Latest Android Wear update brings offline music playback

The latest Android Wear update is now rolling out to the G Watch. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

The latest Android Wear update is now rolling out to the G Watch. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Google has begun rolling out its latest Android Wear update, which adds offline music playback and the ability to connect to Bluetooth headphones, and support for watches with a GPS. The “4.4W.2” software is currently reaching users with an LG G Watch over-the-air.

This Android Wear update was first confirmed by Google back in September, and it’s one that’s well worth looking forward to if you’re a music lover. For the first time, you have the ability to store your favorite tracks locally and listen to them with Bluetooth headphones — without involving your smartphone.

This means you can leave your smartphone at home the next time you go for a run and still enjoy your tunes. It’s unclear at this point, however, how exactly you get your music onto your Android Wear device. There is no option to sync tracks on watches themselves, so presumably, Google will be bringing this to the Android Wear app for Android sometimes soon.

In addition to offline music, this update adds support for GPS sensors. Unfortunately, the only device with GPS at this point is the Sony SmartWatch 3, which is “coming soon,” according to Google Play. While support may be rolling out to G Watch users now, then, it’s not going to make any difference to them.

A number of G Watch users on Reddit report that they’ve already received the 4.4w.2 release, but we’re yet to see it on ours yet. Don’t worry if you haven’t had a notification yet, then — you should do soon. The Samsung Gear Live and the Motorola Moto 360 should also receive it in due course.