Earlier this week, the official Android website, fantastically named Android.com, started to offer users a way to choose their most-suited smartphone depending on a number of criteria. From what I can tell, the feature is only live on the US version of the site, but basically what it does is choose from the myriad of smartphones out there running Android, depending on which features you told it was important to you. It’s a pretty decent concept, and while it didn’t work 100% for me, it’s a great tool for Google to offer, and they should create an Android Wear version of it.
The biggest thing that Android Wear has over the Apple Watch or the Pebble is choice. Regardless of which watch you choice, you’re guaranteed a similar experience. There are some things that some Android Wear watches do better than others, and while the selection is small, they all look different, too. Plus, price has quickly become a factor, with the latest Android Wear devices like the Watch Urbane costing quite a lot, indeed. Right now there are seven Android Wear watches out there, with the Huawei Watch sadly pushed back to the Fall, but they offer enough of a variety for Google to put a tool like their phone picker together for smartwatches.
Each one of these watches offers something a little different, and the most basic choice of square or round is quickly become the new analog or digital. Then there are watches that specialize in different things. The Watch Urbane and Moto 360 for instance, are designed to look good before anything else. While both have heart rate sensors I wouldn’t dream of wearing my Moto 360 while working out. I don’t want sweat to ruin the strap and I certainly don’t want risk knocking it on something. Now, the SmartWatch 3 on the other hand is an Android Wear device I would wear while working out. It’s silicon straps and Lifelog capabilities – as well as GPS – help it stand out from the pack in this regard.
Different people want different things in a watch, and while choosing from seven watches shouldn’t be too difficult, it’s going to become more difficult as more devices hit the market. Some people might want a more digital look that the original G Watch and Sony SmartWatch 3 can offer, while others might prefer the more traditional look of the 360 and Watch Urbane. One of the biggest problems that Google has faced with Android for a long time now has been getting the word out. People continually ask Android tablet owners “Which iPad is that?” and sure, you could say bravo to Apple for great marketing and such, but we all know that Google has lagged behind in showing the tablet sector any attention. If they’re not careful, people will be asking Moto 360 and G Watch owners “which Apple Watch is that?”