Google developer Wayne Piekarski, whose primary focus is Android Wear, has confirmed that the hugely demanded Android 5.1.1 update for the Moto 360 is finally here. The update has started rolling out, and as is the case usually with OTA upgrades, all users would be covered in some time.
The Android 5.1.1 update was released on a number of Android Wear devices like LG G Watch, and unfortunately the Moto 360 hadn’t been a part of it due to performance issues.
To showcase the new features that the 5.1.1 update is bringing to the Moto 360, Motorola released a few short videos. These show how the smartwatch can now connect to Wi-Fi, how you can draw on its screen to create emojis, and how you can use gestures to scroll up or down to view previous or next notifications.
The other prominent features which are not demonstrated through the videos include:
- New Launcher and wrist gestures
- Locking watch screen
- Change font size
- Switching watches will be easier
- Apps to stay on-screen longer
We can’t predict what impact apps staying on screen longer will have on the battery life.
Just make sure you’ve got the latest Android Wear App installed and sit tight. A notification should appear, but if doesn’t you can always head over to the Settings menu. As was earlier speculated, the Moto 360 update comes right on the heels of Lollipop update for the Moto X Gen 1.
Smartwatches have been around for a year now and are the next-big-thing in the wearables space. Almost every manufacturer has come out with their own wristwatch designs. Moto 360 definitely tops the charts when it comes to Android Wear devices, primarily due to both cost-effectiveness and snappy gesture response. Smartwatches are contextual devices and it’s great that Google gets gestures in a much better way than Apple.
If you’ve received the update, do let us know about the same in the comments section below !
