Game on: Google releases major Android Wear update ahead of Apple Watch release

Game on: Google releases major Android Wear update ahead of Apple Watch release

The updates will be pushed out to all seven Android Wear watches over the next few weeks.

All those wondering how Google would respond to the Apple Watch’s release now have their answer. The company has announced that Android Wear will be getting its biggest update yet, with enhancements that include Wi-Fi support, hand drawn emoji, and gesture support.

The new built-in Wi-Fi support comes as a much welcomed improvement for Android Wear users previously limited by the Bluetooth range of their phones. With the update, as long as the watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and the tethered phone has a data connection, users will be able to receive notifications, send messages, and use apps. Impressively, the devices do not even have to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. The Verge reports that your watch will be able to find your phone over any Wi-Fi network, using Google’s cloud services.

Another intriguing upgrade just pushed out to Android Wear is the new support for hand drawing emoji characters. The idea here is to give users ways to respond to messages or notifications in situations where they are unable to talk. Now, you can draw hundreds of different emojis directly on the watch screen. Google claims Android Wear will recognize the drawings, convert them to an actual emoji, and send out via message or text.

The new update additionally includes enhancements to the “always on” function and gesture support. Android Wear watches have already included an “always on” screen that displayed the time, but now Google is expanding this option to apps, like a shopping list, so they can stay visible as long as users need them. And with the new gesture support, users can control their watch watch without touching it at all. They can scroll through their notifications with just a flick of the wrist.

“These updates are coming to all seven Android Wear watches over the next few weeks, starting with the new LG Watch Urbane,” said David Singleton, Android Wear Director of Engineering, in a blog post.

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