‘Android Wear’ Is Now ‘Wear OS’

Dennis Troper, product director for Android Wear Wear OS:

As our technology and partnerships have evolved, so have our users. In 2017, one out of three new Android Wear watch owners also used an iPhone. So as the watch industry gears up for another Baselworld next week, we’re announcing a new name that better reflects our technology, vision, and most important of all — the people who wear our watches. We’re now Wear OS by Google, a wearables operating system for everyone.

Two quick thoughts:

  • If they really think anyone is going to call this “Wear OS by Google” and not just “Wear OS”, they’re nuts. But I get it — legally, device makers licensing the OS will have to use the full name, thus putting Google’s name on the box.
  • This is another sign of Google moving away from promoting “Android”. Back in January, when Google renamed “Android Pay” to “Google Pay”, I pointed out that the Pixel 2 web page only mentions “Android” once, and it’s in a small print footnote.

★ Thursday, 15 March 2018