Android Wear Code Hints At Google Developing iPhone-Compatible Smartwatch Software

If you have an iPhone but aren’t inclined to purchase the Apple Watch, your options for smartwatches are highly limited. But Google may be looking to change that by bringing Android Wear to iOS.

Until recently, that had mostly been just a rumor, aside from a remark made by Android Wear project manager Jeff Chang to the Huffington Post in October. "We always want as many users as possible to enjoy our experience, so in terms of enabling more people to use Android Wear we're very interested in making that happen,” he said. But now, physical evidence has surfaced pointing to Google’s aspirations to make Android Wear cross-platform compatible, according to Cult of Android.

Code found in Android Wear software purportedly hints at iOS support in the near future, according to Mohammed Abu-Gabreyyeh, a developer who got a Moto 360 to work with an iPhone.

The code Abu-Gabreyyeh refers to -- AncsHandler -- is related to Apple’s Notification Center Service, which enables Bluetooth connected accessories to receive notifications generated by an iPhone. And it is in use with some smartwatches, such as the Pebble. However, he hasn’t confirmed that the same code is present in the latest version of Android Wear, 5.0.

While Google has remained quiet on the subject, the company may be preparing to unveil Android Wear for iOS during Google I/O in May, according to French technology website 01net.