It is no longer news that Google has taken smartness to wrist watches. And have made some real progress as they have incorporated smartness into this essential accessory. But it is not only Google on the field contributing to the development of smart watches. Apple Inc., and the likes, are also present on the scene. Therefore, it is very necessary that you can differentiate what an Android smart watch is from others.
About Wear OS by Google
Wear OS, which was initially called Android Wear, is a model of Google’s Android operating system designed for smartwatches and other wearables. Google has developed over the years, and it is good to apprise users and potential users of what is and what is not of the Google Android smart watch.
Android Wear Specifications and Review
Processor
Wear OS uses Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100, which was developed for Android smart watches. The Snapdragon Wear 3100 has a commendable memory speed of about 400 MHz, which makes it a super good option for Android smart watches.
Storage
Though it depends on the brand producing the Android smart watch, a typical Android smart watch is powered with 500 MB of RAM and 4GB of storage space, which is quite okay for a smart watch. Enough to ensure your smart watch does not slow down. and a storage space that allows you to save a tangible amount of data on your smartwatch.
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Display
Android smart watches use an OLED display medium to display contents. This enables Wear OS to show better information in its interface.
Wear OS variants.
It is a known fact that Google has developed over the years. And their wearable platform is not left behind. The following are the upgrades in Wear OS and their added features.
Wear OS 1.0
Released in March 2018, this is the first transformation of Android wear. All previous versions were left alone while Google started with Wear OS 1.0 with Android base version 7.1.1/8.0.0.
Wear OS 1.1/1.3
Developed between April and June 2018, there is no major improvement to the previously released version 1.1.
Wear OS 1.4
The operating system for smart watches was further developed to perform better than the previous versions. with improvements in the in-built Google Play app and a better designed interface for events and appointments updates. Also, the time zone bug in the previous version was improved upon in this new version. Wear OS version 1.4 was a major leap in the development history of the Android smart watch OS.
Wear OS 1.5/1.6
Like versions 1.1 to 1.3, there is no major development, just bug fixes and some little changes. This was released between August and September 2018.
Wear OS 1.7
This upgrade was released in October 2018. It improved on the previous font issue by providing more legible and bolder fonts.
Wear OS 2.0
With its improved version 2.0 of the Wear OS, Google paved the way for better Android smart watches. This version introduced Google Assistant to Wear OS, which helps carry out commands with voice input. It comes with a better improved interface for notifications flow and music control with physical buttons.
Wear OS 2.2
This was released on Android Oreo in November 2018. This upgrade comes with a battery saver that helps elongate your battery life, either manually set by you or automatically set by the watch once your battery drops below 10%. Your application process also got better with Wear OS. Users are now able to resume their apps from where they left off. Unlike in the previous versions, apps are terminated once minimized.
Another improvement worthy of notice in this version is the introduction of Android 9.0 Pie to smartwatches. Also, another of the new features that came with version 2.2 is the sleep mode after moments of inactivity, which conserves battery life to a good degree.
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Wear OS 2.3
Wear OS 2.3 is the latest software update for Android smart watches. Released in January 2019, users can now update their OS through the Google Play store. This is a good development as it will enable users to stay tuned to the latest software irrespective of their device.
What You Can Do with Android Smart Watches
Have you always had the opinion that a smart watch is basically used for checking time? It is rather a tech attached to your wrist and there are a lot of things to utilize smart watches for, which includes-
- connecting it to smartphones (Android and iOS) through Bluetooth and other wireless connections.
- Setting reminders and getting notifications
- You can also download applications besides the native apps that come with the Android smart watch.
- Google Assistant allows you to respond to your messages using your voice. Therefore, you no longer have to go through the stress of typing your messages.
- It is also useful as a fitness tracker and can also use be used as a heart monitor and pedometer
You can also locate places using your smartwatch.
Other Android Smartwatch suggestions
Above all, Android Smart Watches are the rave of the moment. You can pick your choice from the various available Android smartwatches on the market. Or pick from our recommendations above. I expect your questions and feedback (if any) in the comment section.