Updated: Android Wear: everything you need to know

What is Android Wear?

At Google IO 2015, we got a lot more information on what's going on with Android Wear. While the main chat was mostly about talking through the already-released Android Wear 5.1.1, there were also a few tidbits of information that show the brand is pushing hard to stay up to speed with the Apple Watch.

Check out the best new Android Wear watch faces

We've already got seven different designs of Android Wear watches, with the LG Watch Urbane the latest in the line – but we've now had it confirmed that we'll have more Wear-based devices by the end of the year.

Newer watches are more based on fashion than previous 'prison tag' designs, and the same uniform smartwatch platform is available on each. It basically extends the leading smartphone software to the body and gives Google its best shot at taking on Apple Watch.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqZl2QIz0c

Android Wear supports both round and square watch faces, and the lineup won't stop there. Additional manufacturers are committed Google smartwatches (such as Huawei, and supposedly HTC), and with Android 5.1.1 we're getting a lot of extra features that allow brands to supercharge the power on your wrist.

Everything you need to know about Moto 360

As Android head Sundar Pichai penned in the original announcement, these app-driven time pieces understand the context of the world around you and deliver messages and reminders beamed directly to your wrist.

Android 5.1.1, the latest update from Google, adds in a lot of really helpful features on top of the excellent Google Now functionality on your wrist. Apps can stay pervasively on your wrist without having to turn the display on and off, GPS and offline music support is baked in and gestures that let you flick through your notifications by turning your wrist.

Sadly not all the current Android Wear watches support all the features of the new release, so it's worth checking out whether that older device is going to be supported in the future.

What Android Wear does

Android Wear is intended to provide "information that moves with you" and so far it lives up to that promise. It puts the entire world inches from your suddenly-free fingertips.

It doesn't just tell the time. The wearable operating system makes suggestions based on time and it factors location into its context-sensitive data.

This is merely the explainer. Read the Android Wear review

The best everyday habit example involves riding on a bus and seeing a Google Maps-powered notification countdown to an unfamiliar destination. "4 stops to: Jackson St." intelligently reads the watch. The scary guessing game is taken out of a public transit commute, and with Android 5.1.1 you don't have to keep turning the watch screen on and off, as the info will be 'always on'.

The new technology also tips off wearers to dangers that lurk, as demonstrated in Google's first Android Wear video. A "Jellyfish warning" prompt can be seen with a surfer's flick of the wrist.

A relevant list of nearby beaches saves the video's early adopters who can surf without worrying about the sting of the boneless, brainless ocean creature. Yes, it could save your life, or at least save lots of pain.

The first day we tested the Moto 360 at the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium, this was perfectly illustrated. A severe thunderstorm warning flashed on our watch and we knew about the rain before everyone else.

All of a sudden, digging that rectangular smartphone or, worse, phablet out of your pocket and pulling up a much more involved directions or notification app seems so pedestrian.

Making time for families

Google seeds the idea that Android Wear can alleviate our addiction to smartphones in an effort to make more time and eye-contact with our families.

This concept is more practical than the similar idea the company has been floated when delivering the Google Glass Explorer Edition to beta testers. Smartwatches feel natural and unobtrusive.

A parent is able to attend breakfast with his family while keeping a close eye on the estimated commute time to work thanks to an on-wrist Google Now notification.

"No surprises" is the unofficial goal of Android Wear. Leaving too early and breezing through traffic would have filled this parent with breakfast-skipping regret. Leaving too late would've started his day with traffic-influenced anxiety.

'Okay Google' on the wrist

Even more touching is the dad who receives a Google Hangouts message right on his Android Wear smartwatch while bathing his son. "Dude, this game is insane!" writes the token friend who doesn't have such responsibilities.

The dad doesn't run to a TV or have to awkwardly palm his smartphone with soapy hands for an update. "Okay Google, what's the Syracuse score?" he asks his watch without pressing a button, with the phone connecting to your watch to deliver the connectivity – or if you're in your Wi-Fi network and your phone is somewhere else, some Android Wear watches will still work.

A scorecard of 28-27, naturally in favor of his college basketball team, pops up. He cheesily shouts "Yay" while raising his hands. His young, halfway washed son does the same without us knowing if he really knows why. He could easily be cheering for having more time with his dad.

