Report No More Android Wear Devices From Samsung

Report No More Android Wear Devices From Samsung

Not that anyone was expecting to see one, but according to Fast Company, who spoke with executives of Samsung, there are no future plans for a Samsung-made Android Wear device. The only Android Wear smartwatch Samsung ever released was the Gear Live, which was made available after Google I/O in 2014. Since then, Samsung has used Tizen, its in-house operating system, exclusively for wearables. 

However, while that news should not alarm or upset anyone, the Samsung executive (no name provided), stated that Android Wear is not as battery-efficient as Tizen. No doubt, Android Wear and smartwatches in general have a ways to go in the battery department, but is Tizen really that much better?

Back when Kellen was using the Gear S2 (powered by Tizen), he never mentioned incredible battery life, which leads us to believe its not just battery life that turns Samsung away from Android Wear. Could it be that Samsung has already invested a ton in its own wearable ecosystem? That seems more likely.

Whatever the reasoning may be, don’t expect a Samsung Android Wear watch anytime soon.

Here, you can borrow my tissue to wipe the tears.

Via: Fast Company

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Video Android Wear 2 0 First Look and Tour!

Video Android Wear 2 0 First Look and Tour!

During Google I/O last week, Google showed off Android Wear 2.0, the biggest update the platform has ever seen. They told us to expect it later this year on consumer devices, but did push out a developer preview to the Huawei Watch and LG Watch Urbane LTE for those interested in getting their apps ready ahead of time. It’s also available for those of us who live on the bleeding, buggy edge of all things Android. Yep, that means we flashed 2.0 to a Huawei Watch to take it for a spin. 

In this build, in case you missed last week’s coverage, we get new ways to navigate Android Wear including an emphasis on using the physical button on the side of a watch as a back button instead of the swipe we are all used to. Swipes from the home screen also work differently and now launch you into the watch face chooser when done from side-to-side. The UI for notifications is no longer a card style and is instead a more fluid Material Design layout with full-screen pages. There are new ways to interact, like with a keyboard, as well.

Have a look!

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Android Wear 2 0 Biggest Update for the Platform Yet

Android Wear 2 0 Biggest Update for the Platform Yet

According to Google, Android Wear 2.0 is the “most significant Android Wear update” since the platform launched about two years ago. That’s a bold statement, even for Google. Available later this year in the fall season for everyone, Android Wear 2.0 includes standalone apps that access the web without the help of a smartphone, UI changes to make interactions with a smartwatch better, handwriting input methods, a new Complications API for developers, as well as big changes for the Google Fit platform.

For UI changes, Google has redesigned its app launcher and notifications, making the launching of apps on Android Wear much more timely. The system UI also adopts a dark color palette and makes better use of round displays, which is a bonus for owners of the Huawei Watch, Moto 360, and Watch Urbane models. Google also baked in a new handwriting input method, which allows users to essentially draw whatever they want typed, instead of having to speak everything to the smartwatch.

The Complications API for Android Wear 2.0 allows any app to add data directly to a watch face that allows for the API. For example, if you use a 3rd-party watch face, and also have an Android Wear app that shows sports score, you can add a complication to your watch face that shows those sports scores. That’s just an example, though. A complication could be added for weather, stocks, or anything else.

For Google Fit, improvements for the platform make it easier for apps to collect and use fitness data, as well as detect ongoing activity. Developers will also find it easier for their apps to get consistent daily step counts on Android Wear. Thanks to the changes, apps will better detect when a user starts walking, running, or biking.

If you are the type who does not care for waiting until the fall, a developer preview of Android Wear 2.0 has been made available for two devices – the Huawei Watch and LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition. Just like flashing an image to a Nexus phone, the process is very straightforward if your computer is already setup with adb good to go. You can download the necessary images right here.

Exciting, right?

Via: Android Developers

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