Google announced an array of new tools and updates at the I/O developer conference including Maps API for Android Wear. The feature that comes as a Google Play Services 7.3 update will allow developers to use the Google Maps API directly on Android Wear devices.
Maps API for your mobile is similar to the one for Android Wear app as well, provided your apps share the same package name. They aim to offer wearable-tailored Google Maps experience for Android Wear users. You can already use the paired phone to detect location, or use on-device location detection for wearables that have an onboard GPS. Maps on Android Wear has a variety of capabilities, including finding the nearest coffee shop, giving directions, tracking fitness activity, and more.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEyvaILFBWk
“On Android Wear, users can usually exit an application if they swipe from left to right. If you don’t need to include an interactive map, this swipe-to-dismiss approach should work for your app too. However, if you want to allow the user to pan the map in any direction, the maps component will automatically disable the swipe-to-dismiss gesture and your application will need to handle how users will exit the application. The recommended approach is to implement the standard long-press-to-dismiss gesture.”
posted Hoi Lam, Developer Advocate at Google, in a blog.
Google revealed that it already has 4,000 apps built specifically for Android Wear.