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If you needed any more confirmation that the age of wearables is here, look no further than the Google I/O conference happening in San Francisco.
Google, LG, Samsung and Motorola have let people go hands-on with the new range of Android Wear smart watches, but will Aussies be whispering “OK, Google” into their wrists any time soon? After all, we’ve never really had a chance to say “OK, Glass” have we?
We’ve contacted the local arms of the respective manufacturers to find out any plans for the Australian pricing and availability for the devices. Click on the product names for a full hands-on first take of the device from our team on the ground at Google I/O. We’ll keep updating this story as local information comes to hand.
Samsung Gear Live : Another addition to the Samsung Gear family of smart watches. Samsung Australia is yet to respond to our requests for information, but a Google Australia spokesperson said it was “coming soon”.
Certainly, Samsung has been quick to market with its previous Gear range in Australia and we can’t see any reason the company would drag its feet here.
Updated Friday at 9.15am AEST: Samsung is yet to reply to CNET’s requests for information, but the Google Play store is listing the Gear Live at a price of AU$250, although it is apparently not taking any pre-orders at the moment.
Updated July 1, 11.55am AEST: The Gear Live is now available for pre-order from the Google Play store.
LG G Watch : LG has often staggered its product release schedule in such a way that Australia would see products hitting shelves much later than other regions. However, it looks like the company is rather keen on the G Watch.
An LG Australia representative told CNET that the wearable was definitely on for an Aussie release. The G Watch is already available for pre-order on the Google Store in 12 countries although, according to a press release from LG, Australia is not one of them. We’ll follow “soon after” with pricing and availability to be decided in “due course”.
Weirdly, this has been contradicted by Google Australia who told CNET that the G Watch was available for pre-order in Australia now, for AU$249 and — according to the Google Store link that the representative provided — product will be shipping from the warehouse by July 4.
Screenshot by Nic Healey/CNET
It’s possible that Google may have jumped the gun with the G Watch and the product may be taken down to match LG’s schedule, but right now this is the only Android Wear device that Aussies can order in local currency.
Motorola Moto 360 : Google Australia had “nothing to announce about the Moto 360 in Australia just yet”. CNET is still waiting to hear back from Motorola representatives in Australia. Given Motorola’s achingly slow release of the Moto X in Australia, it’s really not clear what will be happening with the Moto 360 in Australia.
Updated July 1, 11.55am AEST: Motorola has responded to CNET saying that the company currently has no information about the Moto 360’s availability for the Australian market.
