Google decided to delay the Android Wear 2.0 release last year as it wanted to take more time and polish the latest iteration of its wearable device platform. The company has now released the final Android Wear 2.0 preview for developers before it releases the update itself for everyone in February. There’s one big feature included in the latest developer preview that I’m sure many Android Wear smartwatch owners will appreciate.
The fifth and last Android Wear 2.0 developer preview brings compatibility with iOS devices. This will enable third-party app developers to make their apps for Android Wear smartwatches available to iOS users for the first time.
Google previously allowed Android Wear smartwatches to access apps and watch faces that the company itself distributed via the Android Wear iOS app. That’s going to change with the next major update and is going to be very beneficial for both developers and users alike.
The company adds that this latest developer preview also brings an option for a new navigation drawer for apps as well as support for NFC Host Card Emulation. This is going to help enable Android Pay on supported models.
Google says that Android Wear 2.0 is going to be released to the public early next month. Reports suggest that it’s going to release the new update on February 9th. Google is yet to provide a confirmed release date.
Filed in . Read more about Android Wear, Android Wear 2.0 and Google. Source: android-developers.googleblog