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On February 9, 2017, Strava and Runkeeper were bringing updated fitness apps to Android Wear 2.0, while Polar said its M600 watch would get the platform update in spring. The distinction matters: the fitness apps were available or being updated, but the M600 update was still forthcoming. The shared promise was less reliance on a phone during a workout—not complete independence from phone setup or network access.
This is a historical report, not a guide to current app or device support. Android Wear later took the Wear OS by Google name, and the 2017 announcements do not establish that these apps or the M600 remain compatible with today’s phones and watches.
What Android Wear 2.0 changed for fitness watches
Google’s major smartwatch-platform update in early 2017 made it easier for apps to run directly on a watch. Users could access Google Play Store from the watch, install compatible apps there, and use features such as GPS without keeping a phone continuously connected. A watch still needed suitable hardware and a way to connect to a network for tasks such as downloading apps or uploading a completed activity.
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The original February 9, 2017 report grouped three announcements together, but their status and emphasis differed:
| Product | Status on February 9, 2017 | Main point |
|---|---|---|
| Strava | Android Wear 2.0 app announced as available through Google Play on the watch | Record and upload activities without carrying the phone throughout the workout, after setup |
| Runkeeper | Wear app update described | Standalone GPS, improved readability, a summary screen and changes to reduce accidental pauses or stops |
| Polar M600 | Android Wear 2.0 update promised for spring 2017 | A broader platform update, including Play Store access, Assistant, watch-face options and swimming features |
Strava: phone-independent recording, with conditions
Strava’s announcement focused on a watch-based workout workflow. After initial account setup, a compatible Android Wear 2.0 watch could record an activity using its own GPS and upload it without the phone being alongside the runner. The watch display could show time, distance, pace, laps, split times and—where the watch and app supported it—heart rate. The app was installed through Google Play on the watch, according to the contemporary report.
“Phone-free” needs qualification. Initial setup still involved an Android or iOS phone. GPS was necessary for independent location tracking, and uploading required a network path, such as Wi‑Fi or cellular connectivity where available. A watch could potentially record while disconnected and sync later, but the announcement should not be read as a promise that every watch could upload immediately from anywhere.
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Runkeeper: a standalone mode plus clearer controls
Runkeeper’s Wear 2.0 update was described as adding a standalone GPS experience as well as changes to how the app looked and behaved during and after a run. The reported improvements included higher display contrast, a new activity-summary screen and adjustments intended to reduce accidental stops and pauses.
That is a different emphasis from Strava’s headline feature. Strava highlighted untethered activity recording and upload; Runkeeper’s announcement also called attention to visibility, post-run information and more dependable controls. The cited report does not specify an exact Runkeeper app version or a complete supported-watch list, so those details cannot be inferred from the announcement. Nor does the 2017 report establish whether the same experience remains available in modern app stores or worked identically with Android- and iPhone-paired watches.
Polar M600: a promised system update, not a new watch
Polar’s M600 was an existing fitness-focused smartwatch. On February 9, Polar said its Android Wear 2.0 update was expected in spring 2017; it had not arrived on the announcement date. The quoted plans included access to Google Play Store on the watch, Google Assistant, customizable watch faces, a revised user interface and additional languages.
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Polar also highlighted indoor swimming metrics: distance, pace, strokes per minute, strokes per pool length, and recognition of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. As with any announced feature list, this should not be taken to mean every metric worked in every pool or circumstance; performance could depend on software, pool settings and stroke recognition.
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The M600 itself was presented as having integrated GPS, 24/7 activity tracking, Polar Smart Coaching and optical heart-rate monitoring using six LEDs. Polar’s quoted announcement claimed up to 36 hours of battery life; that is an attributed manufacturer claim, not an independent test result. The report gave historical launch-era prices of $329.95 for the watch and $29.95 for interchangeable bands—figures that are not current pricing.
A later entry in Droid Life’s Polar coverage places the M600 in a second wave of Android Wear 2.0 updates, supporting the cautious conclusion that the announced update later entered rollout during spring 2017. That reference alone does not establish a universal delivery date, regional schedule or identical staged availability for every owner.
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What “standalone” meant in practice
Standalone described reduced dependence on a nearby phone during a workout; it did not mean setup-free, network-free or identical capability on every watch. The practical requirements were:
- GPS hardware: A watch needed built-in GPS to track a route independently. Android Wear 2.0 could not add a GPS sensor to a watch that did not have one.
- A connection for downloads and uploads: Play Store access and activity uploads required connectivity, such as Wi‑Fi or cellular where supported. A GPS watch without cellular could record away from the phone and connect later to sync.
- Initial phone pairing: The phone remained part of setup and account configuration. “Standalone” did not remove that step.
- Compatible sensors and app support: Heart-rate readings depended on watch hardware and software integration. A listed app feature did not guarantee it would be present on every watch.
- Battery headroom: GPS, heart-rate monitoring, screen use and wireless uploads all draw power, so an untethered workout could reduce endurance.
- App and platform availability: A phone app’s existence did not automatically mean there was an equivalent standalone watch app. Historical Wear apps may no longer be listed, maintained or compatible with current phones and operating systems.
Polar’s M600 standalone-use documentation describes training with the Polar app while disconnected from a phone, as well as basic watch functions and access to Play Store over Wi‑Fi. It is useful evidence of documented M600-era capabilities, not proof of present-day support.
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For owners following the M600’s original update process, Polar’s manual documents this system-update path: pair the watch with a smartphone, connect the watch to Wi‑Fi, then open Settings → System → About → System updates on the watch. If an update is offered, follow the on-screen download and installation prompts; Polar’s instructions describe charging and connectivity prerequisites. The system-update manual is the source for that path.
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Apps could be installed or updated through the watch’s Play Store, which required a Google account and Wi‑Fi according to Polar’s Play Store instructions. Polar’s app-update guide says the watch listing could appear under the name “Polar Flow – Activity & Sports”; see its Polar app update instructions.
Polar’s setup manual lists Android 4.4 or later and iOS 10 or later for its documented setup instructions. Those are historical requirements from the manual, not evidence that an M600 will pair successfully with a current phone. If the update did not appear, connectivity, charging, or staged distribution could have been factors; an old instruction or app listing may also fail on a modern device.
What this news means now
Android Wear became known as Wear OS by Google, and Polar’s surviving M600 manual uses the Wear OS branding while documenting standalone training, Play Store use over Wi‑Fi and system-update checks. That documentation helps explain what the M600 platform could do after the update; it should not be mistaken for a statement that the M600 is a current-generation watch.
Likewise, the 2017 Strava and Runkeeper announcements are evidence of what was introduced then—not confirmation of current Wear OS app support. Anyone considering an old M600 or relying on one of those historical watch apps should separately verify app availability, phone pairing, account access, battery condition and software support. The original Android 4.4/iOS 10 setup requirements do not establish compatibility with current phone software.
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