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Wear OS is Google's wearable platform which is designed to run on watches. It's based on a modified version of Android, designed by Google, and used on many third-party smartwatches.

Wear OS is Google’s wearable platform which is designed to run on watches. It’s based on a modified version of Android, designed by Google, and used on smartwatches such as Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch, and more.

The platform was first introduced in 2014 as “Android Wear,” before being modified until it became “Wear OS” in 2018.

As you’d expect, Wear OS is designed to be an extension of your smartphone. Notifications are mirrored to your wrist while condensed apps can be installed, both with their own independent functionality or as an extension of the smartphone app.

Where Wear OS was once found across a variety of smartwatch brands, the market has condensed in recent years. Names such as Fossil, Mobvoi, and others faded away in favor of first-party smartwatches from Google and Samsung, as other names in Android such as OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, and more.

A few key Wear OS smartwatches include:

Google’s Pixel Watch is the poster child of Wear OS, with a heavy focus on Fitbit features and Gemini integration.

You can read the latest news about the platform and its apps below.

BLOCKS modular smartwatch launching on Kickstarter October 13th [Video]

Four months ago, the team behind the BLOCKS smartwatch — a device not all too different from Google’s Project Ara smartphone in principle — said that it would begin crowdfunding in the “summer”. While the company may have missed that deadline by a few weeks, it looks like it’s going to happen nonetheless. The device is set to finally hit Kickstarter on October 13th…
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Unlocked 32 GB Nexus 6 $300, Bose around-ear headphones $100, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 32GB: $300 shipped (Orig. $650)

Over-Ear Headphones: Bose SoundTrue $100 (Reg. $120), Sennheiser HD202 $15 (Reg. $25), more

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

HP AirPrint Wireless All-in-One Printers: InkJet $35 (Reg. $60), LaserJet $304 (Reg. $400+)

Amazon Student Days: Fire TV (4K model) $60, free $5 credit w/ Gift Card purchase, SanDisk 64GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive $45more

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Amazon Gold Box – 50% or more off Halloween Costumes: Darth Vader $17, Thor $30, Supergirl $12more

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More deals still alive:

USB Power Deals: KMASHI 15,000mAh USB $14 (Reg. $20), Aukey 2A Wall Charger $8 (Reg. $16), more

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New products & more:

Logitech’s new Harmony Home Hub Extender lets the pizza man in with your remote

Roku’s new streaming media player supports 4K and finds your remote control for you

PSA: Google no longer allowing tap and pay through Google Wallet

If you’re an Android Pay holdout, you might have found this morning that tap and pay has stopped working with the old Google Wallet app. Google has been warning users since Android Pay first became available three weeks ago that they need to update to the new app to keep using tap and pay, and now the Mountain View company is requiring it…

This is unfortunate for users who prefer to keep their device rooted for a variety of reasons. While rooted devices worked fine with tap and pay through Google Wallet, Android Pay — touting its high levels of security and all — doesn’t play along very well. The new Google Wallet app doesn’t offer tap and pay functionality at all.

If you’re seeing this message and need to update to Android Pay, head over to the Play Store. And if you’re looking for the new Google Wallet (which is available through a completely new listing), you can find that over at Google Play as well.

ASUS ZenWatch 2 now available from Google Store

Asus’ ZenWatch 2 is easily one of this year’s best value Android Wear smartwatches. With prices starting at just $149, it’s about half the price of the other Android wearables launched in 2015. Now, it’s available to order from the Google Store.

As is customary these days with new smartwatches, there are two sizes of ZenWatch 2. The 45mm and 49mm versions sport slightly different specs, with the smaller model featuring a 280 x 280 resolution screen, 300mAh battery and support for standard 18mm watch bands. The larger watch supports 22mm bands, has a 400mAh battery and a 320 x 320 display. Both have 4GB storage, 512MB RAM and the same Qualcomm processor, IP67 water resistance, Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g.

If you order the 49mm model from Google, the predicted shipment timeframe is 1-2 business days, while the 45mm model just says ‘coming soon’. If you want to save a little cash, NewEgg is offering pre-orders for the ZenWatch 2 for $129 and $149 for the rubber and leather-strapped models respectively.

