Throughout the year we have reported several times on stories, hints and rumours pointing towards Google releasing its own smartwatch with the most recent being that they purchased WIMM Labs, a smartwatch manufacturer, last year. In the last couple days Artem Russakovskii of Android Police fame has posted a rumour on Google+ that Google will release a smartwatch codenamed Gem alongside the Nexus 5 and KitKat. The date he has specified is October 31, saying that the date that were tipped off to of October 14 being the technical acceptance date rather than the release date.
Not much is known at this stage about the Google smartwatch but considering all the actions Google have taken in that arena it seems inevitable that it will happen eventually. Everyone else seems to be ready to release one, why not Google?
Of note is Artem’s next rumour which states that in KitKat the messaging app is no more. All messaging will be handled by the Hangouts app on the Nexus device being tested. This rumour was speculated before the release of Hangouts, back when we thought it was going to be called Babel, although eventually we got it right and went with Hangouts.
The new Hangouts will be able to handle videos now as well as MMS messages to go along with the new addition of SMS messages. His source is not convinced the new version of Hangouts will be ready by the KitKat release but if not will follow soon after.
With so many smartwatches being announced is there a place for a Google/Nexus smartwatch? Would you be interested in purchasing one? What about Hangouts taking over all messaging? Is this a change for the good?
NEXUS! ALL DAY!
I personally use hangouts extensively, most other android people I know do too. So handy to shoot a few quick messages off our organise something with a group of people.
With what Brad and Wayno say, I wonder if that is part of what is driving Google to have Hangouts swallow the functionality of the standalone Android SMS app.
Not stoked on the news that SMS will be integrated with Hangouts. I disable Hangouts when I install a new ROM. No one I know with a Android device uses it either. Hopefully my mind is changed when/if it happens. Have to check it out before making judgment I guess.
No stand alone SMS app for KK does not sound like GoodNews to me
wouldn’t you rather hangouts instead? it looks much nicer
Function would be pretty much the same, just combined into a single app. Would mean that ROMs that don’t include GApps would need their own messaging app though (sure they could put one together without much effort mind).
You’re so negative towards everything!
I’d buy a nexus watch in a heartbeat.
Same 🙂 I use Contacts+ for SMS anyway but I’d be interested in how that works in Hangours. Just like Brad, no Android user I know uses it, except when I actively push it on my wife’s phone 😀