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Google demoed
it's Android Wear platform and announced the availability of the first Android Wear Devices.
An announced was done in March about this device, but Google made it official announcement
at this event.
Android Wear is designed to bring the Android platform to a range of wearable devices from
several of Google's manufacturing partners to work together. Google has designed Android
Wear with many of the features and functions that rumors have suggested Apple's own iWatch
might include.
It seems that Android Wear will support multiple screen size and different styles, which include
both square and circular smart-watches. The devices are build to be on an always-on display
with a card-based UI that display information like notification and location-based reminders.
Google has integrated Google Now within the Android Wear devices and it supports contextual
apps that display information at a glance and it also integrates with several sensors,
such as those that monitor your steps and your heart rate devices. It include Google
Maps support, offering turn-by-turn directions on the wrist and it can be used to control
other devices, like a pair of speakers.
Like all smart-watches, the Android Wear device is dependent on a connected smart-phone, much
like the Samsung Gear Fit and the iWatch which is expected to be dependent on the iPhone
line up. Apps that are downloaded from the Google Play Store are able to be included
as a wearable portion on the device, which is automatically installed on a compatible
Android Wear device when downloaded on a smart-phone, extending available app functionality to the
wrist.
During the conference a car service was ordered with a simple voice command, which the watch
automatically detected the location for the car service to you up at your current location.
You can even do a payment and get update notifications on the driver's location by displaying it
on the smart-watch without the need of your smart-phone.
By focusing on a platform rather than a device of its own, Google has managed to get Android
onto wrists several months ahead of Apple's iWatch.