An operational Google Maps app has been spied running on the LG Watch Urbane Android Wear smartwatch.
An AndroidCentral reporter made the discovery after updating his Google Maps phone app.
After syncing with the Urbane watch with his phone, he was able to launch the Google Maps app, which is yet to be officially announced, on the smartwatch too.
The launcher icon showed up on the watch and the reporter, Andrew Martonik, was also able to open Google Maps with an “open Maps” voice command.
In terms of functionality, users can benefit from a “full screen top-down map experience,” can scroll move around the map, pinch or make use of zoom buttons.
However, the app seems far from ready for prime time use, according to the report, which claimed it to be rather buggy and required several reboots to operate properly.
It is also seeminly designed to work only with watches like the LG Watch Urbane, which have a side button, as pressing it is the only way to exit the app, according to the report.
Read more: Android Wear tips, tricks and secrets
The app appears to be in the test stages right now, but perhaps Google has a full launch in mind to help its device rival the Apple Watch’s Maps functionality.
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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.