After what feels like years since it initially promised that it would do so in 2021, Mobvoi has finally announced that the Wear OS 3 update is rolling out to its TicWatch 3 series of smartwatches. It’s a case of better late than never for those with TicWatch 3 series smartwatches, with the upside being that that a bunch of new features are incoming and the downside being that the device will be factory reset in the process of updating.
Which TicWatch models are getting the update?
According to Mobvoi, the Wear OS 3 update is currently available for the following models in the TicWatch 3 series:
- TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
- TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra
- TicWatch E3
- TicWatch Pro 3 GPS
- TicWatch Pro 3 LTE
Your TicWatch device will need to be running software featuring one of the following build numbers in order to download and install the update:
- PMRB.220703.001
- PMKB.211102.004
- PMKB.211102.002
- PMRL.220704.001
Things to keep in mind
Besides factory resetting your smartwatch, the Wear OS 3 update also that certain third-party watch apps will no longer be available, this includes the Google Assistant. iOS users will also lose access to Google Maps and Google Wallet functions. On top of this, Mobvoi’s own Voicememo and TicHearing apps will also go by the wayside once the update is complete.
Data from apps such as TicHealth, TicSleep, and TicExercise will be securely stored and available to synchronize with the watch within a week of the update. While Wear OS 3 brings new features, others such as customizing the bottom right button will no longer be available. You’ll also need to install the Mobvoi Health app on your phone which will need to be running Android 8 Oreo and above.
How to Update to Wear OS 3
Before doing anything, the first step you should take is to fully charge the TicWatch device so that it has enough juice in the tank to complete the update process. This is especially important because the smartwatch will be factory reset.
Once the watch is fully charged, it will take around 10 minutes or longer to download and install the update patch. During this time, you can take the opportunity to unpair the watch with the Wear OS app on your smartphone, before uninstalling the app.
Android users will then need to download the Mobvoi Health app from the Play Store (Link) to their phone, using it to pair with the TicWatch device once the update has finished installing. iOS users will need to download the Health Copilot app from Apple’s App Store (Link) to their iPhone which will need to be running iOS 16 and higher. Once installed, the app can then be used to pair with their newly updated TicWatch.
And that’s pretty much it. We’ve waited an exceedingly long time for the Wear OS 3 update to reach Mobvoi’s TicWatch 3 series of smartwatches but it’s finally here just a couple of years after its release. In case you are wondering, there’s no word on an update to Wear OS 4 and frankly, we wouldn’t bet on that being made available for these models.
If you kept faith with Mobvoi and still own a TicWatch 3 series smartwatch, what are your thoughts on the time it took to roll out the Wear OS 3 update? Let us know in the comments below.
