Android Wear is turning 2 years old, but it won't be a happy anniversary if you're one of the platform's earliest adopters. Following a similar warningby LG for the G Watch, Motorola is saying that the original Moto 360 won't get Android Wear 2.0 when it arrives in the fall. Yes, you'll have to buy a new smartwatch if you want that on-screen keyboard or third-party watch face widgets. It's uncertain what will happen to other older Android Wear devices, such as Samsung's Gear Live or the first ASUS ZenWatch, but there's a real chance that they'll meet a similar fate.
The cutoff isn't entirely shocking. Google regularly ends major OS updates for Nexus devices after 2 years, and its tighter control over Android Wear updates suggested that you'd see a similar schedule for wearables. It's unfortunate when you realize that many newer devices have comparable hardware, though. And however arbitrary this feels, it's a reminder that smartwatches won't endure as long as their mechanical counterparts -- you'll have to swap wristwear every couple of years if you're determined to remain current.
No comments:
Post a Comment