Google began rolling out the Oreo update for Android Wear last week, starting with the LG Watch Sport – a watch that never shipped in Australia. As usual, we’re all interested to see which watches will get update to Oreo – but Google has a list for that.
The update to Oreo is more a back-end update to Android Wear, but does bring new features including a new notification vibration strength setting, touch lock option for wet conditions, notification channels, battery saving background limits and support for 7 new countries/languages.
So, which watches will get it? According to the support documentation for Android Wear, these watches are in line to receive the update:
Android Wear Oreo(8.0) update is already available in the following watches:
- Fossil Q Venture
- LG Watch Sport
- Louis Vuitton Tambour
- Michael Kors Sofie
- Montblanc Summit
Watches that are currently pursuing the Android Wear Oreo (8.0) update:
- Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20
- Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch
- Diesel Full Guard
- Emporio Armani Connected
- Fossil Q Control
- Fossil Q Explorist
- Fossil Q Founder 2.0
- Fossil Q Marshal
- Fossil Q Wander
- Gc Connect
- Guess Connect
- Huawei Watch 2
- Hugo BOSS BOSS Touch
- LG Watch Style
- Michael Kors Access Bradshaw
- Michael Kors Access Dylan
- Michael Kors Access Grayson
- Misfit Vapor
- Mobvoi Ticwatch S & E
- Movado Connect
- Nixon Mission
- Polar M600
- TAG Heuer Tag Connected Modular 45
- Tommy Hilfiger 24/7 You
- ZTE Quartz
Notably it appears that Motorola isn’t updating any watches, Huawei has dropped their original Huawei Watch (it still looks great) and LG is only updating their most recent watches. Google does say in the support doco ‘For the exact timing of the update or if your device isn’t on the above lists, please contact the device manufacturer’, so you can try contacting the manufacturer, but it probably won’t help much.
Again, this isn’t a massive feature update, and some of the watches not included in the list are getting on in years. If your watch isn’t on the list and you really must have that latest update, maybe it’s time to go back to Santa and ask him about a new watch.
My LG 1st gen Urbane isn’t on the list and I certainly don’t want another Android wear watch atm. Having bought in at almost inception and witnessed 1st hand the deterioration of Google’s wear based OS I won’t be asking Santa for anything that ships with Wear OS 😉
I still have a wearable itch and the battery is degrading in my LG after over two years of continous use so I wouldn’t mind something new. However, if I do get something new to put on my wrist it won’t be running androidwear.
I find myself almost agreeing with you Josh. While the HW2 is my favourite wear I’ve used, it still doesn’t really have the year-on-year feel of longevity about it. I find myself thinking that a dumbwatch may ultimately be a better choice for me. I tried a Fossil Qnate and very quickly gave up on it. Not only was it uncomfortable but the smart features were pretty useless actually, and didn’t justify really being in the watch at all.
So, it looks like my Moto 360 2nd gen is now officially out of date.