Google appears to have killed the Android Wear section of the Google Store with the smartwatches supported by the platform also listed as no longer available.
Amidst yesterday’s reveal of a plethora of Google products including the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google Home Mini, and the Google Home Max, Google appears to have quietly removed the Android Wear section from its online store.
And there was no mention of the Android-themed wearable software platform during the search giant’s product showcase. This would suggest that the lack of traction Android Wear has had in the smartwatch and wearables world has prompted Google to move away from its work in the area.
However, this is a little surprising as Google was rumoured to be working on its own smartwatches with the codenamed Angelfish and Swordfish; these did eventually surface in the form of the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style, both running Android Wear 2.0.
Other rumours have been bubbling away that Google may have been working on a Pixel branded smartwatch, though had that been the case we’d have expected to see it mentioned at Google’s Pixel showcase yesterday.
As such, we could see Android Wear slowly peter out of existence; Google often cans projects and products it hasn’t found masses of success with, such as ending its efforts to make a modular smartphone platform with Project Ara.
The flip-side to this is Google may be planning a surprise announcement of a new smartwatch or perhaps the re-branding of Android Wear into something bearing the Pixel name. But for the time being the future of Android Wear is uncertain, beyond the Android Wear app remaining up-and-running in the Play Store.
Related: Best smartwatches to buy
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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.
