Android Wear 2.0 It's the biggest overhaul of Google's operating system for smartwatches, a leap that bets on more autonomy, personalization and a polished experience designed for small screens. The update reinforces the idea that the watch can function independently, with standalone applications, a revamped interface and new ways to interact without relying on your mobile phone.
Android Wear is Google's operating system for smartwatches. It has received several updates so far. However, now comes the latest update. most important update which it had never received, Android Wear 2.0, and it does so with some new features that will be very relevant for smartwatches with this platform.
More autonomous watches
We knew that for smartwatches to be successful, they needed to be more autonomousthat they would become independent of smartphones, that they wouldn't depend on them. And that's what we can now expect from the New watches with Android Wear 2.0In fact, one of the new features of this new version of the operating system will be the possibility that the applications function completely autonomouslyThese features, whether native to the watch or unrelated to the smartphone, will also be available. Furthermore, Android Wear 2.0 will offer a new option that many users will love: to be able to write on the watchWe can do this either by drawing the letters on the screen, or by sliding with a small keyboard that appears on the screen.
Two options that will need to be tested to see if they are truly useful, but which ultimately give us more alternatives to answer to a message, beyond the simple quick replies that weren't enough in previous versions of Android Wear. The arrival of a Google Play store on the watch itself This completes this independence: now you choose which apps to install on the wearable without them having to be on the mobile phone as well, and many can operate on their own even when the phone is not nearby.
New interface and sphere selector
Virtually everything in Android Wear 2.0 is visually new. Google applies a Material Design adapted for wearables with fluid animations and tones that make better use of the panel. The swipe gesture now change the clock faceThis is much faster than the long presses of before. With a long press, however, you access the deep customization of each sphere.
The spheres incorporate complications (small information modules) fully configurable. You can place up to four extra elements with data and shortcuts to system and third-party apps. Among the most useful are: steps, calories, battery, next appointment, time in another city, access to contacts, notification indicators and more, to design your ideal watch face.
Apps and Google Play on the watch
One of the great successes is the store Google Play directly on your wristYou can now decide which apps you want installed only on your watch. app drawer It opens by pressing the crown or button, and has been redesigned for round screens: it shows more icons at a glance and highlights the centered element for easier tapping. You can mark favorites with a long press to place them at the top and see the most recent ones first.
With this base, services like Spotify, Strava, RuntasticRunkeeper, Telegram, Uber, or Google Play Music can run on the watch to play music, record workouts, or reply to messages, even if you use an iPhone or leave your phone at home, as long as the watch has a connection (Bluetooth, WiFi, or LTE) or can work without one.
Improved notifications and interaction
notifications They stop suppressing critical information about the sphere and become more agile. They appear as discreet bubbles And when opened, they fill the entire screen with key information and a menu of visible actions immediately (no more swiping through multiple cards to find them). The physical button takes center stage: open drawer, makes ago in menus and, in some models, activates the assistant with a long press.
Input methods and Assistant
You no longer have to constantly talk to the watch. Android Wear 2.0 incorporates QWERTY keyboardhandwriting and gestural writing for swiping across the keys, plus intelligent responses. Despite its size, the system is frequently accurate and learns from your usage. Google Assistant It is integrated into the watch for queries, reminders or actions, accessible by voice or via the button depending on the model and configuration.
Health and fitness with Google Fit
The sports focus grows with a Google Fit improved that automatically recognizes activities and communicates with your fitness and nutrition apps for a more comprehensive trackingIt is capable of measuring repetitions of exercises such as squats or push-ups, and recording routes with GPS And if your watch has LTEGo for a run while listening to music via Bluetooth, record your route, and answer messages without your mobile phone.
Contactless payments and settings
Android Wear 2.0 adds support for NFC on compatible watches and contactless payments through the Google platform, a method rápido y seguro bringing the wrist close to the card reader. The quick settings: brightness control, sound modes, battery status, access to full settings and practical options such as disable system apps that you don't use or reset the clock directly.
Competing with the Apple Watch
The arrival of this autonomy in smartwatches has a lot to do with offering high-value features without mobileThey are based on precisely the same principle: that the apps should not depend on the phone, but should be completely autonomous. That is, we can listen to music from our watch while it monitors our cycling route and, if the watch allows it, pay with NFC Upon completion. That's the big new feature that takes us a step further in the world of smartwatches, and with it, we can start to forget about our smartphones in more situations. The update comes with the support of brands like ASUS, Casio, Fossil, Huawei, LG, Michael Kors, Motorola, New Balance, Nixon, Polar or TAG Heuerconsolidating the ecosystem.
With this major overhaul, Android Wear 2.0 transforms watches into smart devices more useful, customizable and capableThe final experience will depend on the hardware (having LTE, GPS, or NFC makes a difference), but even on models without all that equipment, the improvement in interface, notifications, and input methods is noticeable, bringing the platform closer to the daily use that users demand, and reminding us how the first generation of watches with Android Wear.
