The days of lugging around a smartphone with your Android Wear smartwatch to record your performance are being consigned to the history books, it seems, after Strava and Asics-owned Runkeeper launched updated apps for Android Wear 2.0
The Android Wear 2.0 version of each app doesn’t require a smartphone to track performance, just so long as your watch has GPS, and they offer a wealth of different options to record your exploits.
“Wear 2.0’s standalone model is forward thinking and innovative, and pushes the limits of what we thought was possible,” said Mateo A. Ortega, head of integration for Strava, in a statement spotted here. “This platform introduces many features that benefit Strava athletes, such as the option to record and upload activities independent of their phone.”
It means that from the comfort of your wrist it’s now possible to record activities and view real-time stats such as time, pace, laps, split times and heart rate. Both apps can already be downloaded from the brand new on-watch app store and you’ll only need your smartphone for the initial set-up. After that, leave it at home!
Android Wear 2.0 is hot off the press after Google teamed up with its buddy LG to unveil the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style earlier this week, both of which are already on sale in the US and will hit the shops in the UK later on this month.
Plenty of other manufacturers also want a piece of the pie and Google’s partnerships with the likes of ZTE, Casio, Tag Heuer and New Balance mean that we can expect to see a slew of new Android-powered smartwatches in the near future – and plenty of updated apps to go with them.
In the immediate future, keep a close eye on MWC in Barcelona, as we expect to see plenty of Android Wear developments at the annual mobile showcase.
Related: MWC 2017
Watch: Wearables buying guide
What do you use your smartwatch for? Let us know in the comments below
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
