Older devices, such as the original Moto 360, won't get the major update
Android Wear is a manufacturer agnostic platform, with the same OS spread across an array of different branded smartwatches, right? Wrong.
The news is that the big Android Wear 2.0 update, due to start hitting Google-powered smartwatches later this year, won’t be available on the full wearable range. It’s older devices like the original Moto 360 and the LG G Watch that will miss out.
That’s not entirely surprising, given both watches were announced more than two years ago – Google usually stops updating its Nexus phones and tablets after a similar time period – and both have been succeeded by multiple sequels.
Wareable verdict: Moto 360 2015 edition review
But it is the first major deviation away from the Android Wear philosophy of a controlled experience for all. Sure, updated features in the past such as Wi-Fi connectivity have failed to arrive on certain smartwatches but those omissions were usually down to hardware limitations.
This is Google splitting the ecosystem and effectively telling early Wear adopters to upgrade.
From a tech point of view, it’s pretty much accepted that people will upgrade their devices on a frequent basis, but folks do tend to hold on to watches for years (or even generations).
Android Wear 2.0 was announced at Google I/O last month and will focus on the watch faces, messaging and fitness. It adds standalone apps to the mix for the first time and the Google Now cards UI have been totally revamped, with a much more Material design applied to the smartwatch platform.
Are you the owner of an older Android Wear smartwatch? Are you annoyed that you probably won’t get the new Android Wear 2.0 goodies? Let us know using the comments below, or hop over to the Wareable Forum to join the discussion.
