Android Wear watches have been around for a couple of years now, and while there’s probably something big in store for the platform this month during Google I/O, for now we’ll have to enjoy what we have at hand. Which is, thankfully, a decent selection of fresh new Android Wear apps and watch faces to help spruce up your smartwatches, as well add a little more functionality to these little computers. So, without further a do, let’s get started with this month’s round-up, shall we?
Wear Black when Charging
Our first app here should solve a problem that a lot of users experience these days, which is a custom charging screen that can be annoying depending on where you charge your watch. On a nightstand for instance, the animation from a Moto 360 might not be all that welcome, which is where Wear Black when Charging comes in. It basically stops that animation from being there, and still offers a time display when the screen is tapped, which is a neat addition. A free app, this is something worth looking into.
Sheet Music Watch Face
This is the sort of app that will please musicians looking to show off a little of their passion, while also still being to quickly and easily read the time on their watches. For a watch face, this could be considered a pricey option, given the overall simplicity of Sheet Music Watch Face, but it is a classy-looking watch face and whether or not it’s worth the asking price is of course up to you, but something like this is nice to see available on Android.
Wear Where’s My Car
If simple and focused Android Wear apps are what you’re looking for, then this is the sort of thing that will put a smile on your face. All this app does is use the GPS from your smartphone in order to log where you parked the car. Yes, Google Now also offers the same functionality, but it’s not perfect, and with this, you control exactly where you want the GPS marker to be, and if you’re more familiar with loading up a single app to do something, Wear Where’s My Car will feel familiar and useable to you.
Hue Wear
Speaking of apps that are simple, Hue Wear is a simple app in terms of use, but in terms of functionality, it has a lot more to offer than you might first thing. Sure, this is “just” an app to change the color and brightness of your Philips Hue lights, but if you’ve spent a lot of money on these lights, and want to make the most of them, then this is one app you’ll be happy to see. After all, convenience is why you bought smart light bulbs as well as a smartwatch, and Hue Wear brings the two closer together in a nice and simple app.
NEXO Watch Face
NEXO Watch Face is the sort of face that will please users looking for something classic, yet still with a splash of color involved. It has all sorts of information on display as well and doesn’t try too hard to be that stylish a watch face. With customizable colors and settings, this is a flexible watch face and one that will appeal to those that just want to know what time it is quickly, but without sacrificing on design.
Smart TV Remote & Wear Support
This is an app that might only be useful to certain Samsung TV owners, but it’s a fresh new app that has a lot to offer nonetheless. Smart TVs have opened up a world of new content to TV owners and those that are looking to get access to on-demand content, but they still have remotes like every other old TV in the world. This app will connect to your Samsung TV and let you control from your phone, and now your Android Wear smartwatch, which might sound a little over-the-top, but being able to change the channel, input or the volume when you can’t find the remote sure comes in handy.
Watch Face: Minimal
Despite its very average name, this watch face is something a little different, and isn’t that what owning a smartwatch is all about? Getting access to something different? Sure, there will always be users who – understandably so – will go for the traditional watch look, but with Watch Face: Minimal, people can experiment with a new way of telling the time, and its classy affair that looks nice and sharp.
Satellites Watch Face
With all of these launches into space happening, it’s never been cooler to be interested in space exploration, and there’s plenty to be excited about these days. This simple watch face allows you to choose the planet in the center and then while you’re looking at your watch, the satellites will circle your planet in the center of everything, adding a little space action to your watch.
Pulse Play for Racket Players
Pulse Play is more than just an Android Wear app and is in fact, an app that helps players of sports like Tennis and Squash track their scores with other players and share their experiences with a growing social network of like-minded people. However, the Android app is one of the best apps that we’ve seen for keeping track of a score while actually playing the game. Not many apps out there offer these sort of features, and this is a welcome addition to Android Wear, that’s for sure.
PhraseWatch – Watch Face
So, you’re trying to learn a new language and have tried all sorts of methods. Well, have you tried PhraseWatch? Probably not, as it’s quite a new app. This neat little Android Wear watch face puts the time and date on your wrist as well as a new phrase every day from your chosen language. This is a fun way of counting down the days to a holiday while learning some local lingo, and while it could be a little more attractive overall, this is a good concept to start with.
