I am developing Wear OS app using android studio. Currently using Wear OS emulator for app development. I am planning to purchase Samsung Watch5 for development purpose.
I wonder if Watch5 will support android studio Wear OS apps installation from BT, USB and then can I download the same app from play store to Watch5 ?
Note: My wear app will be standalone. It wont require mobile phone to connect with watch5. Watch5 will not be connected to mobile phones. Watch will have internet from Wifi or any other LTE option.
Can anyone let me know ?
Yes, an Android Wear OS app created with Android Studio is installable and will support a Samsung Galaxy Watch of version 4+, i.e. also the Watch 5.
Samsung's official site on developing apps for Galaxy Watch points in the main chapter "Develop Apps for Galaxy Watch" without further ado to Principles of Wear OS development in the Android Developers Documentation as the starting point for further research. The Android Dev Docs as the official documentation for Android development, incl. Wear OS, are completely based on the default assumption of using the official Android Studio, including the provision of the corresponding downloads.
Your caution is reasonable as Samsung's Galaxy Watch series employed Tizen OS till Watch 3. However, since Galaxy Watch 4 Android Wear OS is used, as you can also see in this overview.
For Tizen devices one would use Tizen Studio, for the Android Wear devices Android Studio.
In short:
| Model | Year | OS |
|---|---|---|
| Watch | 2018 | Tizen |
| Watch Active | 2019 | Tizen |
| Watch Active 2 | 2019 | Tizen |
| Watch 3 | 2020 | Tizen |
| Watch 4 | 2021 | Android Wear |
| Watch 5 | 2022 | Android Wear |