Not that this should come as any surprise after the recent unveiling of the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE, but Google today officially announced cellular support for Android Wear. The first device to support the feature will be LG’s Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE.
With cellular support, an Android Wear smartwatch will automatically switch to a cellular connection when it leaves Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. And while you’re connected to cellular, your Android Wear smartwatch will have all the same features that it does while on Wi-Fi, including messaging, calling, fitness tracking, and talking to Google.
Speaking of the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE, Verizon has revealed that it’ll begin taking pre-orders for the cellular-enabled Android Wear smartwatch starting tomorrow, November 12. Pricing will be set at $449.99 with a 2-year contract or $499.99 full retail price, and it’ll cost $5 per month to add the watch to an existing Verizon plan. The Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE will hit Verizon stores on November 19.
A cellular-connected smartwatch is kind of like the ultimate Dick Tracy dream, enabling you to do things like take calls and run apps without having a paired smartphone nearby. Of course, having that capability won’t be cheap, as you’ll have to pay a premium for that cellular support in your smartwatch as well as a monthly cellphone plan. But if you’ve ever dreamed of going out without your smartphone but staying connected the whole time, a cellular Android Wear smartwatch may be what you need.