The next time you see someone gazing at their Android Wear watch, chances are they are reading emails instead of checking the time.
Microsoft has announced that the Outlook email client is officially available on Android Wear devices.
By downloading the app, Android Wear users will be able to access their Outlook account and send emails from their wrist, with ease.
Android Wear users can receive, read and reply to their emails through their watch. To assist in typing short messages, there are preset reply options available, as well as voice dictation features for users.
With the latest Outlook app version now available for download, users can also launch Outlook even if there are no unread mail notifications on their phone. By scrolling down the watch screen, users will be able to read previously read email content in the notification window.
The very first Android Wear was released in March 2014 and supports devices from Motorola, LG and Samsung, such as the Moto 360, LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live.
The most current Android Wear version, 1.4, was released in February 2016 and is being deployed to all Android smart watches, adding some neat improvements. The update includes new features such as gesture control, speaker support and voice messaging directly from the watch.
The gesture control allows users to control their smartwatch through common gestures such as raising their hand, shaking their wrist, pushing or pulling. The voice messaging feature integrates with other common messaging apps such as Viber, Google Hangouts and WhatsApp, while the speaker support feature allows users to impersonate Dick Tracy and make speakerphone calls directly from their wrist.
Since launch, it is estimated that Google's operating system for wearable devices has captured approximately 15 percent of the existing smartwatch market. With this new integration of Outlook and Android Wear devices, Google will likely be able to seize additional market share by appealing to more users.
