14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like Google is considering changing the name of Android Wear to something more palatable like Wear OS.
Android Wear already has a name that people recognize, but Google does this kind of thing all the time. They tend to think that changing the name of something will improve it somehow. Or maybe they are preparing for a much more prominent change, and they are starting with the name.
The smartwatch market is a little saturated right now. Everyone has their own watch with Android Wear, and it’s officially too difficult to keep track of everything that’s available right now. What we do know is that many other watches have been postponed because big companies also see that the demand has stagnated somewhat.
Wear OS is not that bad
If anything, replacing Android Wear with Wear OS is not a bad idea. To be fair, the name of Android Wear doesn’t express what’s underneath, so that’s that.
A user on Reddit noticed that in the Developer Preview for Android P that was just released, a mention was made to Wear OS when trying to pair the watch with the new operating system. The package responsible for this process is called Google Play Services, and the Wear OS mention only appears in the latest Beta.
Also, a new logo is being used for Wear OS. No other information is available right now, and basically, the only change is the name and the logo. Google hasn’t said anything about any modifications to Android Wear, so it might be something that's going to happen down the line and not right away.
On the other hand, Android P is scheduled to be released in Q3 2018, so there is still plenty of time for the switch to be made, and for Google to put some money into the rebranding campaign.