Google is going in for a no holds barred approach to the smart wearable segment, which the giant has claimed as the next hot zone, high stakes battleground for all the biggest tech companies. To that end, Google has come up with an Android smartwatch concept. Dubbed Android Wear, it will no doubt spur companies to develop smartwatches based on the Google OS. The manufacturers were forced to customize the standard Android OS for this, but it’s unlikely to be limited to smartwatches alone. To showcase its capabilities, Google collaborated with LG to develop the G Watch, the smartwatch equivalent of the Nexus 5. The Moto 360 from Motorola is the only other smartwatch released that is based on Android Wear.
The functionality and ease of access to data has been given the highest priority. Users can have all the data that they need and at the right moment. Not surprisingly, personal fitness is one aspect of the new Android version. Users can look forward to Android Wear-equipped smartwatches as the perfect fitness companion, providing them with reminders or other relevant information such as time, distance, and speed information in real time.
Android Wear also incorporates Google Now into the smartwatch. For it to respond, all the user has to say is “Okay Google.” “Say ‘Ok Google’ to get stuff done, like calling a taxi, sending a text, making a restaurant reservation or setting an alarm,” Sunder Pichai revealed in a company blog post.
Having notifications from social feeds and other sources is almost imperative for the device to vie as a worthy complement, and Android Wear does not disappoint on this front. Suitable apps are all designed to keep the user informed, like the incorporated Google Maps.
The Moto 360–slated for a summer release–is Motorola’s answer to offering a smartwatch that is as much about style as functionality. The device incorporates the classic watch design with a circular dial and a knob along the side is reminiscent of a conventional watch, though it’s still not clear what function it serves. Overall, it’s sleek and stylish, but it will be interesting to see how long it’s going to last on a single charge. Users can hope that a smartwatch as cool as the Moto 360 isn’t just tied to a Motorola device, and ties up with Android devices from other manufacturers as well.
In contrast, the LG G Phone is a lot more “conventional” in that it incorporates a rectangular watch face as seen with most of its competitors. Not much is known of the G Watch except that it’s likely to be priced quite low, a familiar strategy adopted by the Nexus series of devices. Google stated they are working with several other manufacturers to develop more smartwatch device in future, which includes several fashion brands as well.
Meanwhile, here are some videos showcasing Android Wear.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