If the ZenWatch 2 isn’t your style at all, and you’re on a tight budget, there are a bunch of last year’s Android Wear watches available at similar prices.

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Jawbone BIG JAMBOX $120, New LG G3 (unlocked) $250, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Jawbone BIG JAMBOX Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (dented box) $120 shipped (Reg. $180)

UE ROLL 360 Bluetooth Speaker (all colors): $90 shipped (Reg. $100)

Inateck MercuryBox Aluminum Bluetooth 4.0 Ultra-Portable Speaker: $37 shipped (Reg. $46)

Omaker M4 Splashproof Bluetooth Speaker: $19 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

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LG G3 D850 32 GB unlocked new 32 GB: $250 shipped (Reg. $450) | eBay

First-gen LG Watch Urbane smartwatch: $225 shipped (Reg. $280)

Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Nexus 5X & 6P pre-orders now live on the Google Store

Staples $100 Gift Card w/ email delivery for $85 from PayPal (15% off): save on Apple gear, Beats, office supplies, more

The best-selling Klipsch SB 120 Bluetooth TV Sound System is on sale for $159 shipped (Reg. $260+)

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: LG WXGA LED Minibeam Projector $300, Westinghouse 24-inch LED 1080p HDTV $100more

More deals still alive:

GoPro HERO3+ Silver Edition Camera (Refurb): $169 shipped (Orig. $240)

New products & more:

These Bluetooth earbuds use your iPhone’s Lightning port to charge

BRO Ball combines Bluetooth audio and pigskin for the ultimate tailgate companion

Samsung’s Gear S2 smartwatch is now available online, starting at $299

Samsung’s Gear S2 smartwatch — and its brother, the Gear S2 Classic — are undeniably cool entries into the wearables space. And as we reported would be the case a couple of weeks ago, they both have now launched in the US. You can grab the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic from a variety of retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and more…
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Moto 360 (2nd Gen) unboxing and review [Video]

There’s really not a lot to say about this year’s Moto 360. It’s an Android Wear smartwatch, so there’s really not much different here over similar devices we’re seen over the last year or so as far as software goes. The real discussion with the 2nd gen Moto 360 is the design. What we have now is an evolved and matured version, but with one unfortunate similarity when compared to the first generation: that flat tire.

Like many, I was hoping that Motorola would eliminate this aspect altogether, but that didn’t happen. If you can look past the flat tire, which ultimately adds to some of the functionality here, there’s a lot to love about the Moto 360…


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Roundup: Last year’s Android Wear watches are a painless and inexpensive way to get in to the platform

With so many companies having recently announced their new generations of Android Wear watches, there’s never been a better (or cheaper) time to try out the platform. There were many risks with trying it out before. First off, Android Wear watches weren’t that cheap. For a sibling platform with limited performance, it was a lot of money to gamble on a wrist gadget you might hate. Those same watches are now last generation, and with that, they’re much cheaper and give you an easier access point to Android Wear. Perhaps more importantly, the OS itself has come on leaps and bounds since its introduction. Now you can get a great Android Wear experience without having to fork out a ton of cash…


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Hands-on with the LG V10 and the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition [Video + Gallery]

LG last night announced its LG V10 smartphone alongside the forthcoming LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, but today the company held an event in New York City to show off the new products. We were on the ground at the event to take a look at the goodies, and below you’ll find a photo gallery and a hands-on video with the new Watch Urbane…
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With 2nd-gen LG Urbane now official, 1st-gen model starts seeing clearance pricing

If you don’t need the standalone connectivity of the second-generation Urbane smartwatch just announced by LG, you can now pick up the original model for $225 – a $55 saving. It’s likely that other outlets will follow suit.

The main difference between the two models is that the 1st-gen requires a Bluetooth connection to an Android device, while the 2nd-gen features cellular connectivity, supporting both 3G and 4G. No pricing or availability has yet been announced.

