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Huawei's Watch 2 can last for weeks without its smarts
I'm a firm believer in the usefulness of smartwatches, but even I can't deny that the product category is struggling. Despite Apple joining the fray with its first Watch two years ago, wearables still haven't taken off with mainstream consumers. Google's latest update to its wrist-based OS just started trickling out to the public, and it brings new features that make smartwatches more functional. Even then, there are problems with these devices' battery life and design. It is in such a challenging time that we are introduced to Huawei's Watch 2. It's the company's new Android Wear 2.0 device, and it already faces competition from LG, ZTE, Fossil and Tag Heuer. Fortunately for Huawei, the Watch 2 stands out thanks to its impressively long-lasting battery, comfortable design and reasonable price.
Fossil hopes you’ll like one of its 300 smartwatches
Back in March, Fossil revealed its plans to introduce 300 smartwatches in 2017, including a mix of hybrid analogs and others running Android Wear 2.0. The new wearables come from Fossil itself as well as brands like Misfit, Diesel, Emporio Armani and Skagen, all of which are owned by parent company Fossil Group. The firm says the idea here is to offer consumers more choices, since not everyone likes the same style of watch. Pictured above, for one, is Skagen's Hagen Connected Steel-Mesh, a $220 hybrid smartwatch with a traditional design and features such as activity tracking, sleep monitoring and support for phone notifications.
Fitbit's upcoming smartwatch and wireless headphones leak out
We've heard that Fitbit was having trouble developing its upcoming smartwatch, but based on a batch of leaked photos obtained by Yahoo Finance, it looks like the company is making progress. Codenamed "Project Higgs," it's Fitbit's first "proper" smartwatch; last year's Blaze was basically just a fitness tracker that looked like a watch. In many ways, the new product looks like a refined version of the Blaze. It swaps out the clunky octagonal design for a more traditional square face, and it features a metal unibody case, which adds some colorful accents around the screen.
ZTE's first Android Wear watch is also one of the cheapest
Android Wear 2.0's release has been delayed multiple times, and aside from a few watches that have just hit the market, there aren't many affordable ways to get Google's latest wearable OS right now. The good news is, a new option arrives in about two weeks via ZTE, which is making its first-ever Android Wear watch. It's called the Quartz, and it will be available on April 21 via T-Mobile for just $200. You can also get it online starting April 14th.
Bug delays Android Wear 2.0 yet again
Google's been talking about Android Wear 2.0 for a long time -- it was first announced almost a year ago, at the I/O 2016 developer event. But it was delayed from a planned fall launch until early 2017. And while a few watches have been released that include the new software (most notably the LG Watch Style and Sport), the release for older Android Wear devices has continued to be delayed. And you'll have to keep on waiting -- Google confirmed today that an unspecified bug was found during final testing that will push back the release again.
The Huawei Watch 2 is a strong showcase for Android Wear 2
Android Wear 2.0 recently made its debut on a pair of LG-made watches and, as expected, we're starting to see other companies show off devices of their own running the new operating system. At MWC this weekend, Huawei is unveiling its Watch 2, which combines the new Google OS with a sportier design. It will be available in the US in April, and in some European countries in March for €349 (about $350). After my brief time with the new timepiece, which is also available in a "Classic" design, I'm already impressed by how comfortably light and sturdy the two watches are.
Android Wear 2.0 will finally arrive in early February
Smartwatches might have failed to take over the world last year, but Google will still make good of its promise to release Android Wear 2.0 in Q1 2017. According to a letter addressed to developers and published by Android Police, the long-awaited update to its wearable platform will finally arrive in early February. It was supposed to roll out in late 2016, but Mountain View decided to release a couple of developer previews first. The letter warns developers that Wear 2.0's on-watch Play Store won't show apps that aren't optimized for the platform, so they need to tweak their applications ASAP. Wear 2.0 will also support standalone apps that don't need phones to work.
Vapor is Misfit's first touchscreen smartwatch
While the wearable market isn't as hot as it used to be, Misfit is still holding strong with its lineup of fitness trackers, including the recently launched hybrid Phase watch. And now, it finally has a touchscreen smartwatch, the newly announced Vapor. It looks like a traditional round watch -- something plenty of other companies are aiming for -- but it's a bit more refined than than other smartwatches I've worn. Vapor packs in all of the health tracking features you've come to expect from Misfit, with the addition of built-in GPS and heart-rate tracking. Best of all: It will sell for a reasonable $199.
Smartwatches failed to excite in 2016
When the first smartwatches made it to our wrists a few years ago, we were willing to overlook shortcomings because the product category was in its infancy. But the technology has had time to mature, and 2016 should have been an exciting year in this space. Instead, we saw a number of important brands pull out of the smartwatch race; meanwhile Google deferred major updates to 2017. Smaller but significant companies were swallowed by competitors, and the devices that did launch this year were unexciting at best. Smartwatch sales started to decline in the second quarter, and while the all-important holiday shopping numbers haven't been tallied yet, the future isn't looking good for the category.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 20: I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
It's the last episode of the year and host Terrence O'Brien is closing things out with managing editor Dana Wollman and reviews editor Cherlynn Low. After looking at the biggest winners of 2016 last week, the crew is taking on the biggest losers. That means exploding phones, shady medical startups and trolls galore. Plus the standings for Flame Wars are finalized ahead of CES, so get ready 'cause things might get real weird next week.
