Google isn't giving up on Android Wear, releasing a new large update to the platform a few days before the Apple Watch is expected to go on sale in nine countries.

The biggest update is the addition of Wi-Fi connection to Android Wear devices, allowing users to keep a smartphone at home and still receive notifications. The phone needs to be connected to Wi-Fi or LTE in order to send notifications through Wi-Fi.

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Google has added a variety of new ways to use the smartwatch without pressing the screen, including scrolling through notifications by flicking your wrist. Android Wear will no doubt have quite a few of these gestures in the next few updates.

Sending emojis has become much easier with the new update allowing users to draw emojis instead of selecting from a list. Google will use recognition technology to find out which emoji was drawn and send a cartoon styled image to the receiver.

Apple also offers similar drawing ability on the Apple Watch although the images don't turn into emojis when sent. The Apple Watch also offers a way to send a friend your heartbeat, something Android Wear devices do not currently offer.

Google has added new always-on modes to Android Wear. This allows users to customize the timing windows for the smartwatch shutting off or going into sleep mode. Most of these will not have any effect on battery life but tailor to user's personal preferences.

The update will come to the LG Watch Urbane first and will come to the other eight smartwatches later. All Android Wear devices updated to the latest version should receive the update, showing Google will still support first-gen devices.

There is a lot of worry on the Android end that the Apple Watch will gobble up much of the market share. Reports say there have already been two million pre-orders for the Apple Watch compared to the 720,000 Android Wear sales during the second half of 2014.

That is quite a big disparity but it seems Google isn't worried with the short term success of the Apple Watch. As we see more watchmakers come to the smartwatch world, they will undoubtedly have to choose a provider and right now, the best open source platform for watches is Android Wear.

TagsAndroid Wear, Apple Watch