Not too shabby: 720,000 Android Wear smartwatches shipped in 2014

By Williams Pelegrin Updated February 11, 2015

android wear devices shipped in 2014 watch faces

As they currently stand, smartwatches are a far cry from the kind of devices smartphones have become: essential and always by your side. Research firm Canalys revealed that a mere 720,000 Android Wear devices shipped in 2014, and while this reaffirms the belief that smartwatches are a niche product, the numbers don’t paint as bleak an image as some might believe.

Canalys pointed to Moto 360 as being “the clear leader,” of the pack with the most sales. Meanwhile, the LG G Watch R outperformed its predecessor, the original G Watch, which launched alongside the Samsung Gear Live as the first two Android Wear smartwatches last June. No exact figures were given, though Canalys pointed out that Android Wear devices accounted for 15 percent of the 4.6 million “smart wearable bands” that shipped in 2014.

These aren’t terrible numbers in the least, considering Android Wear launched just last June, but they aren’t too impressive either. Canalys vice president Chris Jones also brought up Samsung’s situation. While the company’s decision to invest in both Android Wear and Tizen allowed it to “lead the smart band market,” the fact that it shipped six devices in a span of just 14 months has Samsung struggling “to keep consumers engaged.”

At this point, Pebble, which recently announced it sold 1 million of its smartwatches since it launched in 2013, is Android Wear’s biggest competition. With that said, 2015 is sure to be an interesting year for the category, as we’ll see Apple’s entrant into the arena, as well as new Pebble and Android Wear devices. Additionally, many manufacturers are rumored to be ditching Android Wear in favor of their own, homegrown wearable operating systems.

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Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

Wearables

Disappointingly, Wear OS 3 won’t be saving Android smartwatches for a while yet

Galaxy Watch 4 Classic on the wrist.

It all started out so well. Google working with Samsung and Fitbit on an updated version of Wear OS that would be faster, provide longer battery life, and enable more apps was exactly what we wanted -- an injection of effort, investment, and excitement into a piece of software that had stagnated for too long.

“It’s not just for Google and Samsung,” said Google’s Sameer Samat about Wear OS 3 at Google I/O 2021, putting our minds at rest, “it’ll continue to be available for all.” Excellent news, but what he actually should have said is, "available for all, eventually," because the software we hoped would be the Android smartwatch’s savior in 2021, won’t really be doing much saving for a while yet.
What’s the problem?
Wear OS 3 is available on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and that’s the way it looks set to stay until the second half of next year. There’s an argument to be made that it’s right for Samsung to benefit from the software platform it co-developed first, but that’s not the impression Google gave, and not really the idea behind any of Google’s software generally. Android has always been for everyone, while Wear OS 3 isn’t just yet.

Mobile

Upcoming Fossil Gen 6 swartwatch won’t run Wear OS 3 until 2022

fossil gen 6 specs leak

Fossil this week unveiled its next-generation smartwatch lineup, called the Fossil Gen 6. While fans were excited for the launch, the company revealed that the much-anticipated Fossil Gen 6 will be launched with Wear OS 2 rather than the new Wear OS 3 seen on the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and Watch 4. This is a surprising and disappointing revelation about the new hardware.
Users eager for the OS 3 update will have to wait till 2022, when it will be available after a full factory rese is performed, which is something we haven't typically seen required for an OS update. The Gen 6 will also be the first device to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus Platform, unlike the new Galaxy Watches, which use the Exynos W920 processor. The company says the new chipset will offer a 30% performance boost compared to Gen 5 devices and more efficient power consumption.

A notable addition is the SpO2 sensor, which monitors blood oxygen levels with an “upgraded heart rate sensor to allow continuous tracking and improved signal accuracy.” The Gen 6, like its predecessor (the Fossil Gen 5), offers a microphone and speaker functionality for Android and iOS, so you can take calls and use Google Assistant on the go. The Gen 6 also lets you access the Google Play Store to download Google-based apps like Google Pay. You can also download third-party apps like Spotify, which recently started supporting offline playback for Wear smartwatches. This could be a key feature for runners and music lovers who enjoy working with custom playlists.
Along with the Gen 6’s upgraded features, users can enjoy 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM with super-optimized battery life (up to 24 hours) for an improved experience that will likely be boosted by the aforementioned Snapdragon Wear 4100+ improvements. It is said to charge twice as fast, “reaching 80% in only a little more than 30 minutes of charging.” The company says this feature is helpful for tracking your sleep, as users can have a fully charged device ready within minutes of waking up after a full night’s use.
The Fossil Gen 6 features a 1.28-inch, AMOLED touchscreen display with 3 ATM water-resistance, making it safe to use when swimming. The Gen 6 comes in two sizes: A 44mm case offering a choice of four colors and a 42mm case offering three colors for added variety and style options. Users also have the option to customize dials and buttons for a more personalized look.
The Gen 6 is priced starting at $299 and $319, which seems to be consistent with Gen 5 and other Wear smartwatch prices. You can pre-order the Gen 6 on Fossil’s official website, and the company says your order will ship around the end of September if you order now.

Mobile

Google releases YouTube Music for Wear OS, refreshes apps with Material You design

Person holding a frisbee while holding the Samsung Galaxy watch4 classic fitness.

Alongside the launch of the Galaxy Watch 4 and Wear OS 3, Google also announced new updates coming both to the newest iteration of its wearables operating system as well as the older version that powers most of its current smartwatches. It's bringing new apps like YouTube Music to the wrist, expanding support for some older features like Google Pay, and refreshing the look of older apps like Google Messages and Google Maps with Material You.

Some of the features Google is announcing today appear limited to the Galaxy Watch 4 by virtue of being limited to Wear OS 3. With the hardware improvements being made to the Galaxy Watch 4 (and Wear OS 3 devices in general), it makes a lot of sense that the company's focusing on this device. "We’re taking what we’ve learned from Wear OS and Tizen to jointly build what smartwatch users need. Compared to previous Wear OS smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 4 features a 2.5x shorter setup experience, up to 40 hours of battery life, optimized performance with app launch times 30 percent faster than before, and access to a huge ecosystem of apps and services," Google's Bjorn Kilburn, Director of Product Management for Wear wrote.