Google has – at last – released the long-awaited Android 8.0 Oreo update for a number of Android Wear smartwatches in Asia, Europe and North America, including the award-winning LG Watch Sport.
Hoi Lam, Wearable Developer Advocate at Google, broke the news on Google+ on December 6, warning that it could take a while for every Android Wear manufacturer to issue the upgrade – but that’s to be expected.
Unlike Android Wear 2.0, however, Android 8.0 Oreo doesn’t bundle any major features. It was, instead, designed to refine the last significant build, introducing a slew of much-requested tweaks in the process.
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The most notable addition is the inclusion of a Touch Lock option à la Apple Watch, which lets you disable your unit’s so-called interaction sensor when it’s submerged in water, thus preventing accidental taps.
There’s also a handful of other useful tools baked into the release, like the facility to alter the vibration strength for incoming notifications, new battery saving background limits and support for seven more countries:
- Belgium (Dutch)
- Czech Republic (Czech)
- El Salvador (Spanish)
- Honduras (Spanish)
- Nigeria (English)
- Paraguay (Spanish)
- Portugal (Portuguese)
We’ve stumbled upon a fair amount of reports claiming that the upgrade has already started making the rounds for the LG Watch Sport and Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen), though we’re only able to confirm the former.
On that note, if you’ve received the Android 8.0 Oreo update on your Android Wear smartwatch, be sure to let us know what device you own over on Facebook or Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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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.
