Google Launches 'Android Wear' Project for Wearable Devices

[F123D]

I wonder if Apple had released an iWatch prototype that looked similar in design, if all the people who are bashing this thing would do a complete 180.

I have no interest in a smartwatch but I can't deny this thing looks awesome.

Also, it's not everyones trying to beat apple first to a smartwatch. At this point, Apple is late introducing one.

 

[HTCGAMING]

I think Google have definitely gone in the right direction here. Could be some serious competition.
But will it work 100% with my iPhone? Probably not, so I'll still be waiting for the possibility of an iWatch till my contract runs out in 2015.

Yes it will. Just like Google Glass works with the iPhone. When it comes to releasing something like this Google is platform agnostic. They want as many users as possible using it. Now will OEMS make it compatible with anything other than their phones. For example will LG's G Watch work with anything other than LG phones? That is something that remains to be seen.

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Great, now how about you show us an actual product?



irmongoose

LG G Watch. Moto 360. There you go. Actually product. Google just announced the SDK.

 

[Serelus]

Why is this front page news on MacRumors?

I don't like how people criticize articles that don't explicitly say "Apple" in the headline and I get how sometimes other places in tech relate to Apple, but why is this here? Articles about the Pebble, for instance, make sense because they are iOS friendly, but this...has nothing to do with Apple. Sometimes MR makes a connection to Apple in the last paragraph by mentioning rumors about an upcoming product or something, but they didn't even try that here.

Not one place in this article does it mention Apple or even make a connection to the iWatch (a product that doesn't even exist in the first place). But if they're not going to make a connection to Apple then they could at least put in in a general news section, but this is front page news on MacRumors.

This is entirely an Android/Google thing and has nothing to do with Apple.

That aside, though, nice article and nice move, Google.

It's okay if MR staff wants to engage in their general interest in tech: we all do, whether we care to mention it or not. If you're reading this website (particularly if you're reading the comments) you probably have a love for technology, not just technology pertaining to Apple. We all like tech, so don't be afraid to admit it, MR.

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1) Most smartwatches connect to your phone and use its data.
2) http://thetechsci.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/smartwatches/

It's Apple's competition, Period. MacRumors has now for years been delivering news surrounding every broard spectrum of Apple's business and everything that evolves around it. Stop moaning for the sake of moaning, no one is forcing you to read anything.

 

[AstronomyiPhone]

So, I am confused about these wearables.

Do I still need to carry my smartphone with me to pickup data and sync to the wearable? If not, do I need to buy a data plan for the watch?

If the former, than a wearable is simply a convenience so I don't need to look at my phone. It might also have some health monitoring capabilities that add value. Nevertheless, I would guess that a smartphone would be much more capable, and you will need to have it with you anyway....so, it is basically a convenience item, which means cost would be important factor in my buying decision.

If the later, who would buy a data plan for a watch?? That seems crazy.

1) Most smartwatches connect to your phone and use its data.
2) http://thetechsci.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/smartwatches/

 

[samcraig]

Which makes it a peripheral not very different from a bluetooth headset. The only difference is a tiny screen, too small to make any meaningful touch input and too tiny to see through a longer list of information. It might be perfect for one missed call, but now you have 7 messages and 4 emails, some with attachments that might be important to you. The problem is not (only), what a smartwatch does MORE than a smartphone, but also what it does LESS. There is so much a smartwatch can't do, that it almost doesn't justify the effort to carry it around, even if these devices were free.

Your post makes little sense to me since I already posted the exact use case where my "peripheral" provides me a better experience than just having a cell phone.

I never spoke to touch interfaces. I spoke about my Pebble use case.

 

[Roessnakhan]

Yes it will. Just like Google Glass works with the iPhone. When it comes to releasing something like this Google is platform agnostic. They want as many users as possible using it. Now will OEMS make it compatible with anything other than their phones. For example will LG's G Watch work with anything other than LG phones? That is something that remains to be seen.

