His comments are worth paying attention to because they describe where HYROX races are often won or lost. He points to the drop in running pace after sled work and lunges, grip fatigue during Farmer’s Carry and Sled Pull, and lactate spikes during Sled Push, Lunges and Wall Balls.

He also says HYROX largely comes down to how fast an athlete can move around Zone 4 without burning out too early. That is a useful way to frame the role of wearable data. The watch is not just there to record the race afterwards. It can help athletes understand whether they are training at the intended intensity.

The wider athlete briefing says Emilie Dahmen used heart-rate monitoring during qualification and focused on staying calm while executing her tactical plan. Linda Meier’s World Championship win in Chicago is used as another example of pacing, composure and handling pressure. These are not just nice athlete quotes. They fit the broader point that HYROX is as much about control as raw output.

Our takeaway

This launch says a lot about where Zepp Health wants Amazfit to sit. Garmin already has the endurance crowd. Apple owns the mainstream smartwatch lane. Whoop has a strong recovery and gym audience. Zepp Health appears to be carving out space around hybrid training, where running, strength, recovery and race execution overlap.

The HYROX link did not appear from nowhere. Zepp Health first put Amazfit watches into the HYROX picture in 2024, when Amazfit became the Official Wearable and Timekeeping partner of the fitness racing series. That gave the company a route into a sport where structured data actually fits the event format, rather than feeling bolted on afterwards.

That relationship has since become much bigger. In April 2026, Zepp Health and HYROX expanded the deal into a three-year global partnership, with Amazfit positioned as the exclusive smart wearables partner across HYROX events. The broader agreement covers smartwatches, rings, straps and connected app experiences, which explains why this new system does not feel like a simple watch update.

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If you are thinking about buying a smart scale, it doesn’t get any better than Withings scales. The company has made a name for itself in this product category, and other brands have some catching up to do. This site has published a number of reviews of its products, most recently the Body Scan. So make sure to check these out.

The range now has five clear steps

The range now spans a number of different scales, at different price points.

Body Smart remains the entry point. It covers more than 20 biomarkers, uses two bioimpedance frequencies up to 100 kHz and sticks to single-zone body composition. That means fat and muscle mass, hydration level, visceral fat, BMI, basal metabolic rate and standing heart rate. For most people who want a smarter version of a normal scale, this is the basic Withings pitch.

Body Comp moves things along without adding a handle. It raises the count to more than 30 biomarkers and adds vascular age plus a Nerve Health Score. Withings describes this as detecting early signs of diabetes-related complications, so this model sits closer to a health check-up than a fitness scale. It still uses two frequencies up to 100 kHz and single-zone body composition, so the upgrade is more about health signals than body mapping.

BodyFit is the interesting middle option

BodyFit is the new model that could cause the most confusion. It costs $279.95 in the US and jumps to more than 40 biomarkers, but the real shift is the retractable handle. That enables 6-zone analysis across the body rather than one averaged reading from the feet.

It also uses 13 bioimpedance frequencies up to 800 kHz, which puts it ahead of the original Body Scan on that specific line in the table. But BodyFit does not have ECG, atrial fibrillation detection or Nerve Response Score, so it is not a full health station. It might fit in the sweet spot for someone mainly interested in body composition, fat and muscle distribution, visceral fat and vascular age.

Body Scan still has a role

The original Body Scan remains the first proper health station in the lineup. It includes more than 40 biomarkers, 6-zone body composition, a retractable handle, standing heart rate, vascular age, 6-lead ECG and atrial fibrillation detection. It also adds Nerve Response Score, with stress response and recovery insights.

That makes Body Scan a different product from BodyFit, even though BodyFit looks strong on body composition. Body Scan leans harder into cardiovascular and nerve health. The comparison sheet also shows Glucose Resilience as a new metabolic feature for Body Scan, though this is one of those areas where buyers should watch the app rollout and Withings+ requirements closely.

BodyScan 2 is the top model, but not a simple upgrade for everyone

BodyScan 2 pushes the range to more than 60 biomarkers. It uses 13 bioimpedance frequencies up to 800 kHz, keeps 6-zone analysis and adds improved segmental measurements. The handle also gets touch-sensor electrodes, a built-in display and improved readability, which should make daily use less awkward than reading everything from the scale platform.

