Launch of Android Wear 2.0 delayed

By

Monica Karski

Published
Sep 30, 2016

Google announced this week that the release of Android Wear 2.0, their next-generation smartwatch platform, would be delayed until 2017.

Originally scheduled to launch this fall, Google has now decided to extend the developer preview program with the company commenting that they will use the extra time to receive more feedback on the device and perfect and fine tune the software.

Instead Google has launched the third developer preview this week with extra features, including the big addition of Google Play on Android Wear.

The Play Store for Android Wear 2.0 will enable users to browse recommended apps in the home view and search for apps using voice, keyboard, handwriting, and recommended queries, so they can find them more easily.

Users can also manage apps more easily by updating or uninstalling them in the "My apps" view on their watch, and can switch between multiple accounts.

And one of the most important features, users now no longer need to have apps both on their phone and on their watch, with the new version giving users the option to install apps only on the watch, with phone apps no longer necessary.