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Google today officially announced the release of Android Wear 2.0 and also released two new Android Wear watches from LG to go along with it: the LG Watch Style and Watch Sport.
Google had first previewed Android Wear 2.0 at I/O last year, and the final release scheduled to drop in summer. However, Google postponed the release as the OS needed more work. Rewarding the patience of all Android Wear users out there, the latest version of the OS comes with a number of new features that make the wait well worth it.
To enhance the ‘watch’ functionality of the OS, Android Wear 2.0 comes with watch faces that can be customised to display information that is important to you like your calendar appointments, stock, fitness goals, and more. You can also quickly launch specific apps by tapping on the complications on a watch face.
The updated Google Fit app in Android Wear 2.0 is now capable of tracking the distance you run, pace, heartbeat, calories burned, and other important metrics while you are walking, running or cycling. Other improvements in the OS include faster and easier ways to respond to messages from Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and others using dictation, by drawing an emoji, or by typing. Then, Android Wear 2.0 also comes with support for standalone apps that will help in greatly increasing the overall speed and stability of apps. These apps can also work when the watch is not tethered to a phone. In addition, Android Wear 2.0 comes with its own Play Store that you can use to directly install apps on the watch. Finally, there is also support for Android Pay and cellular connection.
The highlight of the update, however, is Google Assistant which has been available on Google’s Pixel devices so far. With Assistant, you can ask your Android Wear 2.0 running smartwatch to navigate to work, set reminders, update shopping lists, and more. For now, Google Assistant is only available in English and German languages.
Google says the Android Wear 2.0 update will be rolled out to all supported smartwatches in the coming weeks.
[Via Google]
