Google's smartwatch OS has finally arrived, and Android Wear is probably
the best wearable platform that's ever hit the market — although, considering the horrendous state of past smartwatches, this alone isn't a remarkable achievement.
Not exact matches
Until recently, this was the game with the most power - ups in any Mario
platform game (a total of 9 power - ups), but it was beaten by Super Mario 3D World (this game has 16 power - ups, if you count the
wearable items as
well)
With this acquisition, we're
well positioned to accelerate the expansion of our
platform and ecosystem to make Fitbit a vital part of daily life for a wider set of consumers, as
well as build the tools healthcare providers, insurers and employers need to more meaningfully integrate
wearable technology into preventative and chronic care.»
The company has recently entered the world of
wearables with the Microsoft Band, and offers versions of its Office and Xbox Music apps for Android and iOS, as
well as its own
platforms.
As a result, those stylish watches you see from fashion brands like Michael Kors and Fossil will continue to offer a simplified experience of a
wearables platform that's really quite
good.
Pairing a re-brand with a refreshed user experience might be a
good way for Google to get consumers excited about its
wearable platform again, as it has certainly seen
better days over the last few years.
The time has almost come for Android Wear's biggest update yet, which will probably make or break Google's smartwatch
platform for
good, as
wearable devices approach that point in their sluggish evolution when they need to prove their worth or literally die trying.
There are speculations that the upcoming
wearable device would make
good use of Apple's HealthKit health and fitness
platform and also be operable with its HomeKit
platform.
The addition of Google Fit integration makes the Mi Band a more useful
wearable than its competitors as the same
platform can be accessed through Android running smartphones and tablets as
well as Android Wear smartwatches and the Web.
These will raise the expectations of what a smart
wearable can do, and each
platform is vying for
best - in - class status.
That set of apps doesn't cover every possible
platform out there, but there's a much
better chance that you're using one of those than Samsung Health if the Gear Sport is your first Samsung
wearable.
Robust fitness tracking
platform aside, the
wearable comes with NFC support so that you can use Samsung Pay and is compatible with virtually every contemporary smartphone on the market, as
well as Spotify's offline mode.
If you're interested in all of the updates that Apple is bringing to the
wearable platform with watchOS 2, T3.com has collected the
best bits in this short, easily digestible picture guide.
With the tagline «Extending Android to
Wearables» more or less highlighting Google's decision to introduce the
platform, the company hopes to replicate its Android - mobility tryst with smartwatches as
well.
While it continues to dominate global smart
wearable shipments, ahead of Apple, Garmin or Samsung, and with Pebble and Jawbone out of contention, Fitbit struggled during the recently concluded holiday quarter, ending up firing some people, as
well as shutting down wrist payment
platform Coin.
Unless you already have the unlikely pairing of an Android smartwatch and a iPhone, you will be
better off sticking to a single
platform for all of your
wearable technology.
From money management software, to grocery list - makers, the abundance of practical apps to download is a
good indicator of the
wearable platform's health.
But Google's
wearable platform has come a long way in a short while, and nothing exemplifies that
better than the Huawei Watch.