Smartwatches are slowly becoming a trend among gadget lovers. They can be easily synced with phones, they can retrieve information and perform all kinds of activities. Like many other smart devices, smartwatches too, run on operating systems. Apple has their own proprietary WatchOS for their Apple Watch, whereas other phones in the market may run Google’s Android Wear OS.
For the past few years, smartwatches have received a bunch of features through OS updates, making them more personalized and fitness-focused. Operating systems and the features differences can be confusing sometimes. We give you a basic view at what they have to offer.
Design, OS and interface
Both, Google and Apple offer features but with a certain style element intact, offering design and aesthetics, in addition of the latest technologies.
You can also choose from various watch faces that match your life. The latest Apple Watch runs watchOS 4. The latest version, watchOS 5 was recently previewed at World Wide Developers Conference event (WWDC) 2018.
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Android Wear Watches have a gamut of designs. Some watches have round displays, while others have square displays. The newer Android Wear OS 2.0 comes with an interesting redesign. Its vertical design focuses mainly on up/down navigation. There are several watch face customization options to choose from. |
| The Apple Watch interface looks clean and neatly organized. You can even change the grid layout from honeycomb to vertical. Besides, there are buttons on the sides that let you navigate between apps and other features. |  |
Voice control
Voice assistant on smartwatches function the same way, they do on smartphones. You say "Ok Google", and Google Assistant on the Wear OS gets triggered. You can then ask it to respond to messages, set alarms, check flight timings and many other things.
Apple Watch comes with voice assistant - Siri. There are some interesting things that Siri can manage. You can ask Siri to launch apps, change Bluetooth settings, put your phone on Airplane mode, etc.
App ecosystem
Both, Android Wear OS and Apple Watch let you use apps, straight from your wrist. The latest version of Android Wear OS 2.0 supports Google Play Store, so you can choose which apps to install. There are several third-party apps for weather forecast, fitness, messaging, notes, etc that you can easily install. The benefit is, you don't necessarily have to carry a phone wherever you go.
Similarly, you can choose to install apps on your Apple Watch as well. During an initial setup process, you can choose to install all apps on your iPhone that are compatible with your Apple Watch.
Music streaming
Music streaming on watches is a pretty cool feature. With Android Wear OS, you can stream or download playlists from your phone directly. You can also choose to create a new playlist directly on your watch.
Apple WatchOS on the other hand, through the latest Apple Watch Series 3 lets you automatically sync albums and playlists on Watch, control music on an iPhone and do a lot more.
Fitness and health monitoring
For tracking activities, both Android Wear OS and Apple WatchOS have in-built monitoring features. All these apps are not just for fitness enthusiasts. They are also great for getting those want to get out of bed and get going. If you are looking for extra motivation, you can download third-party apps on your watch.There are a set of featured fitness apps such as Strava, Green Kitchen, Runtastic and a lot more.
Connectivity
To get the information shared on your smartwatch, you need a phone connected to it. If you are considering an Apple watch, you’ll need an iPhone. Unfortunately, WatchOS is not compatible with Android.
However, there is an alternative to WatchOS for iOS users. Smartwatches running Android Wear OS 2.0 can be used with both, Android and iOS devices. Although, there are some limitations to it. One such shortcoming is that you can check all notifications and messages on the watch, but you won’t be able to respond to them.
Choosing a smartwatch is based on personal preferences. If you are very particular about Android WearOS and Apple WatchOS, you should definitely try it out. Head to one of the Reliance Digital stores, our associates there will help demonstrate and guide you to choose the right one.
