Android Wear now works with iPhones | Hacker News Reader

Android Wear now works with iPhones

googleblog.blogspot.com

159 pointszacharytamas37 comments

> Today, Android Wear for iOS works with the LG Watch Urbane. All future Android Wear watches, including those from Huawei (pictured above), Asus, and Motorola will also support iOS, so stay tuned for more.

It's unfortunate it won't work with older Android Wear watches like, say the Moto 360. But I'm glad it finally happened; almost every year I switch back and forth between an iPhone and an Android and was a little sad that my Moto 360 would no longer be my companion with my iPhone 6+.

Edit: Looks like it the older ones work as long as you update it via an Android phone first. Nice!

Seems to work according to The Verge http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/31/9231701/moto-360-does-work...

It seems to be that if you have an older Android Wear watch and have previously paired it with an Android device to get the latest version of Android Wear then it'll work.

Otherwise if you want out-of-the-box support you need a newer watch that already shipped with the version of Android Wear that supports iOS.

Confirmed, I just got my LG G Watch (the cheap square one) working with my iPhone

Good news! I wonder if this means ALL Android Wear will work. Hopefully someone makes a list. I kinda miss my Android Wear when I moved to iOS and I didn't want an Apple Watch.

The trick is to make sure you get the latest Android Wear. That'll require an Android device. Not all iPhone owners will also own an Android device.

Edit: You'll need someone's phone for a few hours - the updates don't come all at once. But it's a matter of installing the Wear app on an Android device, pairing, installing updates. Then wipe the watch and pair with iPhone

How involved is this process if I borrow someone else's phone to do so?

It's not bad; I inadvertently did this trying to use the hacks to get my Moto 360 to work on my iPhone several months ago (which kinda worked but was really shitty). I just installed Android Wear on my old Android phone, paid it, it offered the update pretty quickly (though I can't remember if there is a way to force this or if it's only automatic), installed it and then I reset it.

Wow, this is pretty awesome. It feels weird to be an iOS user with options.

I really hope you don't get down voted for this. The world needs more interop. Period. So tired of vendor lock in for almost everything.

Yep. Supporting interop is a growing factor in my choice of product. Unfortunately it's getting harder to find a vendor that is even trying.

I love what Apple has done to push UX as a primary USP - I feel the balance needs to shift somewhat. Other things are valuable too.

I wonder how well Android Wear supports iOS features compared to the Apple Watch. For example, replying to text messages, receiving notifications, etc. Is there any info on this?

I bet it would be fairly similar to the level of integration offered by Pebble which would mean at least notifications could be received by it. Not 100% sure what Pebble is capable of doing nowadays as I'm stilling waiting for Pebble Time Steel.

Maybe not replying to native text messages but I wonder if Google could integrate with Google Voice text messages.

I know some people with iPhones who turn off iMessages in favor of using Google Hangouts/Voice. So that could work.

Judging from the blog post, it looks like Hangouts is supported (which is the officially supported Google Voice SMS client).

Or on the flip side, how well iOS supports Android Wear features, especially since AW apps are packaged as components of Android apps.

If this works well and Google ever bother to build any kind of 'continuity' style features for Android they could have a pretty interesting interop ecosystem potentially by opening that access to all Android devices. I don't imagine Apple want that though.

the spec list says it mirrors notifications, and provides rich notifications (i.e. actions on notifications) for a limited set of google apps.

So probably no replying to text messages.

By all accounts, it works as well with iOS as the Pebble does, which is to say "Barely."

I'm still a little bit shocked that this is real. It's almost too good to be true.

I know it won't have full OS integration, but even with iOS I use Google's services way more than what Apple provides. I still like my 1st-gen pebble, but moving to a Moto360 would be like moving on from a B&W television. Hallelujah.

It will be really interesting if/when they will be able to support 3rd party apps...

This is huge. Android wear is going to get way more traction now.

In theory.

A rule of thumb, always buy wearable that works with your Personal Assistant(Siri, GoogleNow, Cortana). Its not just cool factor, but the added productivity or avoiding taking the phone out for certain basic-medium tasks is really where the value of a wearable is.

It would be great to see Apple do the same... They have done this with Apple music (support on Android), if it will help you sell more watches/subscriptions would it hurt?

I think Apple had to decide between making the Apple Watch an open-ish platform; allowing watch companies to make "shells" around it with their own style or just allow Android watches to connect so that people can get their styles from the various Android OEMs. They chose the latter, probably because they want full control over the Apple Watch from soup to nuts.

I'm sure AndroidWear will not be allowed the same tight integration the Apple Watch has, the same way many Google services and apps on iOS are hobbled. There's an element of, "Oh they want crap? Then give them crap," here.

Its also depressing that the narrative here is, "OMG They're letting us use some peripherals of our choice with our phones? How generous!" Its sad how far we've fallen from actually being able to use the things we buy.

I doubt it. THis move makes iPhone the only phone compliant with all the smartwatches. I don't think Apple wants to change that.

If that was the case, they wouldn't have put Apple Music on Android, seeing as Google Music was already on iOS.

They're releasing an android app to compete with Spotify on the family accounts, it's quite likely that at least one member of a family doesn't own an iPhone and uses an android phone. These families would use Spotify (or any other cross platform service) instead of apple music.

Worth noting that Apple releasing Apple Music on Android is the exception to the rule - what other 1st-party Apple software/apps are available on Android?

Also, Apple Music on Android isn't even released yet :-/

FYI for the curious: It does work with my older Moto 360 and iPhone, but some caveats:

- It seems to need the iOS app running all the time, otherwise get a constant, undismissable "Touch to reconnect" on Watch, unlike on Android.

- Wifi from watch does not work.

- Very limited watch face selection, unlike Android.

What is the watch that is featured in the picture?

It is the Huawei watch. Pricing and availability will be announced on Wednesday. It is featured in the Verge's video about today's announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWsid6C6jbU

Huawei, I think.

Yup, Huawei Watch..not released yet. Dates will probably be announced at IFA this week.

Anyone know when that Huawei watch is arriving? Looks like a slightly smaller Moto 360, only without the bottom of the screen cut off.

Release date and pricing are expected to be announced at IFA next weekend

Anyone know if this includes Gear VR / Oculus support for iOS? Please?

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