Android-powered wearables are not a new thing. Devices like the original Samsung Galaxy Gear and Google Glass have been giving consumers the opportunity to wear Google's little green robot for some time now, but today Google announced that it's going to get behind Android wearables in a big way very soon.
Speaking at South by Southwest, Google's own Sundar Pichai revealed that his company is planning to release a software development kit that will ease the process of creating Android wearables. Pichai, who serves as SVP of Android and Chrome, said that Google wants to create a standard method in which the sensors inside of wearable devices can send information to Android. "We want to develop a set of common protocols by which they can work together," Pichai explained. The Android wearables SDK is expected to drop in two weeks.
We've seen a wave of wearable devices introduced recently, including Samsung's family of Gear hardware, LG's LifeBand and Sony's SmartWatch 2. The wearables market is likely to continue to explode as more device makers look for ways to grow outside of the smartphone world. That's why it makes sense for Google to provide an SDK for Android wearables, as doing so will make Android a more attractive choice for manufacturers interested in crafting new wearable hardware. Google is also rumored to be working with LG on an Android smartwatch that will debut in June and have a heavy focus on Google Now.
Via The Verge
