Google says it will launch two flagship OEM-branded smartwatches in early 2017; Android Wear 2.0 will support Android Pay
The watches will be the first with Android Wear 2.0 — Google will be launching two new flagship smartwatches in the first quarter of next year, according to Jeff Chang …
Context & Ripple Effects
The two watches Jeff Chang describes are the ones sources spotted in July as an Assistant-integrated pair slated to follow the Nexus handsets — a plan that slipped when Android Wear 2.0 was pushed to early 2017 after its dev previews added an on-watch Play Store. The February timing now lines up with LG's $349 Style and $249 Sport, which beat Google's flagships to market as the first devices on the new OS.
What makes this announcement more than a hardware refresh is the software stack arriving with it: Android Pay support puts payments on the wrist, and Developer Preview 5 confirmed iOS support before launch, extending the platform beyond Android phones much as the 2015 iOS companion app did.
First-order effects
- LG's Style and Sport become the launch vehicles for Android Wear 2.0 while Google's own-branded pair arrives behind them — an unusual order that puts an OEM first to market on Google's flagship software release.
- Android Pay on Android Wear 2.0 gives every compatible watch owner tap-to-pay at launch, making payments a baseline feature rather than a device-specific perk.
Second-order effects
- iOS support in the final developer preview forces Apple Watch to defend iPhone users who want a third-party watch option, expanding the addressable market for LG and other OEMs beyond Android handsets.
- The on-watch Play Store shifts app distribution onto the wrist itself, so watchmakers like LG can market standalone apps instead of phone-tethered companions.
Third-order effects
- If Google keeps pairing flagship self-branded hardware with major OS releases, it follows the Nexus playbook of setting a reference standard that OEMs then build around — a structure the later Wear OS 2.1 rollout with Assistant feeds and Fit access shows maturing into a durable platform cadence.
The trend: Smartwatch platforms are consolidating around Google's software releases, with flagship hardware, payments, and Assistant integration turning Android Wear from a phone accessory into a standalone ecosystem.