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Last week we saw a new LG smartwatch pass through the FCC, but there wasn’t much information regarding the device other than it would be running Android Wear. Then, it was leaked that Android Wear 2.0 would be launching on February 9th, and Google may have a smartwatch ready to accompany that release.
According to Evan Blass with VentureBeat, LG has been pegged to manufacture the first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch. There will be 2 different variants: the LG Watch Sport and the LG Watch Style.
The Watch Sport will be the top-of-the-line smartwatch with a 1.38-inch, 480 x 480 OLED display, along with 738MB of RAM. The Watch Sport will also feature 4GB of internal storage along with a 430mAh battery.
As for the Watch Style, the OLED display will measure in at 1.2-inches with a resolution of 360 x 360 along with 512MB of RAM. The battery will also be a smaller (240mAh), but it will keep the same amount of internal storage as the Watch Sport (4GB).
Both smartwatches will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, however, the Watch Sport will also feature cellular connectivity. This, along with with the inclusion of GPS and NFC radios, will allow users to make use of Android Pay on your wrist.
Both smartwatches will also include a digital crown, along with the touchscreen displays. The crown will make for easy menu navigation for those who don’t want to touch the display to move throughout the menus.
In terms of fitness tracking capabilities, the Watch Sport will include a heart-rate sensor and is IP68 water and dust resistant. Unfortunately, the Watch Style will not include the aforementioned sensor but is IP67 water and dust resistant.
This release will not only mark the first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches to be released, but it’s expected to be the launch of Google Assistant on your wrist. Currently, the Pixel, Pixel XL, Google Home, and NVIDIA Shield TV (2017) are the only devices which can take full advantage of what Assistant has to offer.
Finally, Blass states that the smartwatches will be unveiled at a joint event between Google and LG on February 9th, with sales to commence the next day. LG is also expected to be showcasing the new smartwatches at MWC 2017.
Despite reports that smartwatches are falling in popularity, Google is hoping to jumpstart that with the release of the Watch Sport and Watch Style, along with Android Wear 2.0.
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