The increasingly familiar "Okay Google" voice prompt opens up a world of possibilities beyond sports score updates. Android Wear smartwatches can handle questions like, "How many calories are in an avocado?" to more personal queries like, "What time does my flight leave?"

"Okay Google" can also accomplish tasks outsourced from a smartphone. Calling a taxi, making restaurant reservations, setting alarms and sending – not just receiving – texts is all possible to do hands-free with the Android Wear operating system.

Handy operating system updates

Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for Android Wear has rolled out right now and should be on all compatible smartwatches.

It's been a bit weird with Android Wear, with connectivity possible but locked away – but now dormant Wi-Fi capabilities in certain smartwatches are woken. This will let your smartwatch receive notifications when it's away from your smartphones, so long as both devices are on a Wi-Fi network they recognise.

This functionality will be made available to owners of the LG Watch Urbane,Moto 360, Sony Smartwatch 3 and the Samsung Gear Live, meaning older Watch owners (such as the G Watch and Gear Live) miss out.

In addition to aforementioned Wi-Fi support, the update will give your Android Wear smartwatch the ability to recognise handdrawn emoji and then send them as something others will recognise – it's not super accurate, but hey, it's something fun to play with.

The other big change is the ability to flick your wrist back and forth and see what notifications are your watch without having to tap the screen – it's pretty hard to do accurately, and we're not sure it's that helpful really.

The other news is that apps will now stay visible until you close them, so you can see things like maps and to-do lists without having to tap the screen and the update will finally let you pair more than one wearable to your phone.

The previous Android 5.0 Lollipop update is focusing on watch faces which you can download from the Google Play store. Designs are centered around PAC-MAN, Despicable Me, Plants vs Zombies, Porsche and much, much more thanks to a new Watch Face API now available to developers.

With the update, users can add and swap out Android Wear watch faces using the companion phone app.

The Android Wear app has also been updated to make browsing, downloading and switching watch faces simpler – plus you can now view your apps' battery usage and storage.

You can also quickly bring a card back if you've accidentally dismissed it, quickly access various settings by swiping down from the top of the screen, easily block notifications from any app directly from your watch and recently used actions now appear at the top of the list when you tap the watch face.

New modes include Theater Mode which lets you keep the screen off and mute vibrations when you're in a dark room, and Sunlight Mode which temporarily boosts the screen to maximum brightness.

Fitness and third-party appsGoogle Wear fitness apps

Google's Android Wear smartwatches can solve everyone's pesky pedometer gripes, whether it's always losing the easy-to-misplace device or not having it with you at all times.

This should remedy the problem we have with Samsung's S-Health app in Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S5. These phones are sometimes sitting idle on a table while we move, robbing us of our workout goal.

It'll also give Google a way to rival Apple's iOS 8 Health app that's a part of iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and other iDevices including next spring's Apple Watch. Right in Android Wear's territory.

Latching a wearable to our wrist can count every step and chart whether or not we're meeting our exercise goals. Fitbit Force, Nike FuelBand SE, Jawbone Up24 and Samsung Gear Fit have all proven this.

Google Fit promises to aggregate data like heart rate, steps taken and blood glucose, and to connect with our favorite fitness apps for real-time speed, distance and time data while walking, running and cycling.

So far, Google's app underwhelmingly tracks steps, in the case of Samsung Gear Live and Moto 360, a semi-accurate heart rate. Motorola's Heart Rate Activity app just adds a extra motivational interface.

The app needs more metrics and really needs the graphs that break free of the watch interface. Why isn't this data on an Android or computer yet?

The wait may be worth it. Fitbit Force and FuelBand lack smartwatch capabilities and, as stylish as the Gear Fit may be, it's only accessible by Samsung smartphones, not all Android devices.

That leaves the door wide open for Google among Android owners, and with GPS now enabled hopefully we'll start seeing more watches and apps using the chip, beyond just the Smartwatch 3 from Sony.

QR codes, music and Chromecast

Google's Android Wear multitasks you run for an already-boarding flight. You can keep count of calories burned while flashing a QR code in front of the airline employee in order to board the flight.

Music can be stored onboard the (usually) 4GB memory, with the Sony Smartwatch 3 kicking off housing songs on the wristwatch. All watches can still activate song playing via voice commands too.

Google calls this a "key to a multiscreen world." Further out, it promises to cast movies to a TV, presumably with its inexpensive Chromecast streaming device, open garage doors with smart home connectivity.

