Google is taking its "Be together, not the same" slogan to a whole new level. Its new Android Wear watch bands are easy to snap together, but come in a variety of colors and styles.
It's an initiative called Mode and all 16 band colors feature a small, yet easy-to-pinch slide button on the underside of the strap. You can effortlessly attach and detach bands in one simple click.
Google's concept is as straightforward as swapping out an Apple Watch band, though the collection is just getting started. So far they're made of either silicone or leather and come in various sizes to fit almost all of the Android Wear watches cases out there.
Hadley Roma is the designer behind all of the the first set of Android Wear straps, but Google says "this just the beginning" and promises to "give you as much choice as possible."
Android wear Mode compatibility
Scanning the list of Google's Android Wear watches that support Mode bands, it's easy to see that almost all of the smartwatches are here.
Google didn't even forget about its wearable platform's forgettable LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live debut almost two years ago. They sit right alongside the newer Fossil and Huawei Watch.
Swapping works without tooling for bands with a quick release feature, or it takes a small amount of pin prying to snap on a Mode band for straps without quick release. That means that nearly all watches work with the new bands.
What's missing is the popular Moto 360 1st Gen smartwatch, which launched mid-2014. Its pin is buried deep within the underside of the watch case, making it incompatibilite with Mode.
The good news is that the upgraded Moto 360 2nd Gen watch works just fine, and there are a variety of sizes among those 16 colors to support its 46mm and 42mm watch faces.
You can buy Google's Android Wear Mode bands starting today through its official Google Store, Amazon and Best Buy, where prices range from $50 to $60 (about £35 to £41, AU$66 to AU$77).
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