After the hullabaloo of Google I/O had subsided, we had the posting of the LG G Watch on the Play Store, so we saw its price and full list of specs for the first time. For a reminder, the G Watch has a Snapdragon 400 processor running at 1.2 Ghz, 512 MB of RAM to back it up, a 400 mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, and a 280 by 280 pixel display, and 4GB of storage, sealed inside a water resistant body, all for $230 (USD). Sound like a reasonably great deal? You’re right to think so, sir (or madam, if it fits), especially because it will come to you in either black on black or gold on white. Great? Great. But wait, there’s more!
AT&T, earlier this week, announced that it would be selling the G Watch ‘in the coming weeks’ in the United States. Today, @evleaks let us know that AT&T won’t be flying solo for this endeavor. According to @evleaks, Verizon will be selling the LG G Watch alongside AT&T when the device eventually comes to carrier stores. As of right now, no other carriers have announced their sale of the ‘Nexus of Android Wear’ (based on how Google mentioned that the G Watch would be the reference device for developers and software).
What is currently unknown is if the carriers will bundle the G Watch with any devices, whether they will discount the device for some sort of broken data plan (even though the device runs off the phone via Bluetooth…), or if the device will have any absolutely pointless carrier branding (which doesn’t seem likely since Android Wear is by the manufacturer, to expand the Android OS to the wrist) and people would be in an uproar, especially with Verizon’s labeling shenanigans. Verizon is notorious (and yes, that’s the right word for it) for plastering its brand name and network connectivity (Verizon Wireless 4G LTE, topped off with its huge check-mark) on the back of every one of their devices, as well as their name and check-mark on the front.
After all those unknowns, let’s say what we do know. The LG G Watch is coming to AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the United States, and that will happen ‘in the coming weeks’, so stay tuned and keep your eyes peeled for nay updates on the situation with Android Wear and carriers.