Android Wear Is Google’s OS For Wearables
Not long ago, we told you about a rumor that claimed Google, after partnering with LG Electronics to co-develop the latest entry in the Nexus series, the Nexus 5, is again relying on LG Electronics to manufacture Google’s first smartwatch. Well, not long after that rumor, Google officially announced that it will enter the wearable devices market and the first step towards this goal is the unveiling of Android Wear, a version of the company’s mobile Operating System designed to power wearable devices (smartwacthes).
Google released two videos that show the user interface of the upcoming Android Wear Operating System and we must say that it looks pretty good. You can watch the two videos by following these links: and . The move is somewhat similar to the way Samsung uses Tizen in its second generation Gear wearable devices, but the difference is that Google’s Android Wear will be a mobile Operating System dedicated exclusively to wearable devices. And we already know it will be supported by LG and Motorola, as both companies announced smartwatches that will be powered by Google Wear. And both smartwatches look amazing; more on them a bit later.
With the official unveiling of the Android Wear Operating System, Google also announced some of its features. First and foremost, the new mobile Operating System dedicated exclusively to wearable devices integrates Google Now functionality into a smartwatch form factor. Most of you are probably familiar with Google’s intelligent personal assistant; you can see how Google Now will send you automatic reminders in the above videos.
Another important function of the Android Wear Operating System is represented by fitness tracking, as it offers options to track your speed, distance and time when running, walking or cycling. Google Maps is also integrated in Android Wear, so you will be able to get directions in real time from your smartwatch Besides Google Maps and Google Now, you will also be able to connect any Android Wear smartwatch with an Androd smartphone and receive notifications from any of your apps, directly to your wrist.
Since Android Wear will integrate Google’s intelligent personal assistant, you will be able to voice commands to perform certain tasks (like search for things using Google Search or make a call). The Android Wear OS is also advertised to feature multi-screen functionality. What this actually means is that you may be able to open a video on your Chromecast, or you can use your Android Wear smartwatch to open a song on your smartphone (via voice commands). We are sure developers will find new ways to use Android Wear’s features in apps for all the upcoming smartwatches that will be running the recently unveiled mobile Operating System.
Google has announced that it will collaborate with Fossil (an American designer and manufacturer of clothing and accessories, primarily watches and jewelry) and other fashion brands in order to make aesthetically pleasing Android Wear smartwatches. Google also mentioned that it already has many partners that will develop hardware for Android Wear, partners such as: ASUS, Broadcom, HTC, Intel, LG, MediaTek, Imagination Technologies (MIPS), Motorola, Qualcomm and SAMSUNG.
As we mentioned above, Motorola and LG already announced their Android Wear smartwatches: the Moto 360 and the LG G Watch, which will be made in collaboration with Google. The LG G Watch will feature a square design and an LCD touch screen display. LG’s CEO of mobile communications said that LG would “pull out all the stops in both design and engineering [...] the LG G is developed in close collaboration with Google“. LG’s first smartwatch, the LG G Watch, will be released to worldwide markets by mid 2014.
The other smartwatch that will be running the Android Wear mobile Operating System, is Motorola’s Moto 360. Unlike the LG G Watch, the Moto 360 features a round design and it looks very impressive. Motorola already showed a few analog like watch faces and they look very good, as you can see in the pictures. The Moto 360 smartwatch will take advantage of all the features offered by Android Wear, including voice commands, automatic alerts and notifications, directions via Google Maps and the ability to connect with an Android based smartphone. As you know, Motorola was bought by Lenovo and the Moto 360 smartwatches is among the first projects under Lenovo.
A spokesperson from Motorola also mentioned that “all the core components are technically brand new,” when asked about the upcoming Moto 360. Between all the smartwatches we have seen so far, the Moto 360 is the most elegant and stylish. Before, we really liked the Pebble and didn’t think much of the Samsung Galaxy Gear and Samsung Gear 2 smartwatches, in terms of design. Motorola will release the Moto 360 smartwatch, “in a variety of styles”, in the United States this Summer, and in other worldwide markets soon after.
The recent unveiling of the dedicated Android Wear platform for wearable devices, and the announcements of the Motorola Moto 360 and the LG G Watch took us by surprise, because even though we knew Google would enter the smartwatch market, we didn’t actually believe it will make a dedicated paltform too. And the fact that Android Wear seems a bit like Google Now for your smartwatch is even better. We even know two smartwatches that will use the Android Wear, platform, though neither Motorola nor LG released technical info, so we don’t know anything about (very) important things such as battery life (which is crucial for a smartwatch – see the failed Galaxy Gear smartwatch that was heavily criticized for its low battery life), display resolution etc.
Assuming the upcoming Android Wear smartwatches will feature decent battery life and specs they will surely be successful and the smartwatch market will explode just like the tablet market did a few years ago. We already know that all Android Wear smartwatches will feature voice commands and many of them may support fitness and health tracking, depending what biosensors they will integrate. And we again mention how stylish the Moto 360 looks, especially with the analog like watch face; plus there a recent press release from Fossil indicates that it would make an Android Wear smartwatch too, as the company said it is “working together with Google supporting the extension of Android into wearables with Android Wear“.
There is a preview of the Android Wear platform:”[...] you can sign up for the Android Wear Developer Preview. You can use the emulator provided to preview how your notifications will appear on both square and round Android wearables. The Developer Preview also includes new Android Wear APIs which will let you customize and extend your notifications to accept voice replies, feature additional pages, and stack with similar notifications. Head on over to developer.android.com/wear to sign up and learn more“.
We will surely hear more about the Android Wear Operating System and the smartwatches using it at this year’s Google I/O conference on Google+, which will be held from June 25 and June 26, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, just like last year. That means in about two months we will have more info for you regarding Android Wear and whether it will only be used in smartwatches or in fitness trackers too for example.We would like to know what you think about Google’s Android Wear platform for wearables and the recently announced Moto 360 and LG G Watch. Use the dedicated section below to leave a comment.
