NewsDrop 33: AR glasses from BMW, Android Wear for iOS

April 30, 2020

In the second half of this week, the smartwatches once again caused a stir. Of course, this was also to blame for the Apple Watch, which can be pre-ordered now – and may soon be facing competition. According to media reports, Google is working flat out on Android Wear support for iOS. In addition, the streaming service Netflix has also shown a smartwatch.

BMW and Mini also caused a stir in the wearables. In addition, there was a first message about the Microsoft Surface 4 Pro and new functions for Amazon's Bluetooth speaker Echo, which is now pushing more towards smart homes.

You can find all the details on these and other topics in episode 33 of the NewsDrop. Have fun with the video and have a nice weekend!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVieYcOdhBk [/ embed] NewsDrop 33: Android Wear support for iOS, first tests of the Apple Watch, AR glasses from BMW, Microsoft Surface 4 Pro and more 

If you want to read something from the video again in peace, you will find the transcription of this NewsDrop below:

Google is working on Android Wear support. As TheVerge wants to know from a source close to the development team, Google should be almost done with the technical implementation. For example, it should be possible to transfer notifications about missed calls or the Google Now cards from the iPhone to the smartwatch and to use voice control to respond to emails, for example.

The question now is whether Apple will allow the necessary companion app in the App Store – after all, it would allow direct competition with the watch. For Google or Android Wear, on the other hand, it would be a very important step – the first Android Wear smartwatches from luxury watch manufacturers can already be seen on the horizon – but the well-heeled target group primarily uses iPhones.

AndroidPolice also reports that Android Lollipop 5.1.1 is about to launch – and includes WiFi support and gesture control for Android Wear. With the latter one should be able to scroll through lists by tilting the wrist. Practical when only one hand is free.

According to rumors, there will also be an update for the HTC One M9 soon – the new software should improve the image quality of the camera. The before and after photos published on Phandroid.com definitely show impressive differences that are so blatant that one would think that the colleagues had smeared Mayo on the lens with the before pictures.

Starting today, the Apple Watch can be pre-ordered – and if you want something like this, you should take the opportunity. Simply going to the store and taking a watch with you is not. Appropriately, the first reviews of the Apple Smartwatch appeared, which are generally quite positive, but also not so euphoric as they are.

The processing, the hardware and the apps available so far are generally praised. On the other hand, there is criticism of the operation, which should not be quite as intuitive, and the battery life – you can get through the day, but if it is still a partied night, it gets tight.

Fun fact: For this watch face with the blooming flower, Apple took a total of 24,000 photos over a period of 285 hours. That's why the thing is so expensive. Apple also released iOS 8.3 this week, which brings emojis with adjustable skin color.

Back to the wearables: Pebble lowered the price of its very first smartwatch just in time for the watch launch – to just € 99. The color variants black, white and red are currently available in the online shop. Netflix also presented a smartwatch this week, which is likely to be a late April fool's joke.

Amazon sells the Echo, a Bluetooth bug … uh … speaker with voice control. As Engadget reports, the Echo will also support the smart health home components from Belkin's WeMo and Philips Hue series, which can then be controlled by voice in the future. There is currently no information as to whether and when Echo will come to Germany.

And while we're at Amazon: The shipping giant took legal action against fake ratings for the first time this week – and dragged four providers to court. Very well.

And while we're at online shopping: a discount campaign as part of its five-year existence has brought Xiaomi an entry in the Guinness Book of Records: the Chinese have sold an incredible 2.11 million smartphones within 24 hours.

As DigiTimes reports, Microsoft will already present the new Surface 4 Pro at its build conference, which will take place in San Francisco from April 29. However, the market launch should not take place until the Windows 10 launch in the second half of the year. Technical data have not been handed down.

BMW has presented augmented reality glasses for its Mini brand. The mini augmented vision is intended to show the driver information similar to a heads-up display, such as speed, speed limits, navigation information or points of interest.

In addition, the user should be able to look through the body, so to speak, so as not to miss anything when parking. At Auto Shanghai, which starts next week in China, there should be further details about the cool designed and chic glasses.

YouTube is currently sending emails informing partners about a new payment model. YouTube users can free the video service from advertising for a fee – the creators of the content receive 55 percent of the earnings. 

The iOS app from Twitter's live streaming service, Periscope, has also received an extensive update that improves usability. As can be read on the official Periscope blog, there will also soon be an app for Android.

And then Facebook finally launched its own website for its messenger – Messenger.com. For the hardcore chatters, for whom the Facebook Messenger on Facebook.com is not clear enough. On the other hand, this can also be seen as an important step on the part of Facebook – after all, the messenger should be expanded to its own platform. There are currently no statements from Facebook to VentureBeat about plans to remove the messenger from the Facebook website.

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