LG officially announces V10 smartphone, teases 2nd gen Watch Urbane w/ cellular connectivity

LG this evening has officially taken the wraps off of its latest smartphone this evening, the oft-rumored V10. The device will be shown off at the company’s press event tomorrow in New York City, but meanwhile, all of the details have been shared via a press release. The company this evening has also teased the second edition of its Watch Urbane smartwatch…


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Tag Heuer’s designer Android Wear smartwatch launches November 9 with luxury $1800 price tag

We’ve been waiting with anticipation to hear when Tag Heuer would officially reveal its first foray in to the world of smartwatches. In an interview with CNBC the company’s CEO, Jean-Claude Biver announced that the Android Wear-based digital Carrera will be unveiled on November 9 at the LVMH building in New York. The luxury wearable will cost $1,800, a price which Biver claims is no longer a concern after watching Apple Watch’s successful launch…


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Watch Google’s Chromecast 2, Nexus 5X/6P event right here [Livestream]

Google’s planning to introduce new Chromecasts, new Nexus devices, and plenty of other goodies at its September 29th event today, and thankfully, the company is livestreaming it for those who won’t be there in the flesh. If you’ve got a chance to watch along (although there probably isn’t much we don’t already know), head below the break…
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Fossil Q Android Wear smartwatch teased, will be available this holiday season

Fossil, one of the world’s best-known fashion brands has teased an upcoming set of wearables which should be available by the time this year’s holiday shopping season swings by. Fossil Q is a range of connected devices made up of three separate products. There will be a connected bracelet (think Jawbone UP), a connected non-display watch (think Withings Activité) and a connected display watch (traditional touchscreen smartwatch). The latter of these three is the one we’re really interested in here, since it will run Android Wear when it hits the market later this year.


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More Nexus 6P details emerge as September 29 announcement looms

Update: Even more details have now arrived, thanks to surfaced FCC documents and a developer on the XDA-Developers forum who has managed to get ahold of a leaked system image. According to these sources, the Nexus 6P will have a microSD card, and will also have optical image stabilization, Fi-compatible multi-carrier support, F2Fs stock, and T-Mobile WiFi calling out of the box.

The upcoming Nexus announcements are some of the more eagerly awaited of the year (at least in the Google space), but — as is the case with almost every other Android phone announced over the last few years — there aren’t many secrets that will make it all the way to September 29th. Yesterday, a confidential slideshow outlining Nexus 6P features was publicly posted on image sharing site Imgur, and now that same slideshow has made its way to Google Docs. Although yesterday’s leak gave us pretty much all the information you could possibly hope to get before an official debut, it looks like we now have even more tidbits on our hands…
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Amazon Prime $67, 64 GB Nexus 6 $370, Lytro 16GB Digital Camera $80, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Today only! Amazon slashes Prime memberships down to just $67

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 64 GB: $370 shipped (Orig. $650) | Expansys

First Generation Lytro 16GB Digital Camera $80 (Orig. $199)

Daily Deals: Logitech Harmony Smart Control + Remote (Refurb) $65, Pebble Steel Smartwatch $100, more

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked): $430 shipped (Reg. $800) | eBay

GoPro HERO4 Session + $40 Amazon Gift Card: $299 ($440 value)

LAST CHANCE! Giveaway: This is Ground’s Mod Laptop 2 is a road warrior’s dream bag, up to $499 value

More new gear from today:

Samsung 850 EVO 2TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $675 shipped (Reg. $745+)

  • Games/Apps: Xbox One Halo 5 Wireless Controller pre-order $60, Star Wars Battlefront pre-order w/ $25 GC, more
  • City Sports extra 20% off: Nike Pro Dri-Fit Hoodie $36 (Orig. $90), Under Armour & Adidas Jackets, more

More deals still alive:

LG G4 brand new smartphone 32GB (unlocked): $400 shipped (Reg. $800) | eBay

Brand new Google Nexus Player by ASUS: $50 shipped (Reg. $100) | Best Buy

New products & more:

Kwikset drops the extras on its new internet-connected deadbolt lock to hit a lower price point

Apple’s new Beats Active Collection brings sporty colors to familiar headphones

These 5 features set the Huawei Watch apart from the competition [Video]

The Huawei Watch is definitely an Android Wear watch, but it does have a few features that set it apart from its competitors. Even though it may be priced a little on the steep side compared to other offerings in the space, Huawei has truly seized this opportunity to further prove that it is serious about building hardware for Android platforms. The Huawei Watch is the watch to beat right now, and there are at least 5 reasons that’s the case…
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Google’s stock Clock app gets updated w/ new Android Wear features, more