The biggest losers of 2016
Last week we broke down the biggest winners of 2016. This week, we're taking a look at the biggest losers. Yahoo has clearly had one of the worst years in history for a company. And, unless something changes soon, this whole mess with the NSA and 1.5 billion hacked accounts could become the problem of Engadget's parent company Verizon. So, there's that. Of course there was Samsung's parade of exploding gadgets and Twitter... well, Twitter just couldn't seem to get its act together. It's now known as the platform of choice for trolls and white supremacists as much as it is for forcing you to distill complex thoughts into 140-character fragments. Of course, between the explosion of fake news and the continued hostility towards the science of climate change, the biggest loser of 2016, might just be the American public. Check out all of Engadget's year-in-review coverage right here.
Watchmakers think smart features will beat smartwatches
Fossil is the fourth-biggest watchmaker in the world, responsible for about 5 percent of global timepiece sales. The company produces watches for a variety of brands, including Armani, Kate Spade, Michael Kors and Skagen. This week, ahead of the holidays, all of those labels have launched traditional-looking analog watches that come with activity tracking, notification vibrations and automatic time setting. When a company feels this confident that its users want this tech, you know something's going on. That's because this is the moment that the future of wearables becomes a race to see how deep you can bury your geeky credentials beneath a pretty case.
The Misfit Phase is yet another connected analog watch
Misfit may not be the first (or even tenth) name that comes to mind when you think about sophisticated design, but its acquisition by the Fossil group last year may have taught it a thing or two about style. The company just debuted the Misfit Phase, an eye-catching analog watch that tracks your steps and sleep habitss and shows your progress toward various fitness goals. Like other smartwatches, it will alert you to incoming calls, messages and app notifications.
Without a new Apple Watch, smartwatch shipments decline in Q2
Until now, the smartwatch market had seen year-over-year growth each quarter since the devices made their debut. For Q2 2016 though, that wasn't the case. Global smartwatch shipments were down 32 percent, totaling 3.5 million gadgets during the period. That figure is down from 5.1 million of the wearables shipped during the second quarter of 2015. Apple still led the pack with 1.6 million units, but it was the only top-selling company to experience an annual decline. It's worth noting that Q2 2015 was when the Apple Watch launched and there hasn't been an updated model yet.
Android Wear is getting a massive overhaul this fall
It's been over two years since Android Wear was introduced, but smartwatches are still very much an unproven commodity. But Google has been making plenty of tweaks and refinements to its watch-based OS to hone the features owners find most useful. Today at its annual I/O developer conference, Google is announcing what Android Wear VP David Singleton is calling its "biggest platform update yet": Android Wear 2.0. It's a visual and functional overhaul organized around the three things Google has found to be most important for Android Wear users.
Navigate your smartwatch by touching your skin
Smartwatches walk a fine line between functionality and fashion, but new SkinTrack technology from Carnegie Mellon University's Future Interfaces Group makes the size of the screen a moot point. The SkinTrack system consists of a ring that emits a continuous high-frequency AC signal and a sensing wristband that goes under the watch. The wristband tracks the finger wearing the ring and senses whether the digit is hovering or actually making contact with your arm or hand, turning your skin into an extension of the touchscreen.
Google debuts designer watch faces for Android Wear
With companies like TAG Heuer and Fossil now investing in Android Wear, Google knows how important it is to keep smartwatches looking stylish. As such, the company has revealed a set of fashion-centric watch faces for Android Wear devices, as part of a partnership with nine different brands. This includes designs from Asics, Harajuku Kawaii!, Mango, Melissa Joy Manning, Nicole Miller, Ted Baker, Vivienne Tam, Y-3 and Zoe Jordan.
Verizon's new kid-tracking smartwatches look all grown up
GizmoPal 2 and GizmoGadget aren't going to win any prizes for cool product naming, but the kid-friendly smartwatches come with noble intentions. Both products let you geofence your progeny, so you can get an instant alert if they wander farther than you'd like -- a staple feature of devices in the junior category of course. Both also let the wearer communicate with parents. GizmoPal 2 is more limited, allowing only Jnr to send pre-recorded messages and emoji -- perhaps no bad thing for younger children. Adults can, however, call the watch directly. On the plus side, GizmoPal 2 looks less like a child's hospital band than last time. Bigger kids will want the GizmoGadget, which has the way cooler ability to send messages and calls instantly between devices and a touchscreen display. Both are also waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes.
Omate has a smartwatch that runs Lollipop and makes phone calls
Let's face it: deep down we probably all have wanted a smartwatch made by wearables company Omate that runs Android 5.1. Okay, that's an overstatement. But there are at least a few folks out there that fit this bill and they'll likely be pretty pleased about the news that the new call-capable TrueSmart+ is Lollipop flavored. The company took to Facebook to announce that both the TS+ and its slightly cheaper sibling will hit sometime either late October or in November for $169 and $149, respectively. Oddly enough, the pricier model doesn't have a built-in camera like its predecessor but Omate says it has a TSi model with one.
WatchOS 2 hands-on: What Apple Watch should have had from the start
Ignoring the mixed reviews, common sense and the usually wise advice that you should avoid first-gen products at all costs, I bought an Apple Watch last June. Honestly, I'm still surprised by that. I backed the original Pebble crowdfunding campaign, and I've tested a few Android Wear devices, but as a whole smartwatches have always left me wanting. If I was going to wear anything on my wrist, I typically preferred a dedicated fitness tracker. But after hearing about what Apple had planned for watchOS 2 (the software that powers the Watch), I felt compelled to snap up a 42mm Apple Watch Sport. Now, a little more than five months after the Watch's launch, that long-awaited update is here. And while it doesn't fix all of the Apple Watch's flaws, it's a significant improvement for the crazies like me who bought one already.