If you own an Android or Android Wear smartwatch, but would like more control over its functionality or simply prefer a truly open source operating systems for your watch, AsteroidOS could be the answer. Like alternative mobile operating systems such as Sailfish OS or Ubuntu Touch, AsteroidOS leverages existing Android drivers via libhybris library, and the user interface relies on Qt5 and QML running on top of OpenEmbedded, while Bluetooth is handled by BlueZ 5 library.
There’s no company behind the project, and it is purely community driven. Currently only the LG G watch is supported, and you can give AsteroidOS a try by following the instructions. The Wiki provides information about the boot process, how to build the OS, creating an Qt5/QML app. etc.. and also explains how to port AsteroidOS to other watches, so if the project gets traction more devices will be supported.
There are several ways to get involved with the project:
- Porting AsteroidOS to another smartwatch
- Developing AsteroidOS by creating Qt5/QML Asteroid apps , and/or packaging or maintaining software and libraries in OpenEmbedded.
- Testing AsteroidOS
- Translating AsteroidOS to more languages
- Documenting AsteroidOS by maintaining the Wiki
Beside Github, you can also contact the developer and community on #asteroid IRC channel.
Finally an up-to-date video of @AsteroidOS with updates to asteroid-launcher, Calculator, Stopwatch, Settings etc… pic.twitter.com/7pvfANIpk8
— AsteroidOS (@AsteroidOS) December 24, 2015
You can find all details on Asteroidos.org, and the project leader will present AsteroidOS at FOSDEM 2016 at the end of the month.
If you are interested in open source project for smartwatches, you may also consider checking out the open Source sport/smart watch project that runs on the lower end Weloop Tommy, and may run on SMA-Q watch later. as well as Fernly a reverse-engineered operating systems for MediaTek MT626x wearables.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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