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Google rumored to launch two Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches in Q1 2017

A new rumor claims Google is targeting the first quarter of 2017 for the launch of its first two Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches.
By
October 13, 2016
Android Wear 2.0 2of14

A new rumor claims Google is targeting the first quarter of 2017 for the launch of its first two Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches. The company first revealed the second major version of its smartwatch operating system earlier this year, but so far it has not confirmed plans to release its own wearable devices that will run the OS.

The new rumor comes from prolific internet gadget news leaker Even Blass, better known as “evleaks”, via his Twitter account. Blass offered no other details about these alleged Google-made smartwatches. Rumors about Google making its own Android Wear devices have been posted on the Internet for months, but as with all unconfirmed reports, you should take them with the appropriate grain of salt.

Google’s two smartwatches will be released with Android Wear 2.0 in Q1 2017 [image courtesy of: https://t.co/so8uJyEZCy] pic.twitter.com/ruejqXSNSy
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 13, 2016

The company did reveal details of Android Wear 2.0 at its I/O conference in May, followed by the release of the first of three (so far) developer preview versions.  The updated OS will include new features such as apps that can be installed and synced up on a watch without the need for a smartphone, along with watch faces that can integrate and use data from any app.  In September, Google announced that it had decided to push back Android Wear 2.0’s official launch date from the fall of 2016 to early 2017.

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Google's smartwatch OS is not totally dead, though
While Google has not yet announced its intentions to sell its own branded smartwatch, it is certainly very possible given that the company is reinventing its hardware division with its new Pixel phones, along with the Google Home speaker and more. It might also have another reason to launch its own smartwatches as other prominent Android OEMs like LG, Motorola and HUAWEI said they have no plans to release new Android Wear products, at least not in 2016.

However, Google’s smartwatch OS is not totally dead. We have seen new products like the Nixon Mission watch that’s scheduled to start shipping this month. We also recently saw the launch of the Michael Kors Access lineup of Android Wear watches.

Do you think Google should get into the smartwatch business and would you purchase a Google-branded Android Wear 2.0 device? Let us know what you think in the comments!