Android Wear 2.0 detaches smartwatches from needing a phone

It's been pretty quiet on Google's Android Wear smartwatch front, but the silence has finally been broken.

Google announced Android Wear 2.0 at its annual I/O developer conference on Wednesday and it's chock full of new features. Most importantly, Android Wear no longer must be tethered to a smartphone.

Launching this fall, Android Wear 2.0 apps will work even when your phone is not connected — just connect right to Wi-Fi networks — making Android Wear smartwatches more useful in any location.

Android Wear will be able to sync data from multiple apps. For example, you can sync the calories you've burned on a run from one app with the distance tracking from another app. Read more...