"There's a lot of possibilities here so we're eager to see what developers build," wrote Pichai toward the end of his announcement post.

Third-party apps on Google Play

Android Wear is made even more convincing as a smartwatch because developers will be able to easily translate their apps from Google's mobile ecosystem.

There are now more than 4000 Android Wear apps in the official subsection on the Google Play Store with the best coming directly from Google.

Maps makes it convenient to pull up walking directions or, if you're in the car, voice activate navigation to your dash-mounted smartphone without awkwardly leaning over into the steering wheel.

Hangouts beams text and instant messages to the wrist. It's one of the best features, as you can quickly dismiss trivial correspondents while getting a head start on the important ones.

We've finally got an Uber app, Lyft can call cars with a simple voice phrase, Evernote can help you jot down thoughts, you can see the power left in your Ford (and find your car) Hue Control can turn your lights on and off and Glympse can beam your location to friends.

Outside of the official apps, all notifications that appear in your smartphone's notification tray make their way to the smartwatch.

There are also apps and watch faces that don't appear in the Android Wear subsection, but work with the watches nonetheless. We particularly like the unofficial GoldenEye 007 watch face.

Ware Aware is also a developer-made top pick for us because it vibrates every time we accidentally walk away from our phone. It doesn't appear in Google's special subsection and it's clear third-party devs are moving quickly.

It shouldn't take long for your favorite apps to appear on the Android Wear range whereas developers may struggle to navigate Samsung's Tizen platform that's limited to its Galaxy devices.

Android Wear watches so farAndroid Wear smartwatches so far

The Android Wear smartwatch selection is expanding, already you can buy models from LG, Samsung, Motorola, Sony and Asus and more are on the way.

The Moto 360 was front-and-center in the initial smartwatch announcement, even though Google has offloaded Motorola to Lenovo. There's good reason for highlighting this time piece: it's ambitious.

As the name suggests, Moto 360 has a beautiful circular face that contrasts with other watches we've seen like the square Pebble Steel and boxy, but wrist-conforming Samsung Gear Fit.

This beautiful watch face has a 1.56-inch LCD display that boasts a 320 x 290 resolution and 205 pixels per inch. It's protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and costs $250 (£200, around AU$275)

It's not the rumored OLED screen and the circular watch face doesn't sit behind sapphire glass, unlike theApple Watch. But it certainly costs less than the so-called iWatch.

Sticking with that authentic watch styling, there are no charging contacts or USB ports. Motorola went with an inductive wireless charger, giving us a wire-free reason to own that Qi-compatible Nexus charger sold in the Google Play Store.

It doesn't feature a privacy-invasive camera like the Galaxy Gear and Gear 2 either. This just didn't fit into the classic design, according to Motorola. Also, unlike Samsung's non-Android Wear watches, it supports more phones than its own Moto X.

Moto 360 is compatible with Android 4.3, Android 4.4 and Android Lollipop phones and tablets that use low-powered Bluetooth 4.0 for battery life conservation.

Left off the compatibility list is Apple. That means even if you own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, it won't work with this Android-only device.

Moto 360 blends familiar Android menus like Google Now and Hangouts messages with a sophisticated-looking digital watchface, and Motorola touts just-as-premium strap materials that remain comfortable.

The company offers a variety of styles beyond the default leather straps, including metal bands and new leather colors. Alternatively you can take the toolkit to the watch and add your own 22mm strap.

LG G Watch R is even rounder

One-upping Motorola's smartwatch is the LG G Watch R. It boasts what LG loves to refer to as the first full-circle watch powered by Android Wear.

It's true. Moto 360's display doesn't form a complete circle. It has a blank spot at the bottom. This chin or horizon line houses its screen components instead of needing a blank circular bezel for the task.

Moto 360 isn't ideal for analog watch faces, and LG thinks it has a solution. LG G Watch R uses a circular bezel on its smaller 1.3-inch Plastic OLED screen, but covers it up with second-hand tick marks.

Some people think this looks more like a real watch, while others call it a diver's watch and don't want to pay the roughly £210/$350 that it costs.

LG Watch Urbane adds some style

Addressing at least one of the criticisms of the G Watch R, LG followed it up with the LG Watch Urbane. Functionally it's almost exactly the same as LG's older timepiece, but it's dressed for dinner with a stainless steel body and a slightly smaller bezel.