The extra health features are the bigger story. BodyScan 2 adds blood pressure insights, Heart Age and blood oxygen levels. It also keeps vascular age, 6-lead ECG, atrial fibrillation detection and Nerve Response Score. On paper, all of this sounds great – if you’re into that level of detail.

The subscription piece needs watching

What needs watching is the Withings+ subscription. It now sits across the range, but not every model gets the same experience. The comparison sheet shows Body Smart, Body Comp and BodyFit with Personalized Health Priorities, Weekly Plan and BodyPath. Body Scan and BodyScan 2 go further with cardiologist review included and Longevity Intelligence.

This is where the buying decision becomes less clean. Heart Age and Glucose Resilience sound like headline features for BodyScan 2, but Withings says those sit behind Withings+. So the question is not only which scale has the sensor hardware. It is also which insights remain useful without paying for the extra software layer.

Which one makes the most sense

Body Smart remains the sensible entry model if weight, body composition and basic health trends are enough. Body Comp adds useful health markers without the larger handle-based design, so it fits buyers who want vascular age and nerve health but do not care about segmental body mapping.

BodyFit looks like the best fit for people who mainly want better body composition data. It brings the handle, 6-zone analysis and 13-frequency bioimpedance at a much lower price than BodyScan 2. Body Scan remains the better choice if ECG and nerve response are important, especially if it gets discounted now that BodyScan 2 has arrived.

BodyScan 2 is the one for buyers who want the newest Withings health platform and are comfortable with the subscription angle. It has the broadest mix of body composition, cardiovascular, metabolic and longevity-style metrics. But the arrival of the new model also makes the cheaper options look more interesting, because the range now has clearer tiers than the product names suggest.

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The update package shown in the Zepp Health app is 16.17MB, which does not sound huge, but the change log is fairly packed. The app also recommends using Wi-Fi OTA for the update. That makes sense here, as the update screen specifically says to keep the watch above 50 percent charge, keep the network stable and use 2.4GHz Wi-Fi if updating directly on the device.

Let’s dive into the specifics.

Equivalent pace comes to Balance 2

A new addition is something called Equivalent Pace. This combines personal physiological data, fitness level and gradient changes to convert uphill and downhill effort into an equivalent flat-ground pace.

That should make pacing easier on rolling terrain. Raw pace can look messy on hills, especially when a steady effort produces very different numbers depending on gradient. Equivalent Pace tries to make that easier to read by translating the effort into something closer to flat-ground running.

This is the type of metric that makes more sense on Balance 2 than on a basic fitness watch. The device already leans into outdoor and performance features, so adding a smarter pace interpretation gives runners another way to judge effort without obsessing over every rise and dip.

Garmin has had a similar feature called Grade Adjusted Pace for a while. The idea is broadly the same as Zepp Health’s Equivalent Pace on Amazfit Balance 2: both try to turn uphill and downhill running into a flat-ground pace estimate, so the runner gets a cleaner read on effort rather than raw pace alone.

The difference is in how each company frames it. Garmin’s GAP is mainly presented as a pace field adjusted by terrain steepness, while Zepp Health says Equivalent Pace also combines personal physiological data and fitness level with gradient changes.

Offline route planning gets a real boost

An important addition for many users will be Offline Route Planning. The change log says users can now create loop routes and routes from the current location to a destination within the Topographic Map app while offline.

There is also automatic recalculation if you go off course during navigation. That is a useful safety net, especially when running or hiking somewhere unfamiliar and trying to avoid reaching for the phone every few minutes.

GPS Heading has also been added inside Topographic Maps. The update describes this as bringing heading display to the Topographic Map app for a navigation experience more consistent with workout navigation.

Zepp Health has optimised topographic map display and on-watch route creation. The notes mention navigation to points up to 100 km away and dynamic contour-line precision adaptation. That points to a smoother mapping experience.

Multi-device data now gets smarter

Another change is Activity Data Fusion & Sync Back. The change log says data from multiple devices can be fused through Zepp and synced back to all devices for better consistency. We actually thought this would arrive as part of Zepp OS 6, but Zepp Health seems to be rolling it out earlier.

