Uber Technologies is a $63 billion ride-hailing behemoth and the world leader in its aggregation ecosystem. But, were you aware of the fact that Uber had announced the release of an Android Wear app back at Google I/O 2015 but didn’t deliver on its promise until today. Yes, the company took nearly 21 months to finally debut its application on the smartwatch OS — that too on the second version of the same.
When Google took the wraps off its operating system designed specifically for smartwatches at Google I/O back in May 2015, Uber was one of the launch partners for the platform. Post the announcement, the ride-hailing giant was found to be missing from the scene and it didn’t provide any updates on the much-awaited release of its Android Wear app.
Instead, it continued surfacing the usual notifications — for ride booking, start and end. It didn’t offer any update for tracking the ride on a map, right on your wrist. But, that’s about to change today. And it is about time it did.
The official Uber smartwatch application has made its way to the wrist just days after the second major update for Android Wear. Uber has probably chosen the appropriate time to debut its Wear app, especially when Google is looking to revive the smartwatch ecosystem.
The said application can be used to request rides, quickly pick the destination from shortcuts, check the pricing and ETAs, along with driver info and his location directly on the watch. But, the highlight of being an Android Wear 2.0-compatible app is that the Uber app can be used independently. You’re no longer required to have your smartphone on you to perform the aforementioned functions.
The changelog for this new addition to Uber’s Play Store listing reads:
Ride in style with a new Uber app designed just for Android Wear.
- Request a ride even if you don’t have your phone on you
- Find your top destinations quickly with shortcuts to home and work
- Check your driver’s progress at a glance, then get back to the moment
But, as luck has it, you still cannot access the official Uber app on your smartwatch because — neither any of the Android Wear 2.0 watches have been released nor existing smartwatches have bagged this long-expected update. You’ll have to fulfill either of the two aforementioned conditions to instantly book a ride through the smartwatch on your wrist. It’s competitor, Lyft, previously had an Android Wear app but the same is now missing from the Play Store.
