Apple Watches are often regarded as the leaders of the smartwatch class. They’re well-built, good-looking and practical smart products, so the allure is obvious. Within the Apple ecosphere, they play an important role, providing notifications of calls, and messages and even supporting Apple Pay, but what if you don’t use an iPhone? Can you run an Apple Watch with an Android phone instead?
Do they work?
In short, no. Apple Watches cannot pair with Android phones as they use different operating systems. Apple Watches run on Apple’s iOS, along with the rest of its product range. Pairing two iOS products together is an easy task but trying to pair an iOS device with an Android just doesn’t wash. For more information on Apple's iOS, click here.
You could use an Android phone while wearing an Apple Watch as your daily timepiece but your smartwatch experience would be bereft of any synchronisation between the two, limiting most of the watch’s practical services beyond telling the time. You won’t be able to take calls, receive message notifications or receive health data – essentially the main virtues of wearing a smartwatch.
Any alternatives?
If you use an Android as your daily smartphone, it makes more sense to buy an Android-compatible smartwatch instead of an Apple Watch for the full experience. Samsung, Google and Garmin all offer fantastic smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch 5, the Pixel Watch and the Fenix 7, that boast long battery lives, clear displays and tonnes of onboard storage. By opting for an Android-compatible watch to pair with your Android phone, you’ll be able to exploit all the watch’s smart benefits.
If you’re running an Android phone but don’t fancy wearing any of the Android-compatible smartwatches available, we recommend opting for a regular watch instead as you’ll save yourself a lot of money but receive the same device, just with a far longer battery life.
Seth is an Autos Product Writer and contributor to What's The Best. He writes for Parkers and CAR Magazine.
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