Android Wear companion app is up, Apps collection revealed

Just a few days shy of Android Wear smartwatches finally shipping to consumers, Google has published the Android Wear companion app on Google Play Store. But while you won’t be able to use that app yet to its full potential, some popular app developers like Trello, IFTTT, Duolingo, Evernote, and even Fly Delta, have already rallied behind Google’s wearable platform.

The Android Wear app is basically what you need to install on your smartphone or tablet in order to manage the smartwatch’s settings. Those who have had experiences with Samsung’s Gear Manager and Pebble’s App Store will be familiar with this setup. The app is now available on Google Play Store, but not all Android devices will be compatible with it. You can always check if yours makes the cut by visiting g.co/WearCheck on your smartphone or tablet. Do note that you might have to do it on the Android browser or at least on Google Chrome, as Firefox for Android seems to be giving a false negative.

The lack of an actual Android Wear smartwatch definitely isn’t holding back app developers from jumping into the bandwagon to make sure that they have dibs when the devices do launch. Personal Kanban and collaborative service Trello announced over at their blog an update that adds support for Android Wear. Besides the usual notifications, Trello will also let you create cards, of course using your voice. Popular pseudo-programming service IFTTT has also created a channel for Android Wear recipes, which will let you toggle of smart home appliances, upload maps to social networks, and other automated actions. Even Duolingo and Delta Airlines have updated their apps to bring in some Android Wear functionality. Evernote, on the other hand, has pushed an independent app, Evernote Wear, that you will need to install separately.

You can already install the Android Wear companion app on your mobile if it is supported, but you will need an Android Wear device to connect it with. Alternatively, you can also opt to use an Emulator if you have the Android SDK set up. The app also features an easy access button to take you to Android Wear compatible apps in Google Play Store. Are you looking forward to Android Wear and have you put in a preorder for one? Or are you still on the fence about the whole smartwatch deal and waiting to see if Android Wear will also be a dud? Let us know your thoughts below.

SOURCE: +Google