https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/03/android-wear-isnt-dead-yet-gets-rebranded-as-wear-os-by-google/

Google just remembered that its smartwatch operating system, Android Wear, exists. While we're not getting new hardware or software, the OS is being rebranded to "Wear OS by Google." There's a new name, a new logo, and a new website to promote the brand.

When Android Wear first launched, it was an Android-based smartwatch OS that only worked when paired with Android phones, so "Android Wear" made perfect sense. Google later added iPhone compatibility, which made the name "Android Wear" seem a bit misleading. It would be easy for an iPhone user to see the name and assume their non-Android phone was not compatible with it. "Wear OS" is much more neutral, with Google calling it "a wearables operating system for everyone" in its blog post. The situation is a lot like Google's other recent name change, when it switched "Android Pay" to "Google Pay." Android Pay worked on more platforms than just Android (like the Web) so it got a platform-generic name.