Android Coming to Wearables

Google has now officially announced Android’s entrance into wearables with project “Android Wear” which sounds better than a smartwatch or activity band.

There's a Developer Preview available now for those with Android Developer accounts who are serious about learning more on Android wearables, but developers will have to wait for an software development kit.

Motorola has already blogged about the Moto 360, which will be available "Summer 2014 in a variety of styles." On the official Moto 360 site a number of images are shown of an Android concept watch in action. It displays the weather, meeting reminders, or GPS navigation, aside from the screen that displays a watch face.

They are starting with the most familiar wearable—watches. Going well beyond the mere act of just telling you the time, a range of new devices along with an expansive catalogue of apps will give you:

• 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. 

If you’re a developer and are looking to get in on the developer preview, you can head on over to developer.android.com/wear and download the SDK. This will also allow developers to bring their existing app notifications to watches that are already running Android Wear. 

So it sounds like what Pebble has done. But it also means we are going to get a lot more apps on Android Wear a lot faster, now that there is an “official” platform. It also appears that Google has made it easy for developers to move their apps over to Android Wear which is a big deal.

They are also already working with several consumer electronics manufacturers, including Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung; chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm; and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to bring you watches powered by Android Wear later this year.

Technology to help people live their lives and this is just another step in that journey. Here’s to getting the most out of the many screens you use every day—whether in your car, in your pocket or, very soon, on your wrist. 

Author Venkatesh Yalagandula Follow us Google + and Facebook and Twitter