Google pushed back the release of Android Wear 2.0 a few months ago, which is currently expected to debut in early 2017. There's been a great deal of uncertainty about the future of the platform, but Google isn't giving up. In fact, it just acquired a company (founded by former Googlers) that created a smartwatch OS. It's called Cronologics—or rather it was. The company is being absorbed entirely by the Android Wear team.

The Cronologics software had tight integration with Amazon's Alexa voice control platform. It only showed up in a single product, the CoWatch (above) from IMCO. You can still buy the CoWatch for $280-300, but you probably shouldn't. It's not the most attractive device, and it clearly won't be getting any more software support.

Cronologics was founded in 2014 by former Googlers Lan Roche, Leor Stern, and John Lagerling. I would wager the acquisition has more to do with Cronologics needing an exit as funding ran low than Google genuinely wanting to get its hands on the company's tech and talent. That's not to say it can't be put to good use. Maybe Wear will have better voice control features via Assistant thanks to Cronologics. Of course, Wear 2.0 needs to come out and save the platform first. Fingers crossed, I guess.

Source: Cronologics

Via: Venture Beat