Smartwatches are relying on fashion brands to survive

The 2017 lineup of Android Wear watches is a techy fashionista's dream come true. With options from an ever-growing list of designers including Louis Vuitton, Movado, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Emporio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Google's smartwatch platform is impressively diverse. Fossil Group even announced it would offer 300 new smartwatch designs by year's end, with many of those models running Android Wear. Meanwhile, big tech brands like Motorola and Microsoft have stopped making wearables altogether. The fashion industry's enthusiasm is a lifeline for smartwatches as tech companies start deserting them.


There are still a few consumer-electronics brands hanging around, like Huawei and LG. But they're outnumbered by fashion designers offering Android Wear devices in a wide range of styles and prices. That variety is by design. David Singleton, head of Android Wear, told Engadget that his team "set out to create a diverse set of devices." He believes that watches are too personal for companies to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach.

Instead, Google partnered with numerous brands from both tech and fashion to produce dozens of options for consumers. In the three years since its birth, the platform has not only acquired an impressive stable of stylish new looks and useful skills, but it has also found an identity. According to Singleton, Android Wear now revolves around the "three pillars of what smartwatches are for today -- staying healthy, staying connected and expressing your style