This week’s top stories: Android Wear 2.0, a Nexus brand replacement?, LG Watch Style & Sport, best Android phones [Feb], more

In this week’s top stories: Android Wear 2.0 and the new LG Watch Style and Sport, hints a possible Nexus brand replacement, our picks for the best Android phones for February, and much more.

We kicks things off this week with the launch of Android Wear 2.0. LG’s Watch Style and Sport officially go on sale as the first Android Wear 2.0 wearables. And we take a look at ‘Designed with our friends at Google’ branding on the new watches that might be a hint at things to come for the Nexus brand.

We give you our picks for the best Android phones you can buy for February. Show you four of the best alternatives to the Google Now Launcher. We get a better look at Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and LG’s G6 with some leaked case photos. And we go hands-on for an LG Watch Sport unboxing in this week’s top video.

These and the rest of this week’s top stories below:

Android |

• ‘Designed with our friends at Google’ might be the Nexus brand’s de facto replacement
• Instant Tethering for Android Nougat goes official for Pixel & Nexus devices
• Best Android phones you can buy [February 2017]
• Google Pixel’s audio distortion and popping issues fixed with February security patch
• Hands-on with Toast’s real-wood cover for the Google Pixel/Pixel XL [Gallery]
• New leaked cases give us a better look at Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and LG’s G6 [Gallery]
• Android Nougat with EMUI 5.0 starts rolling out to the Honor 8 tomorrow [Update]

Android Wear 2.0 |

• Here’s where you can buy LG’s Watch Sport and Watch Style
• Google announces LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport, the first Android Wear 2.0 watches
• Android Wear 2.0 rolling out ‘over the coming weeks,’ these are the watches that will get it

Alphabet | GOOG |

• Latest Google Brain project makes sci-fi’s ‘zoom and enhance’ a reality
• Google loses Material Design’s principal lead to Dropbox

Apps |

• These are the four best alternatives to the Google Now Launcher
• Google Assistant on the Pixel can now command smart devices with ‘Home control’
• How to add a Google Now gesture to Action Launcher 3
• Google merging YouTube and Play Music teams to ‘deliver the best possible product’
• Chrome OS 56 hits stable with more Material Design, updated ChromeVox assistive tool
• Google Maps for Android picks up redesign with traffic, transit, and places in a bottom bar

This week’s top videos |

• Unboxing the new LG Watch Sport [Video]
• YouTube has compiled all of the Super Bowl commercials for your enjoyment [Video]

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