Android Wear Gets Its Own Companion App, Plus A Dedicated Section In Google Play’s App Store

Android Wear, Google’s new smartwatch platform powering wrist-computers like the LG G, Samsung Gear Live, and Moto 360, now has its own companion application. The app, also called Android Wear for simplicity’s sake (?), is available from the Google Play app store, allowing watch owners to configure various settings and voice actions on their device.

The app today offers some fairly basic functionality, like configuring notifications preferences or various voice actions for things like the alarm, timer or agenda on an Android Wear smartwatch. But the app could eventually be expanded to allow for more functionality in the future, as the Android Wear platform becomes further developed.

Alongside the app’s launch, Google also introduced a dedicated “Android Wear” section within the Play Store, featuring some two dozen watch-ready apps including those that let you send messages, check flights, view maps, or even see what’s going on around you.

The initial line-up includes a mix of obvious choices – like Google Maps and Google Hangouts – as well as slightly odder ones. (Who needs to use Pinterest on their wrist?)

Currently, the Android Wear app store includes the following third-party apps: IFTTT, Level Money, Contacts+, Bandsintown, Banjo, Duolingo, Eat24, Onefootball Brasil, Highlight, Glympse, Talkray, Player FM, The Guardian, Thomson Reuters, Person Capital Finance, Allthecooks Recipes, Pinterest, American Airlines, Fly Delta, 1Weather: Widget Forecast, and Zumper.

Google says that more third-party apps are due out in the near future.

You can view the full selection of Android Wear apps, including Google’s own companion app, here.