Tag: google smartwatches

The tech giant is getting ready to launch two wearable technology devices on its upgraded operating system.

Google will launch two smartwatches based on Android Wear 2.0 in the first quarter of 2017. The Google Android Wear product manager, Jeff Chang revealed these details in an interview conducted by The Verge.

Chang spoke to the publication about the wearables which will be the first to use this operating system.

Until now, there had been only rumors of new Google smartwatches. Now, Chang has confirmed not only the wearables but also that they will be the first to run on the Android Wear 2.0 operating system. This is the latest big announcement in the wearable technology industry to help to encourage consumers to take interest in smartwatches. As much as there has been a great deal of growth in that category of mobile devices, consumers haven’t been purchasing anywhere near the rate that was predicted by many industry analysts, including eMarketer.

The Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches from Google won’t have the company’s brand, nor will it be Pixel.

Instead, the smartwatches will carry the brand of the company manufacturing them. According to Chan, Google worked with the manufacturer (which has remained unnamed by the time of the writing of this article) to create the software and hardware design of the wearables. Though the manufacturer continues to be unnamed, Chang did mention that it is a company that has previously made Android Wear devices.

Following the initial launch of the 2 Google smartwatches, there will be others that will be upgraded to the Wear 2.0 operating system in 2017. They include: Tag Heuer Connected, Polar M600, Moto 360 Gen 2, Moto 360 Sport, Casio Smart Outdoor Watch, Fossil Q Wander, Fossil Q Marshall, Fossil Q Founder, Huawei Watch, Huawei Watch Ladies, LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE, LG Watch Urbane, LG G Watch R, Asus ZenWatch 2, Asus ZenWatch 3, Nixon Mission, Michael Kors Access Bradshaw Smartwatch, and Michael Kors Access Dylan Smartwatch.

The other devices will receive their Android 2.0 updates following the launch of the Google smartwatches. The upgraded platform is meant to provide users with a new spectrum of features.

Consumers can purchase new wearable devices from Google Play.

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 25, 2014, the long awaited Android Wear powered and web connected LG G and Samsung Gear Live smartwatches were made available at the Google Play store for consumers to pre-order.

Google announced that this wearable tech is ready for the market.

During its annual I/O developers conference, which was held in San Francisco, California yesterday, the search engine giant made it known that the Samsung Gear Live smartwatch and the LG G smartwatch are market ready. However, the company stated that Motorola’s smartwatch – Moto 360 – will not be going on sale until later on in the summer.

In addition, Google declared that the voice enabled Android Wear platform is available in API for developers. This feature allows users to verbally interact with their wearables in a way that is not unlike Google Now.

Furthermore, social media has been integrated into the devices. For instance, if a user likes another person’s pin about a restaurant on Pinterest, the watch will alert the user when they are near the restaurant. Also, users can ask their smartwatch to call them a car with Lyft, which knows where the user is located from the watch’s GPS. Google demoed the notifications and voice commands during the conference.

Android Wear smartwatches will be available with circular and square screens.

According to Google’s director of engineering, David Singleton, Android Wear devices will be made available with screens of different shapes and sizes. He said that both smartwatch models from Samsung and LG have square displays, but Motorola’s will be round. He also said that the devices will be available in a diverse range of “fashionable designs.”

“We’re right at the beginning of a new phase of the miniaturization of technology, which means it’s finally possible to make a small computer that can fit comfortably on your body all day long,” Singleton said during the conference.

The Samsung Gear Live costs $199 and the LG G carries a $229 price tag. Those who pre-order either of these smartwatches from Google Play should receive them on July 7.