Google has tweaked its Google Play policies to help promote standalone Android Wear apps. The policy changes see Google bringing multi-APK support for Android Wear 1.0 running smartwatches.

Multi-APK allows developers to upload two different APKs of their apps to the Google Play console: one for smartphones and the other for Android Wear watches. This feature was so far only supported by Android Wear 2.0 running smartwatches. Two separate APKs will lead to a reduction in the size of the phone app APK as it will no longer include the Android Wear APK.

Secondly, all Android apps that support wear notification enhancements but do not have a standalone Android Wear app will lose the “Enhanced for Android Wear” badge.

The new policy change comes into effect from January 18, 2018, so developers still have plenty of time in their hand to create a standalone Wear app and add multi-APK support to it.

Google is making these changes so as to promote standalone Android Wear apps. This will help ensure that even iOS users who purchase and use an Android Wear smartwatch are able to fully enjoy the ecosystem of apps the platform offers.