The feature will be important to those who own more than one Amazfit device. For example, someone might wear a watch for workouts and the helio strap for sleep or recovery. A cleaner sync system should reduce duplicate or inconsistent activity records.

Balance 2 also gets Bluetooth Speaker support. The notes say the watch can connect to your phone and play phone audio.

HYROX and diving also get attention

The update adds HYROX Race x Stryd integration. According to the change log, Balance 2 can connect to Stryd and show pace-related workout metrics in real time.

That fits with Zepp Health’s wider push into hybrid training. HYROX support already makes sense on the newer Amazfit lineup, and Stryd integration gives more serious runners another data layer during race-style sessions.

There are also diving improvements. This includes depth calculation, descent and ascent detection, plus suppression of system notifications during workouts.

Watch face status indicators have been optimised as well, with users now able to customise their visibility. Map downloads also get work, including support for combined downloads of multi-level cloud maps, although the screenshot cuts off the rest of that line.

For Balance 2 owners, this looks like a worthwhile update. Zepp Health has started publishing a monthly look look ahead for updates coming to each watch, and this firmware patch includes pretty much everything promised for June and then some. Next month, Balance 2 owners should see another round of refinements, with Zepp Health flagging an enhanced Zepp OS 6 user experience, improved weather handling, optimised terrain map downloads and better navigation alerts.

The post Amazfit Balance 2 gets offline route planning and equivalent pace appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The reaction is not hard to understand. These are watches many people still use every day, and some of them do not feel old enough to be cut loose from Apple’s next major software update.

Owners are annoyed for a simple reason

The frustration is not really about watchOS 27 itself. Most users are not desperate for every new feature, and many will barely notice the missing software tricks on day one.

The annoyance comes from the feeling that Apple has moved the line too soon. Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra both arrived in 2022, which makes the cutoff feel sharper than a normal ageing-out process. These are not forgotten models sitting in drawers. Plenty of people still use them for workouts, sleep tracking, Apple Pay, notifications and health data.

That is why the reaction has been stronger than Apple may have expected. Owners are looking at watches that still run well and wondering why they are already outside the main update path. The answer may sit inside Apple’s hardware requirements, but the customer-facing message is much simpler. Their watch still feels fine, yet Apple has decided it is done with major watchOS releases.

Series 8 and SE 2 owners have a point

The original Apple Watch Ultra will get much of the attention because it was the expensive model. But Series 8 and SE 2 owners have just as much reason to be irritated.

Series 8 was not a minor product. It brought temperature sensing and crash detection, and its health and fitness package still covers most of what ordinary Apple Watch users rely on. For someone who bought it late in its retail cycle, missing watchOS 27 will feel abrupt.

The SE 2 cut is also awkward. Apple sells the SE line as the more affordable way into the Apple Watch ecosystem. That pitch works only if buyers feel they still get a decent support window. Once a value model loses major updates quickly, the value argument starts to look weaker.

This does not make the watches useless

Of course, Apple has not switched these watches off. They still work just fine.

The issue is what happens next. App support can narrow over time. New iPhone features may not connect as neatly with older watchOS versions. Some fixes and refinements may skip unsupported models.

That is the part owners are pushing back against. They are not saying their watches are broken. They are saying Apple has shortened the road ahead while the hardware still feels capable.

This also changes how discounted Apple Watches should be viewed. A cheaper older model may look tempting, but the remaining software window now needs to be part of the calculation. Saving money upfront is less attractive if the watch is close to dropping off major updates.

This changes the value calculation

Owners do not need to rush out and replace a working watch. If a Series 8, SE 2 or Ultra 1 still tracks your workouts, handles notifications and gets through the day, it still has a job to do.

The problem is what this says about buying an Apple Watch now. A discounted older model may look like a good deal, but the remaining software window has to be part of the price. Saving money upfront looks less attractive if the watch is already close to missing major updates.

That is where watchOS 27 leaves a mark. Apple has not made these older watches useless, but it has made them less attractive as long-term buys.

