Android Wear update brings support for offline GPS and Music; Verizon begins Sony SmartWatch 3 pre-sales
Android Wear just got a whole lot better today for those who don’t fancy having their smart watches hooked up to their phones 24/7. First up is support for internal GPS radios. Unfortunately all currently available Android Wear watches don’t have GPS radios inside them, though the newly-announced Sony SmartWatch 3 will. Speaking of which, Verizon is now taking pre-orders for the smart watch $250. It should ship beginning October 30th, while it’s expected to find its way into the Google Play Store sometime shortly after its Verizon launch.
Also staying true to the “offline” theme for this update is support for storing tracks directly on your smart watch through Google Play Music. This will allow you to break out the Bluetooth headphones and listen to tracks from your watch without even having your phone near you. Of course, limited storage for smart watches means you won’t be able to haul a huge library of tunes on your wrist but it’s nice for those short workout playlists you may want to enjoy on a morning jog or two.
The update is headed to Android Wear smart watches over the course of the next few days, including the LG G Watch, the Motorola Moto 360 and the Samsung Gear Live. The new music features require a simple upgrade to your Google Play Music app, while the new GPS goods can be tried out on the forthcoming SmartWatch 3 with apps like MyTracks and Golfshots.
[via Google]