Mobvoi has explained the delay in delivering the Wear OS 3 update to TicWatch devices, with three of its smartwatches now appearing closer to receiving the new software.
Until now, the company has been relatively silent on the reasons behind the issue, though the new official statement suggests that TicWatch-specific hardware has been at the heart of the problem.
"Our TicWatch utilizes the SDW4100 chipset and a Mobvoi proprietary dual system architecture," the message on Twitter reads.
"This necessitates further architecture upgrades and performance debugging when updating to Wear OS 3 to guarantee the highest level of software quality and user experience."
In good news for TicWatch Ultra 3, TicWatch Pro 3, and TicWatch E3 owners, Mobvoi also confirmed that it'll soon be conducting an extensive closed beta testing phase.
This suggests that the full, public rollout could happen before Q3 2023 - the most recent update schedule shared by a Mobvoi representative on a Facebook group.
No specific details relating to the beta phase have been shared, though Mobvoi notes that more details will be released in due course for those who wish to participate.
— Mobvoi_Official (@Mobvoi_Official) May 8, 2023
For those missing the wider context, Mobvoi is the last of the major Wear OS partners to deliver the latest software.
Samsung devices have been running Wear OS 3 for nearly two years, while the update was rolled out to Fossil watches and the company's various sub-brands last October.
Of course, within all this, it's also possible that the company manages to deliver a new watch with the latest version of Wear OS before existing devices upgrade, with a launch seemingly imminent.
The heavily-leaked TicWatch 5 Pro was recently listed on Amazon, which adds to an FCC filing from February that seemed to denote the impending arrival of the next-gen model.
Stay tuned for more on this one and the upcoming TicWatch Wear OS beta phase over the coming weeks - we'll be covering all the latest developments.
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.