As Android 5.0 Lollipop continues being rolled out to various smart devices, Google recently unveiled an Android Wear update, and smartwatches and wearables seem to have been given a particular emphasis on style and customization. TechnoBuffalo reports, “The search giant is giving developers access to an official Watch Face API, which means your favorite Android Wear device can be adorned with Minions, Pac Man and even Plants vs. Zombies.”
New Face for Android Wear
The Android Wear Watch Faces web page on the Google Play Store shows the variety of custom watch faces available right now. Most are inspired or even created by some of the most well-known brands and designers, including the Planets Watchface by Zuhanden and other styles by RedBull, Porche, and Craig Ward. The watch faces are available on the Google Play store and can be downloaded just like apps.
According to TechnoBuffalo, the Watch Face API has practical uses beyond the pretty new exteriors. Personalized data such as altitude, calendar, and weather can be worked into the watch faces. For example, “For a watch face like Specialized Bikes, you’ll not only get a slick-looking design, but you’ll get sunrise and sunset information and your current speed—all great information for cyclists.”
Android 5.0 Changes
Android 5.0 also brings a bevy of changes and features to enhance the Android Wear platform, including the ability to restore a card after inadvertently swiping and dismissing it. There is a theater mode that turns off the screen and disables notifications. Google has also included a function to block app notifications. Additionally, users can now view how different apps affect battery usage. A full list of features and changes can be found on the Official Google Blog.
The Android Wear update should provide a number of ways to enhance the growing collection of Android wearables, which now includes the LG G Watch and G Watch R, the Motorola Moto 360, ASUS ZenWatch, Sony Smartwatch 3, and the Samsung Gear Live.
What are you most excited to see with the Android Wear update?
Image courtesy of Flickr
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