It may seem like Android Wear is dead. Google’s smartwatch platform has lost a lot of its supporting partners, been plagued with bugs and update issues, and isn’t nearly as popular as Apple or Samsung’s smartwatches.

Except, Android Wear’s not quite dead. It’s just not alive where you expect it to be: with the Motorolas, Asuses, or LGs of the world. It’s alive in the display cases of department stores in malls across the country, on brands that are more known for fast fashion than gadget expertise.

Despite a slow and bumpy rollout of Android Wear 2.0, Google has a raft of new smartwatches hitting shelves this fall for the holiday gift-giving season. Even though it has lost the support of the electronics companies, Google says it now has…

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