Pebble smartwatch users are in for some good news, as Google's Android Wear now joins the party to bring some neat new functionality.
As wearable technology has picked up pace, a variety of smartwatches and fitness trackers and all sorts of gadgets have popped up on the market. When it comes to smartwatches, different offerings come with different strengths and caveats, but most of them deliver the same experience, with notifications front and center.
Pebble was one of the first smartwatches to hit the market and has been firm on its position despite the arrival of notable rivals from Samsung, Motorola, LG, and Apple. The Pebble smartwatch may not be as flashy as some of its rivals with its much simpler e-paper display, but it now has the ability to show Android Wear notifications as well.
"'Tis the season for anticipation. We count down the days to gifts and good wishes, and we just can't wait. We've been in the workshop ourselves, crafting something Android Pebblers will love unwrapping. Version 2.3 of our Android app gives Pebble the power to reply and act on notifications right from your watch. It's Android Wear notification compatibility on Pebble, and it's awesome," the company announced.
"Android users on our team are super thrilled with what version 2.3 lets them do from their Pebbles. We've built actions that even Android Wear devices themselves don't perform."
Considering that Pebble is simpler than other smartwatches out there, this new functionality won't be quite at the level of other Android Wear gadgets. Pebble doesn't have a touchscreen, nor a color display, nor some extra screen real estate. Nevertheless, the addition of Android Wear should sweeten the experience for Pebble users.
Interacting with Android Wear notifications is now possible to some degree, such as replying to a message with a quick emoji, or enjoying some Square Cash functions, as demonstrated in the videos below. Users will also be able to press the hardware buttons on their pebble for a simpler interaction with Android Wear.
It's worth pointing out that this whole Pebble and Android Wear project is still in beta for now, but anyone can try it out to see how it fares. Pebble has a beta sign-up page here so anyone can join the party, provided they have a Pebble smartwatch and an Android smartphone running version 4.0 or newer. In the meantime, watch the videos below to get a better idea of how it works.
