Google is planning to launch two smartwatches with Android Wear 2.0
2016 has been a rough year for wearables, especially since Google delayed the release of Android Wear 2.0 until early next year. Despite that, there have been some rumors that Google will launch a Pixel-branded smartwatch alongside Android Wear 2.0. Now we know that at least two new smartwatches are coming, thanks to a new interview with product manager of Android Wear, Jeff Chang.
Chang says the two new smartwatch models will not feature Google or Pixel branding, but will be branded by the company making them. However, he did state that Google has collaborated with the manufacturer and that the unnamed third-party has produced Android Wear devices in the past. Chang compared this partnership to produce smartwatches similar to Google’s Nexus partnership for making phones.
With the upcoming smartwatches being the first to feature Android Wear 2.0, plenty of new features are coming to the wearables that will get the upgrade. That includes standalone apps, support for Android Pay, and support for Google Assistant.