The post Apple Watch owners push back as watchOS 27 drops older models appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The filing lands at an awkward time

Oura announced on May 21 that it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said the proposed IPO would take place after the SEC review process, subject to market and other conditions.

Eight days later, Rai filed a case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The public docket lists Rai as the plaintiff and names Ouraring Inc., Oura Health Oy, Oura Inc., Sean Brecker, David Shuman and Eurie Kim as defendants.

The docket classifies the case as a securities matter and shows a complaint with jury demand filed on May 29. It also shows summonses issued in early June, with several defendants served shortly afterwards. That is the hard public record at this stage.

The Delaware docket confirms the filing and parties, but it does not by itself establish any wrongdoing or liability. Still, the timing makes it hard to ignore.

Rai’s earlier claim gives the context

This new Delaware case does not appear out of nowhere. Rai already sued Oura in California late last year, in a dispute centred on equity compensation and his time at the company.

In that earlier case, Rai alleged wrongful termination, breach of contract and withheld equity. Reporting on that complaint says Rai claimed he was promised a 5% ownership stake if he raised €10 million for the company. He says he exceeded that target but was removed before receiving the full set of stock options he believes he was owed.

Rai’s history with Oura goes back to the company’s earlier years. He joined as president in 2017 and later became CEO in 2018, during the period when Oura moved from niche smart ring maker into a much more visible wearable brand.

Oura already has stock-option noise around it

Rai’s claim also sits alongside other stock-option disputes involving people linked to Oura’s earlier growth. Former promoters and advisors have previously alleged that Oura promised them stock options tied to promotional, advisory or investment work. Oura has disputed those types of claims, arguing in court papers that certain stock grants were not authorised by its board.

For a private company, this kind of fight can stay fairly technical. For a company preparing to go public, it becomes more visible. The market likes simple stories and clean cap tables. A public listing prospectus tends to bring messy internal history closer to the surface.

That does not mean the case will derail Oura’s IPO. Companies regularly go public while dealing with litigation. But it does add another disclosure-sensitive issue at exactly the moment Oura would rather keep the investor story focused on growth, subscriptions and the smart ring category.

There are always two sides to a story. After originally publishing this article, an Oura spokesperson has sent us the following statement.

“Oura parted ways with Harpreet Rai over four years ago, after a board-led review found he had breached his fiduciary duties as CEO in a manner that directly benefited Rai at the expense of shareholders. After his dismissal, the company learned that—while CEO—Rai negotiated several unauthorized agreements without board knowledge or approval. 

Mr. Rai’s most recent lawsuit is another example of his attempts to extract money he did not earn by taking credit for years of work done after his departure. We strongly dispute the baseless claims in this lawsuit, and we will aggressively defend the company and the board in any legal process.”

Source: Justia Dockets & Filings

This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.

The post Oura’s IPO push gets a legal wrinkle from its former CEO appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

Garmin Express 7.29.0 fixes the issue

The fix appears to be Garmin Express 7.29.0 for Windows. Users who had been stuck with the problem are now reporting that their watches sync again, map management opens properly and updates can be installed as expected.

The bug was not that Garmin Express failed to detect the watch. That is what made it more annoying. The watch appeared as connected, but the top update panel did not load correctly. Instead of showing software or map options, Garmin Express kept showing a generic prompt to refresh and check for updates.

That effectively blocked the normal desktop route for managing maps. On watches such as the fēnix 8 and tactix 8, that is a fairly big miss because maps are a major part of the pitch. Owners were not dealing with an obscure setting. They were trying to use a core maintenance tool on expensive devices.

The problem seems to have started for many after firmware 21.39. Later firmware versions did not clear it for everyone, and Garmin Express 7.28.1 also failed to solve it for affected users. Garmin Express 7.29.0 now looks like the release that actually fixes the Windows side of the problem.

The bug affected several newer Garmin models

Reports initially centred on the fēnix 8 series, including AMOLED, Sapphire and Pro variants. Other models were later mentioned too, including the Forerunner 970, Enduro 3, tactix 8 and D2 Mach 2 Pro.

A few workarounds did help some people while they waited for a fix. One involved opening Garmin Express first, starting the map update flow, then connecting the watch only when the app asked for it. Others used Map Manager directly on the watch over Wi-Fi.

