New versions of operating systems for smartwatches – WatchOS 4 for Apple Watch, and Android Wear 2.0 for Android smartwatches – are now available for they users. If you have your own app for this platforms, it is time to remind you about necessary of confirm apps compatibility with new OS.

Although in WatchOS case of incompatibilities should not be frequently to happen, because it is the same operating system as last year only with minor improvements, it in Android Wear case we may bravely tells it is revolution. In this case confirmation of compatibility is necessary, not only because publisher cares to its users, but its required from Google, especially if your application is certified by Google for Android Wear. Because Android Wear 2.0 brings some new important features to smartwatches software. It’s new ways of text entering (mini screen keyboard, handwriting, dictating), Google Assistant on hand, or adds ability of working smartwatch application independently from smartphone application – this feature Google calls “standalone apps”. In coincidence with this, Google opened new Play Store dedicated only for smartwatches apps and available only from Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch level. So, your application for Android Wear 2.0 must be “free” from cooperation with smartphone. Of course she may do what she doed in the past, but it should may ability to work correctly even if phone is not in range. For Android Wear 1.0 installation .apk file was be part of installation file of smartphone app. Now you must prepare additional .apk file for smartwatch, and publish it parallel in Play Store. If you application is certified by Google for Android Wear and have Wear badge in Play Store you have few months for compatibility assurance. After this time your app looses its certify.