If there's one piece of Google’s software family that was in need of some serious love at I/O it was Android Wear. The wearable operating system had seen sparse new features added since its introduction, but that now looks set to change.
Easily the most exciting feature coming with version 2.0 is standalone apps. Previously, Android Wear apps were simply extensions of their phone counterparts, which made them slow and limited. Now, they'll run on the watch alone, with no need for a constant connection to your phone. For example, a Spotify app could let you download music directly to the watch, with no input from your Nexus 6P at all.
I didn’t get the opportunity to see these apps at work, but Apple made a similar move with its second version of watchOS and it did manage to speed everything up no end. I’m still not sold on the fact that we actually need apps on our watches, but if they're there then at least they won’t be an absolute pain to use.
Another feature seemingly plucked straight from watchOS 2 is third-party complications. These handy tidbits sit on the watch face and provide quick access to certain functionality – pausing your music or starting a workout, for example. In some ways these prove more useful than fully blown apps since you don’t have to navigate the system to open an app; it just sits there.
Google Fit has seen a much-needed update, too, and it will now automatically track your workouts without you having to do a thing. I'm a fan of this feature on dedicated fitness bands such as the Fitbit Alta, and it’s nice to see it coming to Android Wear.
Apps will also be able to use the Google Fit framework, so the Strava app could bring in details from your Google Fit profile and vice-versa. Android Wear watches that come with GPS are also able to use it without being tethered to a phone, again helping it become an all-round fitness device.
Many of the other changes are visual. The app menu is now akin to a rotary grid as opposed to a list, and the overall colour scheme is much darker; greens and blacks are certainly easier on the eyes. It’s far simpler to switch watch-faces too – wait, was this difficult before? – since it now requires just a swipe across instead of having to press down first.
Although the visual changes are nice, I didn’t really have a huge problem with what was there before, and as such they haven't instilled new excitement about the future of Android Wear.
What I'm most annoyed about, however, is that with Android Wear 2.0 Google has added a teeny-weeny keyboard for replying to messages. My heart dropped a little when I was demoed this, simply because I don't want a keyboard on my watch.
Android Wear is Google’s operating system optimised for wearable tech and, specifically, smaller screens such as the ones you find on smartwatches.
Inspired by features already present in the smartphone and tablet-friendly version of Android, Google is pinning its hopes on Android Wear being the key to giving smartwatches real appeal.
The LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live are the first Android Wear watches to go on sale, with the Moto 360 to follow later in the year; Asus, too, is among the companies rumoured to be jumping on the Android Wear bandwagon.
We’ve spent a good deal of time with the operating system for our LG G Watch review and our first few days getting to know the Samsung Gear Live (review coming soon) and the core of Android Wear definitely impresses, but it's still a little rough around the edges.
