Moto 360 2nd gen to still get Android Wear 2.0 "soon"

Although Huawei's top honchos were reportedly mystified by the purpose and utility of smartwatches, it still put out a new Huawei Watch 2. Motorola, however, isn't as impressed and isn't willing to take another commercial, not to mention financial, risk. The Android Wear pioneer's withdrawal from the smartwatch market has some worried about getting the latest Android Wear 2.0 on their wrists. Fortunately, Google's official Android Wear Twitter account does confirm that it's coming. But it won't be coming as fast as you might have wished.

It is definitely sad that Motorola is bowing out of the smartwatch market, at least "indefinitely". It is one of three Android smartwatch pioneers and, despite the flat tire criticism, heralded circular smartwatches. On the one hand, you can't blame the company for leaving a not so profitable market. On the other hand, one can only wonder if Lenovo's higher echelons forced the matter onto Motorola.

Motorola already confirmed almost a year ago that the first Moto 360 won't be getting the new Android Wear version. That was when Android Wear 2.0 was still slated for a December 2016, not February 2017 release. It's disappointing but not entirely unsurprising, given how "planned obsolescence" is a thing in the mobile industry, smartwatches included.

The Moto 360 Gen 2, however, is too new to be ignored, so, naturally, there were questions raised. Motorola has so far been silent, but Google, fortunately, spoke up for it. According to @Android Wear, the Moto 360 2 and the Moto 360 Sport will indeed get Android Wear 2.0. But it also notes that it will be "in the next few weeks."

By now, it has been more than 2 months since Android Wear 2.0 was released to the public. It is now mirroring the slow and uncertain rollout of Android releases to smartphones. To be fair, not all still supported smartwatches have received the update yet as well. Considering Motorola might not support these two smartwatches for long, owners should still consider themselves lucky they'll get the update, even if late.

SOURCE: @Android Wear