Speculations about Android Wear getting a rebrand have been circulating around the internet for some time. It was first noticed by a Redditor who discovered a new logo and name in the latest Google Play Services when setting up a watch. It was followed by several references to “Wear OS’ throughout the APK and a new logo that looked like a finalized product. To put the rumors to rest, Google has officially announced the new branding for Android Wear.
The new official homepage for the operating system formerly known as Android Wear will be wearos.google.com. The page has the new “Wear OS by Google” branding and a bunch of stock photo slides showing off watches, apps, and features. Wear OS also has a new slogan: “Make every minute matter.” Google says this branding will roll out to watches and the phone app in the “next few weeks.”
We're not entirely sure what Google hopes to achieve with the rebranding effort. Android smartwatches, in general, have received a lukewarm response from the market. The problem is further complicated by manufacturers such as Qualcomm, who refuse to manufacture newer SoCs for smartwatches, which in turn results in several Android Wear/WatchOS devices getting stuck with antiquated hardware.
However, it'll take more than a renamed OS for Google to take on Apple, who has been leading the smartwatch market for some time. The fault also partially lies with manufacturers, who have been shying away from releasing new devices into the market. The biggest hurdle, however, will be to convince people to buy a smartwatch. At the moment, a smartwatch is little more than an underpowered smartphone that serves only a niche audience. Personally, I still don't see the point of smartwatches, as I already have a device in my pocket that does a better job of doing everything a smartwatch does.
News Source: Google
About the author: Anil has been a lifelong tech enthusiast and has worked a variety of jobs before joining the Wccftech team in 2018. His primary responsibilities include reporting on all things in the Android and mobile gaming sphere. He is also passionate about PC hardware, obscure music and internet culture. He also has a thing for addressing himself in third person as an exercise in self-awareness.
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