Google Announces Wearable System For Android And iPhone Users

Google announced that it is launching a “wearables operating system for everyone” that will work for both Android and iPhone users.

“Android Wear was founded on the belief that wearable technology should be for everyone, no matter what style you wear on your wrist or what phone you have in your pocket,” wrote Dennis Troper, Director of Product Management, Wear OS by Google, in a blog post. “Since then, we’ve partnered with top watch and electronics brands to create more than 50 watches to help you manage your fitness, connect with the people who matter most, and show you the information you care about. The best part: We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible with wearables and there’s even more exciting work ahead.”

Troper added that as of last year, one out of three new Android Wear watch owners also used an iPhone, which prompted the company to launch Wear OS by Google, which will work for both Android and iPhone users.

Customers will start to see the new name on their watch and phone app over the next few weeks.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the worldwide wearables market hit new highs last year. For all of 2017, total wearable device shipments reached 115.4 million units, up 10.3 percent from the previous year.

And while Apple has lagged behind competitors Fitbit and Xiaomi in years past, it claimed the top spot in 2017.

“Interest in smartwatches continues to grow, and Apple is well-positioned to capture demand,” said Ramon T. Llamas, research director for IDC’s Wearables team. “User tastes have become more sophisticated over the past several quarters, and Apple pounced on the demand for cellular connectivity and streaming multimedia. What will bear close observation is how Apple will iterate upon these and how the competition chooses to keep pace.”