Sites like Mashable and the Android Community are reporting 7 July US time that Android Wear, revealed in March by Google, has a bug when it comes to downloading paid apps.
Android Wear is the operating system for Android-based wearable devices such as the Samsung Gear Live smart watch. It is best known for being voice activated by the phrase “OK, Google”. According to Google, smart watches powered by Android Wear can complement other mobile devices through providing requested information, controlling other devices as required, and monitoring health and fitness.
According to Android Police, paid native Android Wear apps are running into a wall when the purchaser tries to download the app. Android Police staff have explained that when an Android app is downloaded on a phone, the complementary Android Wear app is supposed to automatically install itself onto the wearable at the same time.
Android Police staff explain that the Play Store cannot recognise paid Android Wear apps because they have been encrypted with the recently-introduced App Encryption feature, so the paid Android Wear apps simply do not get installed. Free Android Wear apps are not encrypted, and install themselves without incident. “Since the installer fails to recognise the payload, it assumes there is nothing to install and silently aborts,” states the Android Police report.
Comments on the Android Police site show that Android Wear users are generally understanding as Google is expected to produce a solution quickly. Developers who have created paid apps, on the other hand, are clearly affected by the bug. Meanwhile, Android Wear users are advised not to install paid Android Wear apps until Google comes out with an official statement or workaround for the bug.
