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Android Wear is now Wear OS
- Google is now officially changing the name of its smartwatch platform from Android Wear to Wear OS.
- As of right now, no other major changes are expected to arrive for the smartwatch platform other than the name change.
- Users should begin seeing Wear OS branding on their watches and in the app over the next few weeks.
Android Wear is no more. Long live Wear OS!
In a bit of not-so-surprising news, Google has officially changed the name of its smartwatch platform from Android Wear to Wear OS.
Why the change in branding? As noted on The Keyword, Wear OS better reflects the company’s vision for the platform, especially since Google’s watches now work with iPhones. The name Android Wear makes it seem like the smartwatches can only be used with Android phones, which isn’t the case.
As of right now, no other major changes are coming to the platform, but that may not be the case for long. Baselworld, the annual watch and jewelry trade show, kicks off in Switzerland on March 22. If Google were to announce any other major platform changes or new products, it’d probably happen there.
Users should begin seeing Wear OS branding on their watches and in the app over the next few weeks.
What do you think of the name Wear OS? I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the name change — it reminds me too much of Apple’s watchOS. Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.