Google recently revealed plans to provide a software update for the Android Wear. The timing of the update is also of interest, as it comes just days before the Apple Watch starts shipping.
No need to carry your phone everywhere
The upgrade is expected to add a number of new features to the smartwatch, whose functionality relies greatly on a companion smartphone being nearby.
Along with an ability to store music, the Google smartwatches will now come integrated with a Wi-Fi option. Provided that the watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and the supporting phone has a working data connection, a given user will be able to receive notifications, send messages, access Google Now and other apps anytime, anywhere.
Moreover, the phone does not necessarily need to be close to the smartwatch to enjoy these services. Though initially one would need a phone to configure settings for the network that the watch is to be connected with.
Another feature included in the Google software update is a hands-free gesture that will allow a user to scroll through the information stored in the watch by flicking your wrist to the right or left. In addition to this, the smartwatch will now have an ‘always on-screen’ option that instantly displays data on the watch’s face without the need for any gesture to wake-up the screen. To optimize the battery usage, there will be a black-and-white mode that will turn to full-color once the user is intearcting directly with the smartwatch.
Google opens Android Wear for third-party developers
Furthermore, it will be easier to reply to messages using emojis. The software “recognizer” associated with the new feature will be expert in figuring out the exact intentions of the writer, and the figure drawn will be replaced with the closest emoji stored in the watch. Moreover, to maximize the user experience, a lot of apps and faces for the watch have been developed by third-party developers.
The proposed software update for the Android Wear by Google will be first launched on LG’s Watch Urbane, which is going on sale this Friday. Other Android Wear smartwatches will also receive the upgrade in the next few days.
