Google on wearables: ‘We’re just scratching the surface’

MANILA, Philippines – With the tech community shifting its focus towards wearable computers, Google wants to make sure Android remains the OS of choice in the wearable space. 

At the start of SXSW Interactive Android Chief Sundar Pichai announced a new wearable software development kit (SDK) for Android, available in two weeks. Along with the release of the new SDK Google also promises to unveil its “vision” of what the wearable technology market will shape up to be.   

While Pichai didn’t go into much detail he pointed out that the SDK will allow developers to harvest data from a variety of body-mounted sensors. “Sensors can be smart and powerful, and gather a lot of information that can be useful for users.”

While the market is currently dominated by fitness bands and watches Pichai says that with the new SDK, Google hopes developers will think about other devices. “I think we’re just scratching the surface,” he said. 

Previous reports point to a Google smartwatch supposedly arriving at Google I/O later this year, but Pichai says it will take a while before Google announces wearables of its own. “From my standpoint and the team’s standpoint, we want to focus on the platform and the APIs.”

Google’s announcement comes after the Mobile World Congress where Samsung announced a range of wearable computers but ditched Android in favor of open-source operating system Tizen. – Rappler.com