It has only been a few months ago that we learned about Google’s Android Wear, software developed exclusively for wearable devices. Since that time, the usual manufacturers all jumped on board to start working on a smartwatch that would use Android Wear. Pictures of the LG G Watch and the Moto 360 have leaked out all over the place, whetting our appetites. July 7th seemed to be when the LG G Watch would be available, but at Google I/O today, we found out that it is available NOW in the Google Play Store…but there was an unexpected announcement…Samsung is also making the Gear Live, a new smartwatch based on Android Wear. Not only are they making it, but it is also available TODAY in the Play Store as well for only $199! The full hardware specs are listed below:
Display – 1.63-inch Super AMOLED (320 x 320), OS – Android Wear, Processor – 1.2GHz, Google Services – Google Now, Google Voice, Google Maps and Navigation, Gmail, Hangouts, Additional Features – Notifications (SMS, E-mail, etc.), Heart Rate Monitor, IP67 Dust and Water Resistant, Changeable Strap, Color Options – Black, and Wine Red, Connectivity – Bluetooth v4.0 LE, Sensor – Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Heart Rate, RAM – 512MB, Storage – 4GB Internal Memory, Dimension/Weight – 37.9 x 56.4 x 8.9mm, 59g, Battery – Standard Battery, Li-on 300mAh.
JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics announced:
“Samsung has been a pioneer in the quickly-evolving wearable market, and the launch of Gear Live furthers our efforts to deliver a simple and intuitive wearable experience to consumers. Through our long-term close collaboration with Google, we have successfully incorporated the capabilities of Android Wear into the Gear Live, in a way that only Samsung can do. I am confident that Samsung and Google together, we will grow the smart wearable market to positively impact consumers’ life.”
Sundar Pichai, SVP, Android, Chrome & Apps followed up with:
“Watches powered by Android Wear aim to help people get access to useful information the moment you need it, at a glance. It’s exciting to be working closely with Samsung on the launch of the Gear Live — with its all-day battery and vibrant display– to bring more smart wearables to the market.”
All pretty exciting stuff, and it is so nice to see Google and Samsung getting along – please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know what you think about the new Samsung Gear Live…as always we would love to hear from you.