Google expands Android Wear to iOS

Technology giant Google has announced that it is rolling out Android Wear app for iOS which will enable the user to pair an iPhone (iPhone 5 or newer running iOS 8.2 or later) with a smartwatch.

However, the Android Wear for iOS works with the LG Watch Urbane for now. Google promises that all future Android Wear watches, including those from Huawei, Asus, and Motorola will also support iOS.

Jeff Chang, lead product manager for Android Wear said, “There’s a lot of different tastes out there,” “Between round and square, sporty and traditional and classic and all that -- I really think that there’s a wide variety of preferences there. And so we’re giving that choice to everyone.”

The new service for smartwatches with iPhones aims to use some of the most popular features from Android, including providing alerts for e-mails, calendar items and fitness updates. Also, with “Google Now,” users can get tips on the status of a flight or weather forecasts.

Yet it won’t have some of the features available on other Android devices -- including Google’s maps, third-party apps through the Google Play store and Wi-Fi connectivity. Chang said longer term the company will look at what users prefer on iOS and Android devices -- and prioritise features accordingly while abiding by Apple’s restrictions.