Unfortunately I don't think it'll be able to leverage certain features (e.g. responding to texts), because Apple doesn't allow that deep of integration. If the Moto 360 receives good reviews, I might jump ship to a Nexus device to gain those abilities though.

 

[HTCGAMING]

Whatever happened to Google TV? I thought that was the next big thing? And where's Google Glass? This company can't seem to actually execute much of anything. Lot's of commercials, fluffy fawning tech articles and thinly veiled ads on tech sites though.

But what do you expect from an advertising and PR company. That's what they do best.

Google TV was the last time I'm investing in anything Google comes up with that wasn't already established. They just can't seem to do anything right other than search, ads, and cheap.

Google TV has been replace essential for the time being with the Chromecast. Chromecast is the next big thing. It's sales prove that.

Google Glass has not been released yet. It is still in the early stages. They have the explorer program that they are expanding an you can join. Look it up. Will cost 1500 dollars but still. They have not released it for the public. It is suppose to come either this year or next. Google Glass only been available for around a year. So that example falls flat on it's face.

 

[kdarling]

Apple certainly doesn't make commercials showing off how fake consumers are enjoying its product 6 months before it might come out.

Apple released their first iPhone ad in Feb 2007 ... five months before it went on sale, and before it was an actual reliably working product.

When Apple announced the iPad you saw a feckin' iPad. On the stage. IN person. Being used by Jobs. Same thing with the phone.

When Jobs showed off the first iPhone prototypes, they wouldn't even reliably work for more than a few minutes at a time. The demo was rigged with multiple devices that had just been reset.

The demo actions themselves had been carefully picked out in an order that was least likely to fail.

A five bar signal strength display was even hardcoded on the screen because they could not guarantee that the cellular radio wouldn't crash.

Everyone sometimes shows early prototypes.

 

[HTCGAMING]

Because it's all fake.

Even if you can cram a GPS stone in there, than there's no space left for a battery.

Wrong on so many levels.

 

[AstronomyiPhone]

It's Apple's competition, Period. MacRumors has now for years been delivering news surrounding every broard spectrum of Apple's business and everything that evolves around it. Stop moaning for the sake of moaning, no one is forcing you to read anything.

I understand and I'm sorry if it came off that way; I didn't mean it as a complaint. In fact, it sounds like a response I wrote to someone else the other day. I was just saying that it's bad journalism to not reconnect back to the topic at hand, and MR is usually good about that, but they completely neglected it here.

 

[itsmeorthedog]

Which makes it a peripheral not very different from a bluetooth headset. The only difference is a tiny screen, too small to make any meaningful touch input and too tiny to see through a longer list of information. It might be perfect for one missed call, but now you have 7 messages and 4 emails, some with attachments that might be important to you. The problem is not (only), what a smartwatch does MORE than a smartphone, but also what it does LESS. There is so much a smartwatch can't do, that it almost doesn't justify the effort to carry it around, even if these devices were free.

BANG!! Hit the nail on the head with this one.

Try posting that on Android Central...they'd rip you apart.

 

[Syk]

and why does it need to tell you what city you are in? Duh, if google thinks that is pertinent info I'm afraid there are other things they have missed

Probably because like most weather apps you can make favorites for multiple cities, you could swipe and see the weather for a city you're headed to or if you're traveling through a state it would tell you what city/town you're currently in and the temp there.

 

[Ezhik]

Apple is rumored to put out an iWatch. All the "Me-Too's" release their best guesses first.

The "Me-Too's" flop.

Apple doesn't release an iWatch. Apple just grins and reinvents something else.

Okay, I saw Google Glass get called an Apple ripoff, and now this. Do tell me, is there anything that's not an Apple ripoff?

I bet Google ripped the non-existent Apple Maps when they made Google Maps in 2005, and Microsoft ripped off iOS 7 when making Windows Phone in 2010.

