page.title=Android Wear Preview Program Overview
meta.keywords="wear-preview"
page.tags="wear-preview"
page.image=images/cards/card-n-sdk_2x.png
@jd:body
<p>
Welcome to the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview! This program gives you
everything you need to get started with the next version of Android Wear.
It’s free, and you can get started right away by downloading the
Developer Preview resources.
</p>
<h3 id="program_highlights">
Program Highlights
</h3>
<div style="background-color:#eceff1;padding:1em;">
<div class="wrap">
<div class="cols">
<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>
Hardware and emulator images
</h5>
<p>
Run and test your apps on supported Wear devices or the emulator.
</p>
</div>
<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>
Latest platform code
</h5>
<p>
We'll provide frequent updates during the preview, so you'll be
testing against the latest platform changes.
</p>
</div>
<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>
Priority for developer issues
</h5>
<p>
During the first several weeks, we'll give priority to
developer-reported issues, so test and give feedback as soon as
possible.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="cols">
<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>
New behaviors and capabilities
</h5>
<p>
Start work early to support new platform behaviors such as
complications and Material Design for Wear.
</p>
</div>
<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>
Feedback and support
</h5>
<p>
Report issues and give us feedback using our
<a href="https://g.co/wearpreviewbug">issue tracker</a>.
Connect with other developers in
the <a href="https://g.co/androidweardev">Wear Developer Community</a>.
</p>
</div>
<div class="col-4of12">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h2 id="timeline_and_updates">
Timeline and Updates
</h2>
<p>
The Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview runs from 18 May 2016 until the
final Android Wear public release to OEMs, planned for Q4 2016.
</p>
<p>
At key development milestones, we'll deliver updates for your development
and testing environment. In general you can expect updates in
approximately 6-week intervals. The release milestones are:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Milestone 1 (initial release, alpha)
</li>
<li>Milestone 2 (incremental update, beta)
</li>
<li>Milestone 3 (incremental update, beta)
</li>
<li>Milestone 4 (final APIs and official SDK, Play publishing)
</li>
<li>Near-final system image
</li>
<li>Final release to OEMs
</li>
</ul>
<p>
Each update includes an updated support library, preview system images,
emulator, reference documentation, and API diffs.
</p>
<p>
The first three milestones provide an early test and development
environment to help you identify compatibility issues in your current
apps and plan migration or feature work needed to target the new
platform. This is the priority period in which to give us your feedback
on features and APIs and file compatibility issues — for all of these,
please use the <a href="https://g.co/wearpreviewbug">issue tracker</a>.
You can expect some API changes across
these updates.
</p>
<p>
At milestones 4 and 5 you'll have access to the final Android Wear 2.0
APIs and SDK to develop with, as well as near-final system images to test
system behaviors and features. Android Wear 2.0 will use the Android N
API level at this time. You can begin final compatibility testing of your
legacy apps and refine any new code that is using the Android Wear 2.0
APIs or features.
</p>
<p>
As you test and develop on Android Wear 2.0, we strongly recommend
keeping your development environment up-to-date as updates are released.
</p>
<p>
We'll notify you when updates are available via the Android Developers
Blog, as well as via this site and the <a href=
"http://g.co/androidweardev">Android Wear Developer Community on G+</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="what's_in_the_android_wear_2_0_developer_preview">
What's in the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview
</h2>
<p>
The preview includes everything you need to test your existing apps on a
variety of hardware configurations.
</p>
<h3 id="developer_resources">
Developer resources
</h3>
<p>
You can download these components through the SDK Manager in <a href=
"{@docRoot}sdk/installing/adding-packages.html">Android Studio</a>. For
more information, see <a href=
"{@docRoot}wear/preview/downloads.html">Download and Test with a
Device</a>.
</p>
<ul>
<li>Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview <strong>SDK/support
library</strong>
</li>
<li>Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview <strong>emulator system
image</strong>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
We'll provide updates to these development tools at each milestone as
needed.
</p>
<h3 id="hardware_system_images">
Hardware system images
</h3>
<p>
You can download these hardware system images at <a href=
"{@docRoot}wear/preview/downloads.html">Download and Test with a
Device</a>:
</p>
<ul>
<li>LGE Watch Urbane 2nd Edition
</li>
<li>Huawei Watch
</li>
</ul>
<p>
Please keep in mind that the Developer Preview system images
are for app developers only, and for compatibility testing and
early development only, and are not ready for day-to-day use.
</p>
<h3 id="documentation_and_sample_code">
Documentation and sample code
</h3>
<p>
These documentation resources help you learn about the preview:
</p>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"{@docRoot}wear/preview/start.html">Get Started</a>
has step-by-step instructions for
setting up the SDK.
</li>
<li>Documentation of new APIs, including an
<a href="{@docRoot}wear/preview/api-overview.html">API Overview</a>,
downloadable
<a href="{@docRoot}wear/preview/start.html#get_the_preview_reference_documentation">API Reference</a>,
and developer guides on key features such as
<a href="{@docRoot}wear/preview/features/complications.html">complications</a>
and design patterns for Wear.
</li>
<li>Sample code that demonstrates how to implement
complications and other new features.
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="support_resources">
Support Resources
</h3>
<p>
Use these support resources as you test and develop on the Android Wear
2.0 Developer Preview:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Wear Developer Preview
<a href="https://g.co/wearpreviewbug">Issue Tracker</a> is your primary feedback
channel. You can report bugs, performance issues, and general feedback
through the issue tracker. You can also check for known issues and find
workaround steps.
</li>
<li>The <a href="http://g.co/androidweardev">Wear Developer Community</a>
is a Google+ community where you can connect with other developers
working with Android Wear. You can share observations or ideas or find
answers to questions about Android Wear.
</li>
</ul>