Google announced that Android Wear smart watches can now sing along the iPhone. Not all devices are initially supported, and the user’s choice is limited to several new products, including the LG Watch Urbane, Asus ZenWatch 2, Huawei Watch and the upcoming successor to the Moto 360. The search giant isn’t supporting older watches (yet) because it wants them to work right away, without software updates.
Users should expect the same experience Android users enjoyed so far, including support for custom watch faces which is something Apple Watch doesn’t have at the moment. However, Apple’s smart watch still provides more functionality to the iPhone users as it’s, obviously, better integrated with the iPhone.
Beyond notifications and Google Now virtual assistant, Android Wear will also allow iUsers to keep track of their health. They can set fitness goals, and get daily and weekly views of their progress, with the watch automatically tracking walking and running, and even measuring heart rate. Naturally, all this information will be synced with the Google Fit service.
According to Canalys’ figures, over 720,000 Android Wear devices were shipped in 2014, and that number is expected to grow this year. Meanwhile, Apple has managed to move 3.6 million Apple Watch units during Q2 2015, representing 20 percent of all wearables shipped.