Android Wear to get software updates with new features in coming months

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After the success of its debut in smartwatch market, Google is now in development to give further improvements to its Android Wear platform. These improvements, along with new features, will be available in the form of some software updates “in the coming months”.

Google says in a blog post that in the list of upcoming features of Android Wear, offline music playback and GPS support come at first. The addition of offline music playback will enable the Android Wear-based smartwatches to playback music content even when they are not paired with a smartphone. Besides, the GPS support will allow users to track their distance and speed using their smartwatch’s GPS sensor.

Apart from the first major update, Android Wear-based smartwatches will soon be able to support downloadable watch faces. This is an anticipated feature which will allow users to customise the visual design of their watch’s home screen, with altering information such as calendar and fitness sensors according to their preferences.

Google said that developers will soon be working on watch faces and will make them available for download on Google Play Store. This will give a tough competition to other smartwatches, especially Pebble which is getting more response from the customers by offering a list of watch faces.

These software updates will be available across all the currently Android Wear-based smartwatches as soon as they’re ready in the coming months.

While Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony and Asus are the first four manufacturers who have so far developed their smartwatches based on Android Wear, Google stated that it is “continuing to work with manufacturers” to bring out more watch options, with different shapes, styles and sensors.

The announcement of the software updates for Android Wear came at the time when Apple is also speculated to unveil its first wearable device, likely to be called iWatch. Apple iWatch would compete with Android Wear-based smartwatches with its premium design and high-end specifications but it is expected to be operable exclusively with iOS devices.