Official Android Blog: March 2015

Keep a watch on your phone

Thursday, March 19, 2015

In 2013 we introduced Android Device Manager to help you locate and secure your Android devices. Since then Android Device Manager has helped reunite almost 30 million users with their wayward phones and tablets.

Today we’re making Android Device Manager even more useful by introducing support for Android Wear to help you find your lost device. Misplaced your Android phone? No problem! Android Wear connects your phone to your wrist, and together with Android Device Manager, you can make sure it stays that way.

To use this new feature, just say ‘Ok, Google. Start. Find my phone,’ or select the ‘Find my phone’ option in the Start menu. Your phone will ring at full volume, and you’ll be that much closer to, well, finding your phone.

Best of all, you won’t need to do anything to enable this new feature. It’s rolling out to all Android Wear devices over the next few weeks.

Posted by Andrew Flynn, Software Engineer, Android

Android 5.1: Unwrapping a new Lollipop update

Monday, March 9, 2015

Today we are rolling out Android 5.1 - an update to Lollipop that improves stability and performance and offers a few new features like support for multiple SIM cards, Device Protection and high definition (HD) voice on compatible phones.

Whether you want to share your phone with a family member or better manage your mobile costs, Android Lollipop 5.1 now lets you use more than one SIM card on a device with multiple SIM slots.

With Device Protection, your lost or stolen device will remain locked until you sign in with your Google account - even if someone resets your device to factory settings. This feature will be available on most Android phones and tablets shipped with Android 5.1 in addition to Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.
High Definition voice calling is now on your mobile phone. Get crystal clear calling with HD Voice between compatible Android 5.1 devices like the Nexus 6 on T-Mobile or Verizon.

Android 5.1 Lollipop also provides enhancements such as the ability to join Wi-Fi networks and control of your paired Bluetooth devices directly from Quick Settings. We hope you enjoy these tasty additions to Android Lollipop as you get more out of your Android phone and tablet.Posted by Dave Burke, VP, Android Platform

Android Wear: apps and watches for every occasion

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Android Wear has a device for just about everyone, with watches that range from traditional and round, to sporty and square. Throw in custom watch faces and apps that accentuate your style and you’ve got countless ways to express who you are, right on your wrist.
Today, there are now even more ways to show people what you’re about, including a new batch of apps, a growing ecosystem of partners, and new watches coming from LG and Huawei.

All kinds of apps for all kinds of interests

Life is about doing, not just viewing, and with Android Wear there are now thousands of feature-rich apps for nearly any activity.

Time to start the day. Want to color coordinate your outfit? DressWatch lets you take a picture of what you’re wearing and set your watch face to match your clothes. Or, if you happen to be eating a kiwi, you can use Fruity Slices to match your breakfast.

Once you’re feeling stylish, PixtoCam lets you take a high-tech selfie, using your watch as a remote viewfinder to zoom and click. You can review all your photos with MyRoll and share them right from your watch.

Waiting for the bus with time to kill? Leap from building to building with Skyscraper Jumper, dig for gold with Mineshaft, or check up on news from your favorite sites with Palabre.

If you need to send a quick text during the day, Coffee includes more than 100 customizable messages. You can also jot down a task on Todoist by saying “OK Google, take a note.”

When it’s time for a run, Google Play Music can turn your watch into a music player, so you can leave your phone at home. If you need a little extra motivation, My Fitness Racer lets you unlock speed boosts with the more steps you take.

Golf Swing Analyzer uses the watch’s accelerometer and gyroscope to measure the tempo, speed, and angle of your swing. And if (when?) you run out of golf balls, you can grab a few more with Amazon Shopping.
If you’re more the musical type, you can install atHandTuner to precisely tune your guitar, ukulele, or didgeridoo using the watch’s built-in microphone. And if you come across a song that inspires, you can use Musixmatch to identify it in seconds.

Before you call it a night, you can check in on the baby with tinyCam, right from your watch. And when it’s finally time to turn in, you can track your sleep cycle—and even detect your snoring—using Sleep as Android.

Android Wear makes your everyday life easier. Why dig around your purse or pocket to answer a call when you can see (and ignore) the caller directly from your wrist? ;-) And why interrupt a perfectly good conversation when you can just glance at your watch for updates? Many apps on Google Play include these Android Wear notifications, so you can stay connected and stay present.

Whatever you’re into, and whatever you’re up for, you’re bound to find an app that fits your wrist. Browse any one of our hand-picked collections on Google Play—including Health & Fitness, Travel & Local, Communication, and Watch Faces—and try one on for size. And if you’re a developer, keep taking advantage of the flexibility of Android Wear to build more awesome apps.

More watches, more choices

Making an Android Wear device your own is made possible by an amazing community of partners—from manufacturers like ASUS, HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony, to chip makers like Broadcom, Intel, Mediatek, MIPS, and Qualcomm, to fashion brands like Fossil.

The ASUS ZenWatch, which went on sale in November, recently won an iF Product Design Award - congratulations ASUS. Sony just announced swappable metal, brown leather, and black leather straps for the SmartWatch 3. In March, Motorola will introduce the ability to design your own personal Moto 360 using their Moto Maker design studio. LG recently announced their latest watch, the LG Watch Urbane, the first all metal luxury Android Wear watch.

And just today, Huawei announced the Huawei Watch, featuring a beautiful 286 ppi circular AMOLED display.

So choose your favorite watch, add a beautiful watch face, install a great app, and voila. Dress code: wear what you want.

Posted by Jeff Chang, Senior Product Manager, Android Wear

Official Blog

Keep a watch on your phone

Android 5.1: Unwrapping a new Lollipop update

Android Wear: apps and watches for every occasion

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