The Android Wear 5.1.1 OS update has arrived for Asus's ZenWatch, a Reddit user confirmed through a post on the online forum.
The arrival of the update for the Taiwan-based tech company's smartwatch indicates that Google is expanding the availability of its operating system to other wearable devices, according to 9to5Google.
Android Wear's latest version, which is based on the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, was first released over a year ago and debuted for LG's own smartwatch, the Watch Urbane. Then, without any big announcements, the OS update was quietly unveiled to another device, which is the ZenWatch from Asus.
Reddit user Verdes8891 said the update automatically arrived for his ZenWatch.
"Just looked down and it was updating itself," the user posted. "Didn't even expect it but hey."
The Android Wear 5.1.1 comes with various new features for Asus' wearable device. These include the option to set always-on for applications, support for wrist gesture controls and an improved menu design for the device's apps and contacts.
The update also comes with Wi-Fi support. However, due to the ZenWatch's hardware design, owners of Asus' wearable device will not be able to enjoy this feature, Android Authority reported.
Since Android Wear 5.1.1 is now available for the ZenWatch, users can either wait for their devices to update automatically or manually check it for themselves. They can do so by swiping down and tapping on the Settings menu. From there, they should go to System Updates and check for the availability of the OS update.
With the arrival of the Android Wear 5.1.1 on the ZenWatch, various sources are speculating that it might not take long before the update is released to the wearable devices made by other consumer tech companies.
As for Asus, the company's CEO Jerry Shen previously said that the company is working on the ZenWatch's successor which will also feature the Android Wear OS. The ZenWatch 2 is expected to be launched during the third quarter of this year and could possibly sport a 4-day battery life, Digital Trends has learned.