 

[samcraig]

Probably because like most weather apps you can make favorites for multiple cities, you could swipe and see the weather for a city you're headed to or if you're traveling through a state it would tell you what city/town you're currently in and the temp there.

Lack of vision by some posters is lack of vision.

 

[luigi408]

Dang it looks awesome to me. Apple better hurry up soon. I really want something like this to work with my iPhone. I have had iPhones since 3G and don't watch to switch to another type of system but if Apple lags too much behind Google I might switch. Still, I trust Apple will do something as awesome as this or better. Can't wait.

 

[HTCGAMING]

And this is because apple MAY be releasing an iwatch - though their is no proper evidence to say they are!

Has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the fact Google has been invested in the wearable arena for sometime now with Google Glass. And with popular products like the Pebble and other companies like Sony with its Smartwatch and Smartwatch 2 and Samsung releasing it's smartwatch that area is growing and Google released the SDK to make the smartwatch better. Not everything is about Apple.

 

[samcraig]

I'll say it again in case it was missed.

With the success of Pebble, Nike Fuelband, FitBits, etc - it was only a matter of time before cell phone manufacturers got on the bandwagon of Smart Wearables. It simple "makes sense" if you already make a device that is an information hub and that people already own.

 

[AppleScruff1]

(I don't think it's true, but) it would be so funny if Apple aren't even thinking about bringing out an "iWatch" and they just put out false rumours to troll all the other tech companies and watch them scramble something round as quick as they can

And wouldn't it be even funnier if the smart watches catch on and sell by the tens of millions and Apple is left behind because they were just putting out false rumours? That could work both ways.

 

[spencers]

I'll stick with my Sieko automatic watch until the day it, or I, die. I invested in it because I couldn't stand replacing batteries and I certainly don't need another device I need to plug in every night.

I know I'm not representative of the general population, but I do think we are still a few years off before technology catches up with what people think wearables are supposed to be doing for us.

I certainly don't need a wrist computer as the alternative to pulling out my phone or tablet when I want to see who called, texted or emailed.

Right there with ya. My 007 is bombproof!

 

[Syk]

I could activate it by touching it with my nose, then speaking a reply.

...and if you think anybody is too busy catching fish to glance at a text message on their watch, you've obviously not done much fishing. It's called fishing for a reason - not "catching".

PS - thanks for telling me that my needs as a consumer are completely invalid - I appreciate it. I had no idea that features I was looking for in a device were pointless until you showed me the light.

Another thing. I rather look at something on my wrist if I'm fishing or in a boat. Crap happens and you're just asking for dropping your phone in the water.

 

[HTCGAMING]

Oh good. Several manufacturers always seems like such a great idea.

It is. It is what drives competition and innovation.

 

[petvas]

After watching the two YouTube videos I got scared of this kind of future, where Google knows everything about your life (replace Google with you favorite company). It seems that Google Wear is being driven by Google Now. The question is, is Google Wear an independent device, or does it also need an Android phone?
The second question is, do we really need this? I hope Apple is planning something different..
I also wonder how good voice recognition works and if it is the only way to interact with the device. I would never start giving commands to any device when on the road. I even have Siri disabled, because it rarely works good for me.

 

[HTCGAMING]

Google is concerned....why release a video of vaporware with non-functioning devices...looked like simulations to me....when you start to show your hand....

Because the point of the video was to demo the software and give OEMS the OS to make it. And it is not vaporware. Look up the Moto 360.

 

[phillipduran]

looks good.

oops. Commented on the wrong video.

 

[kdarling]

Because it's all fake.

Even if you can cram a GPS stone in there, than there's no space left for a battery.

Oh good grief. Chips are really tiny these days, or can often be built into the main SoC.

I bought a WIMM One smartwatch a few years ago. It had GPS in it, along with Bluetooth... and WiFi, so it didn't even need the mothership phone to update itself. And oh yeah, a battery



Google bought WIMM in 2013, btw.