Here Comes Android Wear, Android for Wearables

Google has just unveiled Android Wear, a project that extends Android to wearables, as well as the developer preview. At first, Google will start with watches, but the project may eventually support other wearables. The smartwatch will be smartphone companion with easy access to voice and contextual data.
Google explains Android Wear will provide timely and useful information such as important social updates, or news. You’ll be able to use the familiar “Ok Google” to ask questions or complete tasks (call, SMS, alerts…) with your watch, Android Wear devices will be able to act as health and fitness bands, and they’ll also be used a smart remote to voice-control your phone, TV or Hi-Fi. Some of the first devices to use Android Wear will be Motorola Moto 360 and LG G Watch.But Google plans to work with Asus, HTC, and Samsung as well, chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm, and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to bring watches powered by Android Wear to market later this year.

Google also released Android Wear Developer Preview to let developers experiment with new APIs, and bring new apps to wearables. Development can be done just like with Android in Eclipse or Android Studio, and there’s a specific emulator to try out apps in small squared or rounded display. Since this is a preview only, this SDK is for development and testing purposes only, not for production apps, as Google may change this Developer Preview significantly prior to the official release of the Android Wear SDK.

You can visit Android Developer’s Wear page for more details.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.