Android Wear definitely can be seen as a dead platform, but evidently, it looks like Google is still delivering certain updates that are wearable. Android Wear 2.0 is, of course, getting certain updates cum features. The new features can actually be delivered via the Play Store itself. This normally happens when the user is able to update the Android Wear app on the smartwatch.
The option of the third-party chat app support in Contacts does reduce the accidental entry into the watch face picker. The chat app support does mean that the users will be able to make use of WhatsApp etc. and be able to text their contacts. It also will improve Play Store discoverability for the new apps along with other bug fixes cum improvements. There will also be more improvements as well as features in the coming months, which are rather interesting.
Google Android Wear was meant to challenge to Apple Watch and its watchOS, but the platform hasn’t really taken off, like Android on the mobiles. The wearable market, in particular, has not seen any of the kind of growth that was expected by the analysts in the early days, and there are several reasons for this.
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One must remember that the smartwatch is still dependent on the phone itself and is a must-buy for the user, especially if one will consider the price. Also, smartwatches do continue to suffer from the problem of poor battery life, which can be an additional problem to the buyer. Also, there is no need for the user to upgrade their smartwatch every year, like in the case of the smartphone.
Referring to Android Wear 3.0, the new wearable OS has yet to arrive although it may be announced in the month of February similar to what Google had done last year. No doubt, the hardware announcements was, of course, limited to the LG, Huawei, and Asus for 2017. Players such as Motorola which has been designed as the Moto 360 did not have any showcase this year.
Android Wear 2.0 has been the biggest update for Google’s smartwatch OS in its 3-year history. The revamped smartwatch OS has been originally launched on the two brand new Android-based watches and it has the been landing on existing Wear watches over last few months.
The Wear 2.0 upgrade also adds up a whole host of several new features and lays emphasis on the custom watch faces, fitness, and standalone apps. The iPhone users are also in line for a much better iOS/Android Wear experience.
Standalone apps are undoubtedly the biggest change for the Wear ecosystem up till now. In 2.0 one does not need one’s phone nearby in order to be able to make use of apps on one’s Android Wear device. Make use of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cellular instead of trying to depend upon a tethered phone or even cloud syncing. One’s smartwatch does remain much more functional if away from one’s phone.
Most of the Wi-Fi enabled smartwatches can definitely connect up to Wi-Fi but this happens to be a huge deal for Android Wear watch owners which also happen to be iPhones. It does mean one can now download the apps straight onto the watch thus making up for the previous lack of app support that is available when paired with Apple’s smartphone.