Some users also tried factory resets and clean setups without restoring settings from another Garmin watch. That worked for a few, but it was never a good solution. Resetting a high-end sports watch just to restore map access is too much hassle, especially for anyone with customised data screens, maps and activity profiles.

Update Garmin Express before trying anything else

Affected users should update Garmin Express for Windows to version 7.29.0 before doing anything drastic. That should be the first step if the app still shows the refresh screen instead of the normal map and software update panel.

Once Garmin Express is updated, reconnect the watch and try map management again. Hopefully, it should finally restore normal map and update access.

The post Garmin finally fixes map update bug affecting newer premium watches appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

FotMob is the easiest all-round pick

FotMob is probably the most practical choice for most football fans. The app has World Cup 2026 support, live scores, match stats, alerts, highlights and Live Activities for Apple Watch.

For those with an iPhone, FotMob says users can follow matches from the Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, as well as the Apple Watch, with Live Activities dressed in country colours. It also has updated widgets for the group stage and knockouts.

There is also an Android version of FotMob on Google Play. The listing says the app offers live scores, detailed stats, breaking news and personalised alerts. So that’s great for users who mainly want reliable football coverage without hunting around for a dedicated tournament-only tool.

The appeal here is simple. FotMob is not just a World Cup app. It is a football app that has been updated for the World Cup, so it should remain useful after the tournament ends.

Apple Watch users have a few other solid routes

Apple Watch users can also use Apple Sports. Apple says the app can show live scores and play updates on Apple Watch through Live Activities, as long as the user has iOS 18 and watchOS 11 or later.

That makes Apple Sports a good low-friction option if you already live inside Apple’s ecosystem. It is not as football-focused as FotMob, but it does the basic live score job cleanly.

OneFootball is another option. Its App Store listing includes Apple Watch support and World Cup 2026 coverage, with live scores, goal alerts and match results.

For iPhone users, the choice probably comes down to how much detail they want. Apple Sports is cleaner and more minimal, FotMob gives you deeper football coverage and OneFootball sits somewhere between live scores, alerts and football news.

Wear OS has apps and watch faces

Wear OS users have two different routes. They can install a football scores app such as the above mentioned FotMob. They could also opt for SofaScore, or go for a World Cup watch face.

SofaScore’s Google Play listing says the app is optimised for Wear OS smartwatches. It covers live sports scores and detailed statistics, so it is worth a look if you prefer a broader sports app rather than a football-only one.

The more interesting Wear OS option is Kick It, a free World Cup watch face from Facer and Citizen. It pulls tournament data onto the watch face, including live scores, standings, team records and match status.

There are limits. Kick It currently works for users in the US, Canada, Japan and the UK on watches running Wear OS 6, with an EU launch planned. So it looks useful, but it will not be available to every Wear OS owner.

If your watch supports it, the benefit is obvious. You do not need to open an app just to see what is happening. The score sits on the face itself.

Garmin users get a dedicated World Cup face

Garmin owners should look at WC2026 Live Pro on Connect IQ. It is a watch face rather than a normal app, but it is built specifically for the 2026 tournament.

The face shows live scores, daily fixtures and group standings directly on the watch. It also adjusts kick-off times to the local time zone, which is handy for a tournament spread across multiple time zones.

There is also a favourite team feature. That lets the watch keep your chosen team more visible, even when it is not playing that day.

This is probably the neatest setup for Garmin users because it uses the watch face itself instead of relying on phone alerts. The trade-off is that it is more specialised than FotMob or SofaScore, so its usefulness will drop sharply once the tournament ends.

The official FIFA app is still worth having

The official FIFA World Cup 2026 app is also worth a look. It covers fixtures, schedules, live scores, stats, line-ups and real-time updates. But be warned – the software is very poorly rated by users with 2.1 stars out of a possible 5.

Or you could opt for Flashscore. Which has live World Cup results, match updates, stats and group standings.

For the watch, though, I would narrow it down. Apple Watch users should start with FotMob or Apple Sports. Wear OS users should look at FotMob, SofaScore or Kick It if their watch supports it. Garmin users have the cleanest tournament-specific option with WC2026 Live Pro.

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