Reports suggest Google will release an update to its Android Wear platform that brings some interesting new features. According to Phandroid, the new update to Android Wear will add support for interactive watch faces with improved gesture controls. Specifically, the interactive faces will include a new “single tap gesture” that lets users mount a variety of tasks. This includes make an aesthetic change, toggling between different states on the watch, changing the displayed information or even launching a new activity by tapping on an icon.
Furthermore, to avoid conflict with the way the watch face is activated in Android Wear, which is currently done by tapping anywhere on the screen, Google will be changing the way the watch face is activated in the upcoming update. Instead of tapping anywhere on the screen, users will access the launcher via a simple right to left swipe on the screen.
It is worth mentioning that some watch faces available on Google Play are already have the single tap gesture. However, they do it using a hacked method that can lead to system conflict. With the launch of interactive watch faces, Google will now officially support the single tap gesture.
Additionally, the upcoming update may bring in a new watch-to-watch communication feature called Together. This feature will allow Android Wear users to send messages, stickers, doodles and emojis to one another.
Phandroid notes, however, that the feature seemed limited to a single watch face. “It’s not known if this feature will launch as a system application or stay tied to this particular watch face,” reports Phandroid. “The former would be very unintuitive as users would have to have the watch face selected to send and accept messages from one another.” But the report notes that their information is “quite old” so hopefully the feature will be extended to all watch faces by the time the new update is ready.
Another notable addition to Android Wear is the new Wi-Fi capability which will be introduced to owners of LG G Watch R. While this feature was ruled out when Android 5.1.1 arrived on the LG device, users should be happy to know that they are finally getting the Wi-Fi functionality through an OTA update soon.
Google originally planned to launch the update on July 28. However, the company is changing the date to any day in August.
