Two Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches arriving early next year

[Jos]

Things have been looking so great in the smartwatch market as more people are opting for basic wearable devices that focus on one thing — primarily fitness. But Google hasn't given up on the category. In fact, the company is reportedly planning to launch two new OEM-branded smartwatches early next year, which will serve as flagships for the next generation of Android Wear.

While the company isn’t building the hardware itself, like it is now doing with the Pixel smartphones, it is collaborating with an unnamed third party on hardware design and software integration of the watches. Speaking with The Verge, Android Wear manager and Google employee Jeff Chang only said that this company has made Android Wear smartwatches in the past.

Partner announcements for other Android Wear 2.0 devices coming in 2017 are expected at CES.

Google will release the fifth and final developer preview of Android Wear 2.0 in January, and it is expected to include support for Google Assistant and Android Pay on supported devices. It will also will support native, standalone apps that do not require a paired smartphone to work, Apple Watch-like watch faces, Material Design, better support for messaging and more.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/67514-two-android-wear-20-smartwatches-arriving-early-next.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I'm sure there will be some improvements, I can't see how things can get any worse. I suspect they'll still be flogging a dead horse though, activity trackers make far more purchasing sense.

 

[rvnwlfdroid]

This may be a day late and a dollar short. Even though I own a smartwatch and still wear it regularly it's not something that is going to stick around. Maybe it will have a comeback once they integrate holograms into them. Or at the very least more advanced medical monitoring hardware.

 

[Moneyd623]

"While the company isn’t building the hardware itself, like it is now doing with the Pixel smartphones, it is collaborating with an unnamed third party on hardware design and software integration of the watches. "

Just for the record, HTC built the pixel smartphone, google just put their logo on it....