Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .
Updated on July 1, 2024 Reviewed byRyan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
Wear OS, formerly Android Wear, is Google's smartwatch platform that powers watches from dozens of manufacturers. Some smartwatch manufacturers include great functionality right out of the box with their default apps, but you can turn a budget-priced, bare-bones smartwatch into a powerhouse with the right smartwatch apps.
Google's pared-down version of Google Play is available right on your wrist, which makes it easy to discover new smartwatch apps for your Wear device.
In the Wear OS version of Google Play, you'll find a list of popular apps, a few handy categories, and even a list of apps on your phone that have smartwatch versions available.
Since it can be tough to sift through the thousands of smartwatch app options on such a tiny screen, we assembled the best Wear apps to help increase your productivity, access important information, and stay entertained when you're away from your phone.
The apps in this list are available for free from Google Play. Some of them have a premium version that you can buy, and others have optional in-app purchases. Still, you can use the basic version of each app without paying anything.