Wear OS

One of the primary reasons smartwatches haven’t been selling very well is the lack of solid options. Over the past couple of months we’ve seen a few new Android Wear devices debut, and now those options have finally made their way into the Google Store.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Android Wear 2.0 is bringing a lot of useful user-facing features, but it seems that there’s one as-yet-unreported change happening in the background with Wear 2.0 that might not be so well received.

According to one of Google’s Android Developer Advocates, Android Wear 2.0 will require completely standalone watch and phone apps, and abandons the system used since the first version of Android Wear that automatically installs Android Wear apps based on the apps you have on your phone.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Smartwatches aren’t a necessity, and that makes them a tough sell for many customers. Paying $200+ for a watch with a display that shows notifications and lasts a couple of years vs buying an inexpensive normal watch that lasts basically forever just doesn’t make sense for a lot of people.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google’s Pixel event has come and gone. With it, Google introduced its first solely self-branded smartphone, claiming that the Pixel and Pixel XL bring the very best that Google has to offer — for the moment, at least — in both hardware and software. It’s a refreshing move from a company that has traditionally only sold hardware built in partnership with OEMs, and it’s finally a sign that Google wants to take a serious top-to-bottom design approach with its future products.

But what about its other product lines? Google replicated the Android strategy with Android Wear a couple of years ago, and in that case the company has yet to release any Android Wear hardware that has its name on it. The company never even did a “Nexus” Android Wear device to give OEMs an idea of what Android Wear would look like if Google did it themselves. That’s about to change according to recent reports, perhaps as soon as the first quarter of next year…

Expand
Expanding
Close

With Android Wear 2.0 delayed until early next year, it makes sense that the rumored Google-made smartwatches would also be delayed till then. Evan Blass has tweeted that the company’s two devices will be released running the next version of the OS in Q1 of 2017…

Expand
Expanding
Close

It feels as though we’ve been hearing about HTC’s “upcoming” debut Android Wear smartwatch for years now, but we’ve never actually seen a release. At one point the company teamed up with Under Armor to create a fitness tracker, but now new images are coming out of China to show us the HTC “Halfbeak” smartwatch (via TechTastic)…

Expand
Expanding
Close

This week Google announced that it would be pushing back the official release of Android Wear 2.0, and also announced the release of the next beta preview build of Android Wear 2.0 for developers. Alongside this came an updated version of the companion Wear app for Android, and now a full teardown reveals some interesting things to come…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Announced at I/O with a focus on messaging, customization and fitness, Android Wear 2.0 has been delayed from this fall to early 2017. Google is using the time to improve the operating system and will release several more developer previews. Today’s release features a Play Store accessible directly from the watch and many other features.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Android Wear is a fantastic platform, but one of its best aspects is that it works not just on Android, but also on iOS. While Android Wear’s functionality is more limited when used with iOS devices, it’s still great to have the option. That said, something odd is seemingly going on with a handful of Android Wear smartwatches and the recently-announced iPhone 7.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this month a report from CNET revealed that some Android Wear OEMs, including Huawei, were planning to take a break this year and wouldn’t be releasing any new wearables. Now a report out of Korea has revealed that Huawei may be switching its wearable OS entirely, ditching Google’s Android Wear for Samsung’s Tizen….

Expand
Expanding
Close

Android Wear is over two years old at this point, but the platform has yet to resonate significantly with consumers. And what’s next for it does not seem to be particularly enticing either, at least judging from the reactions of major OEMs like LG, Motorola and Huawei…

Expand
Expanding
Close

One Android Wear smartwatch we’ve been eagerly looking forward to since early this year is the Nixon Mission. This sports-oriented smartwatch is built to withstand just about anything you throw at it, whether that’s swimming, surfing, or even snowboarding. Until today we haven’t known much about when the Mission would release, or what it would cost.

Now, the Nixon Mission is available for pre-order starting at $400…

Expand
Expanding
Close

When thinking of Google, there are essentially two versions of the company that come to mind for most. Some immediately — and solely — link it to its iconic search box put front and center on google.com, while others who are more aware know about the ocean of products and services the Mountain View firm is deeply involved in. One thing that doesn’t often come to the average person’s mind, though, is hardware. Come the next few months, however, that may all but change…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this year Michael Kors revealed a new selection of Android Wear smartwatches in two styles. The “Dylan,” a watch for men, features a sporty look, with the all-metal “Bradshaw” being aimed at women. Now, they are finally available, both starting at $350 only in retail stores. They are available in 18 countries including the US and UK…

Expand
Expanding
Close

The Fossil Q Marshall and Q Wander were announced back in March with relatively few specs and did not go on sale until last month. Now, Qualcomm has confirmed that both devices are the first to use the new Snapdragon 2100 processor that has a number of features optimized for wearables.

Expand
Expanding
Close

ASUS has today announced the ZenWatch 3 at IFA in Berlin, Germany, the latest entry in its family of Android Wear smartwatches. The company most well-known in the Android Wear space as being the budget smartwatch maker has continued that trend with the ZenWatch 3, but this time bringing a much more stylish watch with a circular display and three side buttons…

Expand
Expanding
Close

The first pictures of the circular tri-button ZenWatch 3 leaked last week, but now another image that was found deep within a beta version of the official ZenWatch Manager app for Android has surfaced to give us yet another look. This time, instead of regulatory photos spotted at China’s NCC, we have an official render (seen above) that’s probably nearly identical to some of the artwork we’re going to see at ASUS’ IFA event later this month…

Expand
Expanding
Close

We’ve been hearing whispers of Samsung’s plans to introduce the Gear S3 and Lenovo has somewhat teased a new Moto 360, but the word on the street is that ASUS is also planning a smartwatch announcement for IFA 2016. Now, a set of images (via ePrice) from China’s National Communications Commission (essentially the country’s version of the FCC) have revealed what appears to be the new ZenWatch 3 in the flesh…

Expand
Expanding
Close