Google is now also publishing a security bulletin for Wear OS updates
With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series running Wear OS 4, you might have thought the next Pixel Watch update would bring the new Wear OS release to your wearable. That’s not the case, though, with Google rolling out the August 2023 security patch for its smartwatch, which is still based on Wear OS 3.5. The firmware comes alongside the latest monthly security build going live for Pixel phones with several fixes and improvements.
The RWDC.230805.001 firmware for the Pixel Watch is minor and only contains security fixes for all the discovered vulnerabilities. Like Pixel phones, Google is now publishing a monthly security bulletin for Wear OS updates. It mentions patches specifically for Wear OS, including their type, severity, and the AOSP versions they affect. So, you will now have better insight into what security issues the latest build for your Pixel Watch fixes.
Google’s August 2023 update contains patches for eight high severity vulnerabilities, with six related to the system and one each in the platform and framework. The company notes that the most severe exploit in the framework could allow for “local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed.”
The August 2023 update seems to be available widely. If the firmware is not yet available for download on your Pixel Watch, grab it from Settings > System > System updates. Then, repeatedly tap the “Your update is up to date” screen to pull the August build manually.
As for the Pixel Watch’s Wear OS 4 update, Samsung may have exclusivity over the release for the next few months. After all, the company enjoyed similar exclusive access to Wear OS 3 until the Pixel Watch’s launch in 2022. If the rumors are true, Google could release the Android 13-based Wear OS build and the Pixel Watch 2 in October this year.
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