Although Google introduced a lot of new features and UI elements with the Android Wear 2.0 update in February, the platform is still in an awkward position. There's no true Android Wear flagship from Google like we have with the Pixel, and despite all the progress made with 2.0, there's still work to be done for the OS itself.
Timely software updates are critical for any platform, and Google is striving to make these much speedier and efficient with the new ability for features to now be added to Android Wear 2.0 via Play Store updates. In other words, Google will be able to introduce bug fixes and add entirely new features via a simple update to the Android Wear app on your phone via the Play Store rather than having to push out an entire OTA upgrade for your watch.
Googler Hoi Lam shared on Google+ that many new updates would be coming to Android Wear via this new delivery system in the coming months, and the latest update to the Android Wear app adds the following items:
- 3rd party chat app support in Contacts
- Reduce accidental entry into the watch face picker
- Improve Play Store discoverability for new users
- Other features and bug fixes
Lam didn't dive into what other sorts of features we can expect to see in the next few months, and while this one change won't completely revive Android Wear on its own, it's definitely a step in the right direction.
