In addition to standalone apps -- that is, apps that can work on the watch without needing a companion phone -- the new Android Wear will also have better iOS support, improved notifications and messaging interfaces, as well as auto-recognition of your activity. That means that when you start running, biking or walking, your watch can launch a relevant app once it detects what you're doing. According to Google's blog post today, standalone apps will work on iPhones as well.

Android Wear 2.0 is expected to launch on a pair of flagship, Nexus-like smartwatches. We're just a few weeks away from the early February release, which should be enough time for developers to submit their apps in time for users to start downloading them the second they update to the new operating system.