Google Intros Android Wear, Manufacturers Announce Android Wear-powered Smartwatches
Google makes the Android operating system available for wearable devices with Android Wear, a new platform that will power a variety of wearables, starting with smartwatches.
And manufacturers already announced that they will bring out Android Wear-powered smartwatches later this year.
If you heard rumors about the Google Watch platform, then you will be glad to find out that the rumors came true. Earlier this week Google introduced Android Wear to the world. This is a new platform that brings the Android operating system to wearable devices – starting with watches, the most familiar wearables of them all.
“Most of us are rarely without our smartphones in hand. These powerful supercomputers keep us connected to the world and the people we love. But we're only at the beginning; we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with mobile technology. That’s why we’re so excited about wearables—they understand the context of the world around you, and you can interact with them simply and efficiently, with just a glance or a spoken word,” commented Sundar Pichai, SVP, Android, Chrome & Apps.
Get a smartwatch powered by Android Wear and you will get to enjoy the following features:
Notifications at the Right Time, Notifications from Various Apps
Just like Google Now cards show up on your Android smartphone at just the right time, notifications with useful information will be displayed by the watch at the time you need them. Notifications from a variety of apps will be displayed as well: notifications from messaging apps, notificatiosn for news apps, notifications from social apps, and so on.
Touch and Voice Interaction
You can interact with the watch via touch and voice. Say “OK Google” to activate voice detection, ask a question, and an answer will be provided.
Health and Fitness Monitoring
Track the distance you ran while jogging, track your speed while cycling, access fitness summaries, get exercise reminders – Android Wear does a lot to help you better monitor your health and fitness.
Control Other Devices
From your Android Wear-powered watch you can control other devices. You could for example cast a movie to your TV. Or you could star music playback on your Android smartphone.
Sign Up for the Developer Preview
Developers will want to know that they can sign up for the Android Wear Developer Preview. The Preview lets them access an emulator and new Android Wear APIs.
Google explained that it wants to bring Android Wear watches to the market as quickly as possible. With that aim in mind, Google is already collaborating with:
Motorola announced that it will release the Moto 360 smartwatch powered by Android Wear this summer.
And LG announced that it plans to introduce its first watch powered by Android Wear, the LG G Watch, in the second quarter of 2014.
And manufacturers already announced that they will bring out Android Wear-powered smartwatches later this year.
If you heard rumors about the Google Watch platform, then you will be glad to find out that the rumors came true. Earlier this week Google introduced Android Wear to the world. This is a new platform that brings the Android operating system to wearable devices – starting with watches, the most familiar wearables of them all.
“Most of us are rarely without our smartphones in hand. These powerful supercomputers keep us connected to the world and the people we love. But we're only at the beginning; we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with mobile technology. That’s why we’re so excited about wearables—they understand the context of the world around you, and you can interact with them simply and efficiently, with just a glance or a spoken word,” commented Sundar Pichai, SVP, Android, Chrome & Apps.
Get a smartwatch powered by Android Wear and you will get to enjoy the following features:
Notifications at the Right Time, Notifications from Various Apps
Just like Google Now cards show up on your Android smartphone at just the right time, notifications with useful information will be displayed by the watch at the time you need them. Notifications from a variety of apps will be displayed as well: notifications from messaging apps, notificatiosn for news apps, notifications from social apps, and so on.
Touch and Voice Interaction
You can interact with the watch via touch and voice. Say “OK Google” to activate voice detection, ask a question, and an answer will be provided.
Health and Fitness Monitoring
Track the distance you ran while jogging, track your speed while cycling, access fitness summaries, get exercise reminders – Android Wear does a lot to help you better monitor your health and fitness.
Control Other Devices
From your Android Wear-powered watch you can control other devices. You could for example cast a movie to your TV. Or you could star music playback on your Android smartphone.
Sign Up for the Developer Preview
Developers will want to know that they can sign up for the Android Wear Developer Preview. The Preview lets them access an emulator and new Android Wear APIs.
Google explained that it wants to bring Android Wear watches to the market as quickly as possible. With that aim in mind, Google is already collaborating with:
- Consumer electronics manufacturers like Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung.
- Chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm.
- Fashion brands like the Fossil Group.
Motorola announced that it will release the Moto 360 smartwatch powered by Android Wear this summer.
And LG announced that it plans to introduce its first watch powered by Android Wear, the LG G Watch, in the second quarter of 2014.
