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Wearables

New Android Wear features incoming: interactive watch faces and more

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What’s up next for Android Wear? Google’s smartwatch OS is to get official support for watch faces you can interact with and a system that’ll let you send your heart rate or a scribble to another Wear user.

One is long overdue, the other nicked from the Apple Watch, but we’ll be glad to see them arrive in August, which is when Phandroid says the update is coming.

Interactive watch faces will let you do things like switch the colour of the clock with a tap, or cycle through screens such as weather, fitness tracker stats and your next calendar appointment. It sounds like watch face devs will have much more control in the future.

With any luck it’ll mean you have to use Android Wear’s insides even less often.

The new Android Wear communicator feature is called Together, and will let you send little digital notes to your Wear-wearing friends. If you have any.

Phandroid says, according to the code, this is actually restricted to a single special watch face, but we imagine it’ll be opened up by the time we get hold of it.

With any luck the Android Wear update will feature a few more goodies than this leak covers too.

We’re getting a Casio smartwatch next year

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The wearable tech race is really hotting up. Tech brands like Apple, LG and Motorola have released smartwatches, and now established watch companies like Tag Heuer are having a piece of the action. But the latest contender is none other than Casio, which reportedly has big plans for 2016.

According to The Wall Street Journal – which cites sources familiar with the project – Casio plans to release a smartwatch by the end of March next year.

Unlike other examples, this one is apparently more like a watch with smart capabilities rather than a true smartwatch. Sources claim the Casio smartwatch is affordable, "won't break easily, is simple to put on and feels good to wear.”

The report noted that this new product was announced as one of Casio's founding four brothers stepped down after being president for 27 years. His son is now in charge, and that means Casio is being helmed by a newer, younger generation. With that in mind, the company wants to craft its own wearable – one that doesn’t break the bank and is comfortable to don.  

As for its purpose, the Casio smartwatch will be aimed at men who have an interest in outdoor sports and leisure. Apparently this will not only be reflected in its design but also functionality – which suggests some kind of fitness tracking technology will be on board.

Sources claim Casio is thinking about slapping a $400 (about £250) price tag on it, which would price it higher than a lot of Android Wear watches, but that’s not set in stone. Considering its lack of tech, we’d expect it to arrive for less.

The Casio smartwatch is tipped to launch in March 2016. No other details, including specs, have been announced but we’ll update when we hear more.

Can’t find the smartwatch for you? Check out our best smartwatch round-up for a help in hand.  

Note: This is a syndicated post, which originally appeared at T3.com