Sorry, Apple Watch: Google Android Wear Now Compatible With iPhone
Google has come to save the day for those who want to use a smartwatch with both their Android and iOS-operated smartphones. CNET has the good news.
“The search giant [Google] on Monday said smartwatches that run Android Wear, the Google-made software tailored for wearable devices, will now work with Apple’s iPhones.”
CNET adds that this move is a major change for Google’s approach to smartwatches, especially since Android Wear watches had only previously been available for Android-based smartphones. However, Android Wear watches have sold poorly, so extending them to iPhone users is, perhaps, an excellent idea. The first watch to be compatible is the $350 LG Watch Urbane, which was released in May.
Samsung was one of the biggest producers of Android Wear watches. However, they have jumped ship and their upcoming Gear S2 watch will run their own operating system, Tizen. The Verge reports on Samsung’s recent announcement of their new watch.
“In today’s press release, Samsung has revealed that its latest Tizen-powered watch will come in two models: the regular Gear S2 and a Gear S2 Classic, which is aimed at consumers who prefer more timeless watch design.
According to The Verge, the Gear S2 Classic features a black finish with a matching leather band, while the regular Gear S2 will feature a dark gray case with a gray or silver band. The Gear S2’s 1.2-inch round display has a 360 x 360 pixel resolution and is surrounded by a rotating bezel. The Gear S2 will only be compatible with Samsung devices.
Perhaps Samsung was smart to jump ship from Anroid Wear watches, which have garnered many complaints from users. As Tech Times reported, one of the issues was a bug that caused battery drainage after watches were upgraded to Android Wear 5.1.1.
“Users have taken to online forums to voice their discontent at the sudden change in performance of their smartwatches’ batteries. Many of them say they noticed dramatic drops in battery life even when they are not doing anything different and with some of the watch’s most draining features, such as Wi-Fi, turned off.”
Google at least acknowledged the problem and provided an update that has a fix for the battery drain problem. Many users noted a huge improvement in battery life after they updated their Android Wear smartwatches.
It’s important to note that even though Android Wear watches still have bugs, they have massively improved since being introduced in early 2014. Now that Android Wear watches can be used with iPhones, they could finally break the sales barrier.
[Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images]
