On March 18, Google announced that Android would be extending to wearables in a blog post. “The wide variety of Android applications means you’ll receive the latest posts and updates from your favorite social apps, chats from your preferred messaging apps, notifications from shopping, news and photography apps, and more.,” the company said.
Going one up on popular voice recognition systems like Apple’s Siri, the Android Wear operating system promises that you can say “OK Google” and get things done with a smartwatch, including request information, keep fit, and control other devices from your wrist.
In another blog post, Motorola unveiled the Moto 360 smartwatch under the motto “It’s time”. Powered by Android Wear, and to be available in summer 2014, or roughly the third quarter of the year, Motorola said the smartwatch would have an iconic design, and would be “everything you need, with a look that you want.”
LG Electronics separately announced that it is working together with Google on the LG G Watch, powered by Android Wear, The company said it is “one of Google’s lead partners in this effort” and will introduce its first watch powered by Android Wear in the second quarter of 2014.
“The opportunity to work with Google on LG G Watch was the perfect chance for LG to really pull out all stops in both design and engineering,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications. “With the LG G Watch, LG is continuing the milestones we’ve set in wearables following in the footsteps of the world’s first 3G Touch Watch Phone in 2009 and the Prada Link in 2008. We’re confident that a well-designed device has the potential to take the smart wearable market by storm.”
This is LG’s fourth device developed in close collaboration with Google following the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and the LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition.