Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks
The update was first rolled out for LG Watch Sport/Style and Huawei Watch 2, while most of the latest smartwatches are just now beginning to receive Android Wear 2.0. Whether you’re a pro smartwatch user who knows their way around Android Wear or just bagged one of the new smartwatches, there are plenty of new elements packed with Android Wear 2.0 that you need to know about.1. Android Wear now has Google Play Store
One of the biggest caveats of having an Android Wear watch was that you always had to be connected to an Android phone to use it. However, Android Wear 2.0 brings along the ability to set up your smartwatch as an individual device by adding your Google account when you set up the device.2. New and improved Quick Settings
The Quick Settings panel has become an inseparable part of the Android ecosystem, but the same couldn’t be said about Android Wear watch, until now. The latest update brings along a revamped Quick Settings panel which can be accessed right away from the watch face by swiping down on the screen.3. Google Assistant comes to Android Wear watch
Already a highly acclaimed part of the Android OS since its release alongside the Google Pixel, Google Assistant replaces the typical voice commands with a smarter alternative. Simply speak out “OK Google” or long-press the power button on your Android smartwatch to launch Assistant and ask away.4. Use Android Pay with your smartwatch
One of the coolest Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks includes the newly added feature of Android Pay smartwatch app, the ultimate mobile payment solution. All you need to do is download the Android Pay smartwatch app to your device, sign in with your Google account and set things up for contactless payments.5. Customize the Android Wear apps menu
While you can’t really create folders and rearrange the layout of the Android wear apps drawer on your smartwatch yet, there is some customizable that the latest update offers. Instead of scrolling limitlessly through dozens of apps on the tiny screen, Android Wear 2.0 enables you to pin your favorite Android Wear apps to the top of the list.6. Two new keyboards for typing
You probably aren’t looking forward to having long and meaningful conversations while texting from the tiny screen of your smartwatch. However, for all those times when you want to send a one-liner reply, Android 2.0 has two interesting keyboards for you to try out.7. Self-configure the hardware buttons
When it comes to hardware buttons, not every Android Wear watch follows the same pattern. For instance, the Moto 360 has just one hardware button, whereas LG Watch Sport has three, so Android Wear 2.0 gives you the ability to configure the extra hardware buttons the way you want.Head over to Settings > Personalisation on your Android smartwatch and you’ll find the “Customize hardware button” option hidden in there. Using this feature, you can set up the extra hardware buttons to activate Google Assistant or launch a certain game on your Android Wear watch with just the click of a button.8. New watch face complications
Taking inspiration from the always-on display that offers notifications and additional details without turning the screen on, Android 2.0 brings along “complications”. This new feature allows you to add an app or information shortcuts right on the main screen for you to glance at right away.Best Android Wear watches
Ever since its inception in 2014, Android Wear has been accepted and integrated by major manufacturers in the tech industry. As Google prepared for the release of Android Wear 2.0, so did several top brands, which brings us to this list of the best Android Wear watches available in the market today.Best Overall - LG Watch Sport
This smartwatch is the one Google chose to unveil Android 2.0 to the world, and the device sure lives up to the expectations. Crammed with every feature you could expect from a modern-day smartwatch, LG Watch Sport packs a decent sized AMOLED display, built-in GPS, IP68 rating for water resistance, and support for Android Pay.Feature packed - Huawei Watch 2
A straight-up competition to the LG Watch Sport battery life with an almost similar capacity, Huawei’s second try at the Android watch genre hits all the right spots. Available in Classic and Sport editions, this smartwatch packs a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 21000 processor that the LG Watch lineup possesses.Best design - LG Watch Style
Google and LG paired up to release Android Wear 2.0 this time around, and there were two offerings available – LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style. Designed with smaller size profile that to support its “Style” quotient, the LG Watch Style packs a 1.2-inch display with lesser RAM capacity of 512MB, compared to the 768MB of the Sport.Most affordable – Moto 360 Sport
Released shortly after the Moto 360 2015 edition, Moto 360 sport packs all of the same firepower as its predecessor, but with an added sporty look. Equipped with the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and an adequate 300 mAh battery capacity, this 1.37-inch smartwatch has enough elements to give you a surreal Android Wear 2.0 experience.Best for fitness – Polar M600
Albeit every Android Wear smartwatch comes with a set of fitness tracking features built into it, but things get a whole lot serious when it comes to Polar M600. Packing a GPS tracker, an IPX8 water resistance rating, and a dual-core MediaTek MT2601 processor, this fitness tracking smartwatch will go the extra mile every time.Wrapping it up
With Apple Watch continuing ahead as a strong competition and Samsung choosing to power its Gear smartwatches with its in-house Tizen OS, Google is prepping Android Wear 2.0 to go full steam ahead. As LTE smartwatches such as LG Watch grow in popularity and Google Play Store is available as a standalone app for Android Wear, the wearable fever is sure to go viral.Are you among the privileged ones who already have an Android-powered smartwatch in their possession? Which one is your absolute favorite among the Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks we have listed above? Share your thoughts in the comments below.Similar / posts
The best Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks – the best Android Wear to get your hands on
June 9th, 2017
Updated on August 29th, 2017
The best Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks – the best Android Wear to get your hands on
June 9th, 2017
Updated on August 29th, 2017
The best Android Wear 2.0 tips and tricks – the best Android Wear to get your hands on
June 9th, 2017
Updated on August 29th, 2017