Android Wear 2.0 is designed specifically to improve upon those simple things. It has better fitness-tracking features, including automatic workout detection, easier access to your notifications, and customizable complications on the watchfaces. It’s a pattern followed across the industry — Apple’s watchOS 3 update from last fall similarly focused on these specific functions.

Android Wear 2.0’s support for LTE also builds upon those existing functions. Most often, if you are wearing the watch and don’t have your phone with you, it’s because you’re out for a run and carrying around your smartphone is cumbersome and awkward. Android Wear 2.0 means you don’t have to give up any connectivity to do so, letting you track your run, receive notifications, look up a map, buy something at a store, and send a message or make a phone call all while your phone and wallet are back at home… More at The Verge.

In terms of practicality, I actually like Android Wear more than Apple’s watchOS because it offers more flexibility and the chance for watchmakers to tweak how the hardware interfaces with the OS. The Gear S3 frontier highlights that in its ability to use the bezel to navigate.

Despite the recent news reports that Apple is dominating the smart watch market, I am a) not convinced the market is that big and b) that Apple will come to be as successful in this area as it is with phones and tablets.

Categories: Android, Wareable