Google Announces Android Wear, It's Own Smartwatch OS
Google is bringing Android to wearables and according to them, the new OS will enable users to accomplish tasks and give out commands with just a spoken word.
Named Android Wear, the new Google operating system specifically designed for wearables will most likely debut on a smartwatch, notes the company's blogpost.
"We're also already working with several consumer electronics manufacturers, including Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung; chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm; and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to bring you watches powered by Android Wear later this year," the blogpost reads.
The new smartwatch OS has been announced to be geared towards fitness, seemingly riding the bandwagon on health and fitness-dedicated apps and devices these days. "Your favorite fitness apps can give you real-time speed, distance and time information on your wrist for your run, cycle or walk," says Google.
And with Android Wear smartwatch OS, users will reportedly have much more choices when it comes to installing their desired and needed apps. Among the many Android apps are ones that will enable users to receive the latest posts and updates from favorite social apps, chats from preferred messaging apps, and notifications from shopping, news and photography apps, as mentioned in the announcement.
Getting tasks done will also be as simple as muttering "Ok Google," a convenience which has been demonstrated by Google Glass' "Ok Glass." What's even more is that Google's Android Wear will not be limiting smartwatches to sync with smartphones only. The Google announcement also mentioned that getting TVs to work with Android Wear-powered smartwatches is a possibility.
Google has released the Android Wear Developer Preview, which according to its page, allows developers to run the Android Wear platform in the Android emulator, connect an Android device to the emulator and view notifications from the device as cards on Android Wear and try new APIs in the preview support library to enhance app notifications.