Everything You Should Know About Google's Android Wear Smartwatches

Image via Complex Original

With software being the real attraction for Android Wear, Google looks to have its widely popular digital assistant command the experience. This will make the devices more than just a phone notifications tool and will serve as a window for a larger stream of relevant Google-ish content a user prefers to have displayed. So get familiar with voice commands.

Building on the Android ecosystem, Android Wear will borrow a cue from Google Now and feature a vertically scrolling list of cards that deliver popular info: including messages, notifications, and weather forecasts. This will be known as the Context Stream. Working alongside the function will be the Cue Card—a manual card-based interface that appears when the Context Stream is stuck on what the user wants to do. This will prompt them to call up a list of voice actions and select apps capable of responding to them.

The first batch of Android Wear-enabled devices will be offered in two different designs: round and square. LG is going for the more traditional block look with its G Watch, where as Motorola is boasting its manufacturing pedigree by welcoming a gorgeously designed round-face smartwatch in the Moto 360. Both models will be made from metal, but feature unique design elements such as the 360 sporting an OLED display protected by Sapphire glass and the G being waterproof.

Similar to any Google-operated smartphone, the software will allow users to swipe through different alerts, while also granting the opportunity to prioritize them based on urgency. Google is advising its developer community to “be respectful of users’ attention and aware of how unnecessary interruptions will reflect on your application’s reputation.” So any notifications that make the smartwatch vibrate can be limited to just critical updates.

Unlike the Samsung Gear series, the first batch of Android Wear devices will not sport a digital shooter. But it shouldn’t be considered a deal breaker as the camera on Sammy’s smartwatches is one of its biggest flaws.

Google’s spent the past year monitoring its competitors in the fitness tracker market–learning from their successes and numerous failures. Understanding the true value of a wearable lies in the software and user experience, Android Wear will provide access to some of your favorite health apps and display real-time metrics such as distance travelled and speed for activity regimes. 

Besides offering basic music player functionality, users will have the ability to start a music playlist via voice command and even “cast” movies to their TV. The latter suggests Android Wear devices will be compatible with Chromecast. Keep in mind Google claims some of these features will be present in future Android Wear devices, possible launch ones as well through software updates. There is also talk of having the wearables double as a remote control. 

Google has made some changes to the Android UI and stripped it down to conserve power. Meaning the smartwatches will promote longer vitality that could possibly last up to a few days. The Moto 360 is said to feature a special-yet-mysterious charging method, which designer Jim Wicks refuses to share with the public at the moment. All that’s known is it will tap into some of the power-managing elements available in the Moto series and not have a microUSB port for charging.

With Android remaining an open-source platform, Google has already launched its developer preview and plans on releasing a full SDK by the end of the year. Translation: aspiring software engineers will have complete access to Android Wear in an effort to enhance the wearable experience. The company wants developers to emphasize on “glanceable” updates and build more intuitive card alerts for any accompanying apps.

Experts have LG and Motorola's smartwatches tagged around the $250 - $300. So both devices sit in about the same price range as the Samsung Gear 2.