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Google has today pushed an iterative update to its stock Clock app, three months after the app was first released on the Play Store and two months after it got a new paint job. Today’s update brings a hefty bullet list of new features, including the ability to gradually increase alarm volume, new Android Wear features, and more…
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: LG G4 (unlocked) $400, Nexus Player by ASUS $50, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

LG G4 brand new smartphone 32GB (unlocked): $400 shipped (Reg. $800) | eBay

Brand new Google Nexus Player by ASUS: $50 shipped (Reg. $100) | Best Buy

Logitech mice, keyboards, speakers up to 50% off: Wireless Solar Keyboard for Mac $40, Bluetooth mouse $22, more

Brother Google Cloud Print All-in-One InkJet Color Printer: $48 shipped (Reg. $80+)

Amazon teases one day sale that’ll discount Prime memberships down to just $67

Giveaway: This is Ground’s Mod Laptop 2 is a road warrior’s dream bag, up to $499 value

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: OontZ Curve Bluetooth Speaker $15, MS Band Smartwatch $100, more

More deals still alive:

LG 49-inch 60Hz Smart 4K UHDTV: $550 shipped (Reg. $800+)

New products & more:

Infento’s Constructible Rides are a K’NEX-like bicycle system that grows with your kid

The Makerarm 3D prints, laser engraves, and even assembles your electronics

Review: Huawei Watch sets a new standard for Android Wear smartwatch design [Video]

Huawei Watch is beautiful. I know that’s a rather odd way to start out this review, but this is hands-down one of the best looking smartwatches on the market. I suppose that opinion is somewhat subjective depending on your taste, but every little detail about Huawei Watch’s look and feel is proof that there’s light at the end of the tunnel for beautiful smartwatch design…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus 6 (unlocked) $300, Galaxy S6 Edge (unlocked) $550, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 32GB: $300 shipped (Orig. $650)

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge 32 GB (factory unlocked): $550 shipped (Reg. $1,000) | Amazon

LG Watch Urbane Android Wear smartwatch: $279 shipped (Reg. $350) | AT&T

Samsung SM-G900A Galaxy S5 16 GB 4G LTE unlocked: $300 shipped (Reg. $500) | eBay

LG G3 D850 32 GB unlocked new 32 GB: $250 shipped (Reg. $450) | eBay

AirPrint All-in-One Inkjet Printers: Brother $45 shipped (Reg. $90), HP $70 shipped (Reg. $100)

Samsung 1080p Smart LED HDTV 50-inch $500 (Orig. $750)

Review: Tile’s 2nd-gen Bluetooth tracker makes finding lost keys, dog, or iPhone easier than ever

Giveaway: Schoolhouse Electric makes the clock cool again, $290 value

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: SanDisk 64GB Flash Drive $15, Logitech K410 Wireless Keyboard $20, more

More deals still alive:

Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drives: WD My Passport Ultra 3TB $125 (Orig. $200), Samsung 2TB $70 (Reg. $80)

New products & more:

iRobot takes its new Roomba 980 vacuum to the cloud with Wi-Fi connectivity and remote management

Timex combines its analog heritage with fitness tracking on the new Metropolitan+

Quick unboxing double take: Moto 360 (2nd gen) and Huawei Watch [Video]

Seth and I both got our hands on a couple new Android Wear devices today, and while you should definitely keep an eye out for our full reviews shortly, we thought we would post a couple quick unboxings. We have both the new Moto 360 (2nd generation) as well as the long-awaited Huawei Watch in-hand, and you can check out our videos below…

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Messages for Android Wear: Hands-on with a fiddly onscreen keyboard [Video]

Since the rise of science fiction movies, we’ve dreamed of being able to communicate to people through our wrists. In almost every case of wrist-worn gadgetry, fictional or real, that dream is met by voice dictation, or video calling. We don’t get excited by the prospect of typing in long messages to people using a tiny onscreen keyboard. Despite several attempts by tech companies in the past, it just hasn’t caught on. So it’s a little baffling when a company decides to release an app for smartwatches with the keyboard as its primary input method. I went hands on with Messages for Android Wear to find out if it was any good…


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