The Android Wear 2.6 update based on Oreo has been launched earlier in December and Google recently provided a complete list of smartwatches that have or will be updated to the latest release. As of this writing, the list shared by Google contains six models that have already made the jump to Oreo, including the LG Watch Sport, and more than two dozen smartwatches that are currently ‘pursuing’ the update, though it’s not entirely clear whether all of these models aiming for the Oreo update will eventually receive it.
Android Wear based on Oreo doesn’t include that many features on top of what version 2.6 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat has to offer, however one of the major additions lies in the new Touch lock feature that prevents accidental random touches from occurring while submerging waterproof wearables. Additionally, the update allows users to configure notification vibrations, and lastly, the software package includes additional languages. These new features are now already available on the Fossil Q Venture, the Louis Vuitton Tambour, the Montblanc Summit, the Michael Kors Sofie, and the aforementioned LG Watch Sport. In the meantime, five additional Fossil Q wearables are aiming for the Oreo update, and the same can be said for three additional wearables from Michael Kors, the Huawei Watch 2, the LG Watch Style, as well as the ZTE Quartz and numerous other brands and models. But while a confirmation from Google that these models are being planned for Oreo is refreshing, the update’s availability doesn’t depend on the software giant at this point, so only time will tell when or if they will make the jump to the newer OS version. You can refer to the screenshot or source link below for the complete list provided by Google.
The Android Wear operating system for smartwatches was introduced in mid-2014. At that time the OS was based on Android 4.4 KitKat, however, the platform was pushed to version 5.0.1 Lollipop before the end of 2014 and continued to receive new updates based on Marshmallow and Nougat over the past couple of years. One of the biggest updates landed at the beginning of 2017 in the form of Android Wear 2.0 which overhauled the user interface according to Material Design guidelines and introduced support for standalone applications on the Play Store.