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Android Wear has been Google’s one and only platform for wearable devices since it launched “way back” in 2014, and while last year gave us some big updates to the platform, 2016 is set to be a big year for Google-powered smartwatches. During Google I/O 2016, the Internet giant announced Android Wear 2.0 during the Day 1 Keynote, and while there was plenty of info to digest from that, they had more sessions going on today. Right now, it’s in a Developer Preview just like Android N is, and today they introduced developers to more about what’s upcoming in Android Wear 2.o, including better fitness features.
A key feature of any smartwatch is to perform some sort of activity tracking, and for a lot of users will be their primary activity tracker, but Google Fit, Android Wear’s primary option for this, has been less than stellar since its launch. Only good for simple runs and tracking your steps, Android Wear isn’t what you’d call a Fitbit inside of a watch. Still, this is all set to change in the new Android Wear 2.0 update coming this Fall. The new version of Android Wear will feature automatic activity tracking, knowing when you’ve gone for a run or started a longer walk, for instance. On top of this, the watches will now start to detect certain types of motion and then ask the users confirmation of what they’re doing. The examples used on stage were all about lifting and body strength, so it looks as though Android Wear is to become useful in the gym at last.
Nutrition and your diet is what also determines fitness and your watch is about to get smarter here as well. Android Wear 2.0 will remind you to stay hydrated after a long run, for instance, in real time. It will also build on the info you choose to input as well, so if you tell a Google Fit connected app that you had a large helping of pizza, it will tell you how much exercise you need to do in order to wear it off. All these fitness features, and more, are headed to Android Wear 2.0 which should launch this Fall in earnest.
