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Quick Summary
Google released the initial Wear OS 5 software update for older Pixel Watch models back at the end of September, but the update resulted in some devices getting a black screen.
The update was pulled shortly after and while Google has now said the update is still coming, it might be a little later than you would have hoped.
Google announced the Pixel Watch 3 back in August, running on the latest Wear OS 5 software that introduced a range of new features. That software is supported by older Pixel Watch models too, with both the Pixel Watch 2 and original Pixel Watch compatible, though there have been some issues with the update.
Some users of the older Pixel Watch models previously reported that their smartwatches encountered a black screen when installing the Wear OS 5 update, which consequently resulted in the update being pulled. In order to fix the black screen, users would need to factory reset their Pixel Watch through Fastboot, 9to5Google reported, effectively wiping the device and requiring you to set it up from scratch.
The Wear OS 5 update was subsequently paused on 26 September, which was two days after it was released. Now Google has provided an update on what is happening, again reported by 9to5Google. It said it plans to “resume the WearOS 5 rollout to these devices later this year, once we’ve mitigated the observed issues”.
The company also re-acknowledged the “stuck on a blank screen” issue and provided support articles for those that were affected, with an article on resetting your Pixel Watch to factory settings, and an article on fixing “a black, froze, or error message on the Google Pixel Watch screen”.
An exact date for the Wear OS 5 update wasn’t offered by Google, and it is not yet clear whether the suspended update will affect the roll out of security patches.
Many new features for the Pixel Watch do appear through app updates on the Google Play Store however, so all isn’t entirely lost. You may not be able to get Wear OS 5 for your Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2 right now, but you can get a new charging screen and battery full notifications through the Play Store updates so there are a couple of features still seeping through.