The overall device is still pretty chunky, but it's definitely one of the best looking Android Wear watches yet, combining the truly round face of the LG G Watch R with an even more premium design than the Moto 360.

Sadly the other problem faced by the LG G Watch R, namely its price, is only exacerbated here, as the LG Watch Urbane retails for a seriously pricey £259/$349/AU$459.

Sony Smartwatch 3 gets sporty

While round is the in thing now, Sony said it purposely stuck with a square-shaped display on its Sony Smartwatch 3 because it's better. It also stores music in its 4GB of internal storage and adds a GPS chip to its specs – firsts for Android Wear.

Fixing a major complaint of ours regarding proprietary chargers, Sony opted to include a micro USB port for charging. Brilliant. It also delivers reasonable battery life so you won't have to use the charger quite so often.

Its rubbery strap won't be winning any design awards (though there is now a steel option), but combined with GPS this is clearly a sporty watch and won't look out of place at the gym. It's reasonably affordable too, at around £150/$200/AU$299.

Asus ZenWatch proves it's hip to be square

Asus went a different route with the Asus ZenWatch. It's boxy, but still stylish with a stitched leather strap and 2.5D curved glass.

Even though manufacturers can't fundamentally change Android Wear, a nifty Asus ZenUI Wellness app makes use of the watch's nine-axis sensor and makes good on Asus' promise to make a health gadget.

It's cheaper than the similarly stylish LG Watch Urbane too, at around £199/$199/AU$252.

Asus ZenWatch 2 is all about customisation

We don't know exactly when the Asus ZenWatch 2 will launch, but we know it's coming and like the Apple Watch it's all about customisation.

Both 22mm and 18mm strap sizes will be available with a variety of leather, metal and rubber straps in both sizes.

Not much has changed on the screen, with the same 2.5D AMOLED display front and centre, but the watch has improved IP67 dust and water resistance.

The ZenWatch 2 also promises mammoth four day battery life, which could make it a breakout hit, given that battery life is the bane of smartwatches everywhere.

Huawei Watch is truly high end

Huawei is about to get in on the Android Wear act with the imaginatively named Huawei Watch and its round face, stainless steel body, leather strap and thin bezel reminds us more than a little of the LG Watch Urbane.

But its crisp 1.4-inch 400 x 400 screen makes it the highest resolution Android Wear watch available. It also comes with a strong sapphire crystal display, so there's a lot of promise here.

There are some things we still don't know, including exactly when you'll actually be able to buy it, but it will reportedly be launching soon, likely costing around £300/$460, which would make it the most expensive Android Wear device yet. Though earlier rumored prices have placed it both a lot lower and a lot higherthan that, so we can't be sure of anything yet.

Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch

Samsung and LG had the first Android Wear watches on sale with the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch debuting for early adopters.

LG G Watch is a little more awkwardly titled, as if it's a typo with too many Gs. Just as awkward is the fact that the Moto 360 dissed square-faced smartwatches in its unveil.

That happens to be the exact design of the LG G Watch and the LG Watch Urbane. And, curiously, the G Watch is the opposite of the LG G3 and LG G4, which support LG's quick circle cases.

But circles aren't for everyone and the LG G Watch has a buttonless design that highlights the boxy watch face even more.

With a 1.65-inch LCD IPS display the G Watch is bigger than the Samsung Gear Live's 1.63-inch display, but has a tad fewer pixels with a 128 x 128 resolution instead of the 320 x 320 resolution.

Importantly, the LG G Watch lasts longer than the Gear Live thanks to a larger 400mAh battery. It lasts a day and a half whereas Samsung's watch typically stops ticking just shy of 24 hours.

Battery life is key for a wearable device that has to be worn all day long.

The Android 4.3-compatible LG G Watch is roughly the same size as the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo and water and dust resistant.

Also, like the Pebble Steel and now other smartwatches, it follows the trend of supporting swappable bands for a more personalized look and feel.

The LG G Watch has dropped in price to around $130 in the US and £120 in the UK. It's cheaper than the Gear Live, which in the US is around $199 and is no longer available in most UK stores.

As we predicted, there was no rumored 3G-capable LG G Watch unveiled. Expect that to be added further down the line in Android Wear smartwatches and possibly available in South Korea before anywhere else.

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Original source: Updated: Android Wear: everything you need to know.