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Google officially announces cellular support for Android Wear

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 9.12.32 PM

There really wasn’t any doubt it was coming, but Google this evening has made it official that Android Wear will soon gain cellular support. In a post on the official Android blog, the company announced cellular support and explained that it will allow for your smartwatch to stay connected wherever you are.

Google says that your watch will automatically switch to a cellular connection when you’re out of range from your phone. Running on a cellular network, the watch will have full functionality, including the ability to send and receive text messages, use Google Now, run Android Wear apps, and make and receive phone calls.

No more worrying about Bluetooth or Wi-Fi—your watch will automatically switch to a cellular connection when you’re out of range. As long as your watch and phone are connected to a cellular network, you’ll be able to use your watch to send and receive messages, track fitness, get answers from Google, and run your favorite apps. And yes, you’ll even be able to make and take calls right from your watch, for when your hands are full, or your phone is elsewhere.

The first Android Wear device to support cellular connectivity is the LG Watch Urbane 2nd edition, which we already knew thanks to LG’s earlier announcement. Nevertheless, it’s certainly nice to see Google make the feature official. It’s unclear what the next device to support cellular connectivity will be, but in the meantime, the Watch Urbane 2 now has a leg up on the competition.

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