Android Wear 2.0 is expected to be officially unveiled until tomorrow, 9 February, along with the first two watches to feature the software, the LG Watch Style and Watch Sport. However, usually reliable Twitter tipster @evleaks has said both the watches and the new software will in fact be released today, 8 February. We haven't seen anything official from Google just yet, but the day isn't over, so watch this space.
Either way, we've already been given our first look at one particularly important feature thanks to Google. Android Pay was heavily rumoured to come to Android Wear smartwatches with the release of Android Wear 2.0 and now there are official images of what the feature will look like on the Android Pay in the Google Play Store.
Update: the launch of both the watches and the platform have been moved up a day, to February 8th.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) 4 February 2017
*checks dumbwatch*
Hey, that's soon! https://t.co/dzG6YPc4kp
The images show a user's card being selected and the words "Hold to Terminal", which is obviously a payment terminal, whether it be in a shop or perhaps even somewhere like the London Underground, a green tick to show the payment has been successful, and a screen that shows previous transactions. This screen includes high street stores Boots and Costa Coffee, confirming they will be two retailers that will support Android Pay.
Android Pay's tap-to-pay feature on smartwatches will only work if the watch has an NFC chip built into it, which at the moment, no Android Wear smartwatch does. That's all expected to change when Android Wear 2.0 is released, hopefully alongside the first two LG-made watches to come running the software.
- LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style: Release date, rumours and specs
- Android Pay explained: How it works and where it's supported
Android Pay for smartphones launched in the UK in May 2016 and the feature has been long requested to make its way to Android Wear smartwatches to make them a bigger rival to the Apple Watch.