Google wants to be everywhere: in your home, your car and even on your wrist.
That vision became increasingly clear at the search giant’s annual conference for software developers here on Wednesday. The company unveiled plans to expand Android, its mobile operating system, for new categories like wearable computers and automobiles.
The announcements came on the heels of the company’s recent acquisition of Nest Labs, the thermostat maker, for $3.2 billion, which gave Google a speedy entry into the nascent market of Internet-connected home appliances.
“This is one of the most comprehensive releases we have done,” said Sundar Pichai, chief of Google’s Android division, in front of a convention center crowded with 6,000 software developers.
Google’s annual software developers’ conference, called Google I/O, has become an important place for the company to woo app makers to build software for its Android software system, which powers more than one billion devices
Rallying app developers is increasingly vital for Google as competition grows with rivals like Apple and Samsung Electronics, which are also expanding their device and software portfolios.
“What’s striking is the way each of these three major companies — Google, Microsoft and Apple — are seeking to participate across four key domains: the home, the car, the body and the mobile world at large,” said Jan Dawson, an independent telecom analyst for Jackdaw Research. Google said a coming version of Android for smartphones and tablets, tentatively named Android L, would include new features, like smarter authentication and anti-theft software.
If a user is wearing a smartwatch paired with the device, he can unlock the phone without entering a passcode. When the watch is removed, the phone will require a passcode again. Google also said that Android L, which will be available in the fall, would include a so-called kill switch for rendering a device unusable if it were stolen.
In Android L, Google overhauled the design of its software system powering smartphones and tablets. Similar to Apple and Microsoft, Google adopted a “flat” design with more vibrant colors and added effects like shadows and animations. For example, when a user taps the screen, a small water ripple appears on the tapped area.
Google also shared its ambition to push Android deeper into areas beyond mobile devices, revealing details on Android Wear, a special version of Android tailored for smartwatches, which it introduced this year.
Google said Android Wear was customized to show immediately useful information, like message notifications, the status of a package shipment or the status of traffic for a commuter. The smartwatch system is controlled by speaking or by swiping the touch screen.
When a user is traveling, the watch system will continue to bring up relevant contextual information based on his location, like the local bus schedule or the weather, according to Google.
Google said two smartwatches including Android Wear — Samsung’s Gear Live and LG’s G watch — would be available to order in its online retail store, Play, on Wednesday.
Date: June 25, 2014