Android extends to wearables with Android Wear


Google Android Wear

Google just announced Android Wear, its first Android platform for wearables, as it promised earlier this month. This would let manufactures create smartwatches based on Android wear. This offers useful information to users when they need it, and respond to spoken questions and commands, just like Google Now. It can also monitor your health and fitness and lets you access and control other devices such as phone and TV.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqZl2QIz0c

Features of Android Wear

  • Useful information when you need it most. Android Wear shows you info and suggestions you need, right when you need them. The wide variety of Android applications means you’ll receive the latest posts and updates from your favorite social apps, chats from your preferred messaging apps, notifications from shopping, news and photography apps, and more.
  • Straight answers to spoken questions. Just say “Ok Google” to ask questions, like how many calories are in an avocado, what time your flight leaves, and the score of the game. Or say “Ok Google” to get stuff done, like calling a taxi, sending a text, making a restaurant reservation or setting an alarm.
  • The ability to better monitor your health and fitness. Hit your exercise goals with reminders and fitness summaries from Android Wear. Your favorite fitness apps can give you real-time speed, distance and time information on your wrist for your run, cycle or walk.
  • Your key to a multiscreen world. Android Wear lets you access and control other devices from your wrist. Just say “Ok Google” to fire up a music playlist on your phone, or cast your favorite movie to your TV. There’s a lot of possibilities here so we’re eager to see what developers build.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xQ3y902DEQ

Google Android Wear partners

Google is already working with several manufacturers, including Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung; chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm; and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to introduce watches powered by Android Wear later this year.

Google Android Wear Notification preview

Google has also released Developer Preview that lets developers test existing app notifications for watches powered by Android Wear. It has APIs and emulators to preview how notifications will appear on both square and round Android wearables.

Google would launch Android Wear SDK and new APIs later this year that would let you create custom card layouts, Send data and actions between a phone and a wearable, Gather sensor data and voice actions. Hope we can expect more details at the Google I/O scheduled for June 25th and 26th, 2014.


Author: Srivatsan Sridhar

Srivatsan Sridhar is a Mobile Technology Enthusiast who is passionate about Mobile phones and Mobile apps. He uses the phones he reviews as his main phone. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram