Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, HTC, Asustek Computer and Motorola have voiced support for Android Wear, Google's new platform for wearable devices.

　　Meanwhile, chipset vendors including Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, MediaTek, Imagination Technologies also plan to release related solutions supporting the new platform.

　　Most vendors are likely to produce smartwatches initially, with the first wave of the Android Wear-based devices to hit the market in the third quarter of 2014, estimated industry sources.

　　Although Samsung has launched smartwatches on its Tizen platform developed in-house, the Korea-based smartphone vendor will also release Android Wear-based mobile devices.

　　LG, which launched the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 smartphones in cooperation with Google, is working together with Google on the LG G Watch, powered by Android Wear, according to LG. The LG G Watch will be compatible with a range of Android smartphones.

　　While Asustek and HTC are planning to launch their own smartwatches in the second half of 2014, Sony Mobile Communications has not yet decided to join the Android Wear camp.

　　Global shipments of wearable devices are expected to top 50 million units in 2014 and reach 200 million units in 2020, according to Gartner.