Google’s smart watch side of things have been struggling for quite a while. It is now getting the update for Android 8.0 Oreo just like all the other devices in the Android lineup. Google made this announcement on the "Android Wear Developers" Google Plus group. It seems like the only supported watch right now is the flagship LG Watch Sport. This kinda makes sense since that was the only watch to get an Android O beta at the beginning of October.
The last major update for Android Wear was Android Wear 2.0 which debuted with the LG Watch Sport. Most users won"t notice the move to Oreo. Like Android TV, Android Wear has its own interface and set of features that are developed separately from the base OS version. This update to Oreo changes the under-the-hood OS, but the user-facing features will mostly remain unchanged.
As mentioned above, Android Wear is not doing well in the smart watch market segment. In the first quarter of this year, the Apple Watch had 57 percent of the market, according to Strategy Analytics. The Samsung"s Tizen OS was in second place at 19 percent of the market. Meanwhile, Android Wear was in third place at 18 percent.
The biggest problem that is plaguing the OS is the lack of high quality smart watch processors. Apple and Samsung make their faster, cooler, smaller chips. Android Wear relies upon Qualcomm who make woefully out-of-date chips.
Below is a list of smartwatches that are being updated to Android 8.0 Oreo:
Android Wear Oreo(8.0) already available in the following watches:
- Fossil Q Venture
- LG Watch Sport
- Louis Vuitton Tambour
- Michael Kors Sofie
- Montblanc Summit
- Hugo BOSS BOSS Touch
- Movado Connect
- Tommy Hilfiger 24/7 You
- Guess Connect
Watches that are currently pursuing the Android Wear Oreo (8.0) update:
- Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20
- Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch
- Diesel Full Guard
- Emporio Armani Connected
- Fossil Q Control
- Fossil Q Explorist
- Fossil Q Founder 2.0
- Fossil Q Marshal
- Fossil Q Wander
- Huawei Watch 2
- LG Watch Style
- Michael Kors Access Bradshaw
- Michael Kors Access Dylan
- Michael Kors Access Grayson
- MIsfit Vapor
- Mobvoi Ticwatch S & E
- Nixon Mission
- Polar M600
- TAG Heuer Tag Connected Modular 45
- ZTE Quartz
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