Rumors about Google working on its own Android Wear smartwatches have been flying around for a while now. The wearables are expected to pack Google’s next-gen Android Wear 2.0 software and come equipped with the company’s recently announced virtual assistant.
Well, it seems that we’re a step closer from seeing Google unveil these two new gadgets. A recent Tweet posted by professional leakster @evleaks reaffirms Google has two devices in the pipeline, reportedly headed for a Q1 release. Renders showcasing the purported wearables showed up online a few months ago.
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
A second report coming out of Android Police, reveals the two smartwatches are codenamed Angelfish and Swordfish and are anticipated to complement the brand new Pixel and Pixel XL duo.
Angelfish is the larger of the two models and when it launches it should be a standalone product enjoying the perks of LTE connectivity, GPS, in combination with a heart-rate sensor.
As for Swordfish, this wearable is going to be the budget alternative. Coming in with a smaller form factor and devoid of LTE and GPS functions, the smartwatch will probably be targeted at those who don’t plan to spend a fortune on a wearable.
Both versions are going to come equipped with Google’s virtual assistant, which is said to be more fun to be around and work with than Siri or Alexa.
At this point, there’s no word on how Google plans to brand these devices. We could assume they will be released under the Nexus banner, but given that this year the search giant dropped the name and moved on to the next chapter, it seems quite unlikely.
On top of that, the smartwatches are said to be companions to the Pixel and Pixel XL, so in all possibility, they will bear the same name.
It doesn’t seem like device manufacturers are flocking to release Android Wear smartwatches like in the old days, so Google might have felt it needed to take matters into its own hands in order to keep its wearable OS alive and kicking.
Earlier this week, a few photos of HTC’s rumored Halfbeak made their way online, indicating that at least one of Google’s partners is still onboard of the Android Wear bandwagon.
Android Wear 2.0 was discussed at the I/O conference back in May and three developer preview versions have been released so far.
