SAN FRANCISCO — Google is taking Android beyond smartphones and tablets as it escalates competition with rivals for the next-generation of Web-connected consumer devices.
You can now have the popular mobile software on your wrist, in your car and in your living room as Google aims to be the operating system for your life.
"Google has no intent of ceding any ground to rivals as it reaches well beyond the smartphone base," said Ross Rubin, principle analyst at Reticle Research.
Among the announcements Wednesday at its annual software developers conference, Google unveiled two new models of Android-powered smart watches months ahead of its rival Apple.
The Samsung Gear Live and the LG G Watch are now on sale in the Google Play online store. A third watch from Motorola goes on sale this summer.
So that consumers can keep track of their health and fitness on wearable devices, Google introduced Google Fit, its answer to Apple's recently announced Health Kit, a way for developers to create apps that track your exercise, among other things.
Google is also going head to head with Apple with Android Auto, which connects your Android phone to your car. The software is voice-enabled to make it easier to take phone calls, play music and get directions.
And Google debuted Android TV, its bid to grab a seat in your living room. The software will run on smart TVs from a number of TV manufacturers, including Sony and Sharp.
Google had tried to invade the living room with Google TV, a set-top box with clunky software that was widely rejected by consumers. The new Android TV seems focused on software primarily, and a familiar name and interface that consumers already enjoy using.
Danny Sullivan, editor of the Search Engine Land website, says Google realized trying to dictate the hardware was a mistake. "Android TV shifts the focus to the software, making it easier for anyone to integrate into their own boxes and devices," he said.
Google introduced Android TV, Android Auto, and more wearable tech gadgets. All the devices are voice-enabled.
Other analysts noted how the tech behemoths are all angling to reach consumers no matter where they happen to be.
"Each device reinforces use and adoption of the others. This used to be Apple's specialty, but Google is quickly mastering this approach," said Greg Sterling, an analyst with Opus Research.
Analyst Jan Dawson at Jackdaw Research said Google's vision for increased integration across platforms echoes a theme from both Microsoft's Build developer conference and Apple's WWDC conference.
"What's striking is the way each of these three major companies — Google, Microsoft and Apple — are seeking to participate across four key domains: the home, the car, the body and the mobile world at large," Dawson says.
Google shares had risen ahead of Google I/O and closed Wednesday at $578.65, up 2.5%.
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