While the Apple Watch is definitely the best way to have a seamless experience with your iPhone and wearable smartwatch, you may not want to buy an Apple Watch for a number of reasons. Maybe it just feels expensive or you prefer a round watch instead. If you’re looking for options, Android Wear smartwatches come in a variety of flavors and you’ll likely find one you like. So the problem is using an Android Wear watch with an iPhone. Fortunately, Android Wear supports iOS 8.2+, so as long as you have an iPhone running the latest version of iOS, you’re all set. If you’re wondering how to get started, here’s a Comprehensive guide on how to set up and use an Android Wear device with iPhone:
Pair Android Wear with iPhone
Obviously, the first step to using an Android Wear smartwatch with an iPhone is to bring the devices together. After all, it’s how they exchange data and how your iPhone sends notifications to your watch. The process is really simple and all you need is the Android Wear app.
note: If you have paired your Android Watch with another device, you need to reset it. You can do this by going to Settings -> Unpair with Phone. Your watch will restart automatically.
- Download the Android Wear app from: app store, and start it. Tap the arrow button to start pairing your watch with your iPhone.
- Swipe left on your watchSelect and tongue according to your preference. You will also need to accept the Motorola Privacy Policy.
- On your iPhone, accept the permissions that the Android Wear app requests. Next, you will see a screen, watch code is overwritten. Tap your time code.
- The Android Wear app will then try to pair it with your iPhone. You will see a prompt on your phone to pair with the device. Check the pairing code on your watch and if it matches, continue pairing.
- this Android Wear app will start syncing All apps and data on your watch This step usually takes some time, so be patient.
Once all this is done, your watch will connect to your iPhone and you will start receiving notifications and alerts on your smartwatch.
Android Wear with iPhone: The Experience
The biggest issue with using an Android Wear smartwatch with an iPhone is the number of features that aren’t available in the iOS app. This is only because of restrictions Apple has placed on third-party apps and nothing really can be done about it. Here are some of the key differences between using an Android Wear smartwatch with an Android device and using an iOS device:
- When paired with an Android device, you can not only receive notifications, but even act on them. You can reply to WhatsApp messages directly from your wrist and even use predefined replies to reply to these messages. However, on iOS you can: only get notificationsbut do not take any action on them.
- Also, when using your Android Wear smartwatch with an Android device, you can use the Play Store to get apps for your smartwatch, but if you’re using it with an iPhone, you cannot install apps On your Android Wear smartwatch.
- While you can take screenshots of your Android smartwatch, if you are using it with an Android device, there is no way to take a screenshot If paired with an iPhone, your smartwatch’s Android Wear app on iOS does not have the option to take a screenshot of the smartwatch.
- If you are a developer or plan to develop an Android Wear smartwatch, you should use a watch that can be connected to your computer via USB. Watches like the Moto 360 Can’t connect via USB, and can only be developed using Bluetooth ADB. Unfortunately, this method is not available if you have paired your smartwatch with an iOS device. The Android app does this, while the iOS app doesn’t offer any way to forward a Bluetooth debug port to the Android smartwatch.
Installing Third-Party Apps on Android Wear with iPhone
In the last section, I talked about how it is not possible to install apps on your Android Wear device if it is paired with an iPhone. While this is true, there is a workaround you can use to install third-party apps on your Android Wear smartwatch.
note: This method only works with watches that can be connected to the computer with a USB cable, and you can only install open source apps because you will need the source code to install them on your watch. Some smartwatches that can be connected via USB are:
- Asus Zen Watch
- Asus Zenwatch2
- Asus Zenwatch3
- Huawei Watch
- LG Clock Urban
- LG Clock R
- LG Watch W100
- Sony SmartWatch 3
The method we’ll use to install apps on an Android smartwatch eliminates the need to install the app from the iPhone and sideloads the app directly onto the watch. To do this, simply follow the steps below:
Preparing the Smart Clock
To be able to install apps directly on your smartwatch, you will need to perform a few steps on your smartwatch.
- First go to Settings on your smartwatch and then “About”.
- Here, tap on “Build number” Several times until I see a message that says “You are now a developer”. This activates the developer mode menu on the smartwatch.
- Tap on “Developer Options” In the “Settings” of your smartwatch. Here, you will see an option called “ADB Debugging”. Tap on it to enable the option. Your watch may ask for confirmation, just accept it.
- Now, connect your smartwatch directly to computer with a USB cable. For watches like the LG G Watch R, you can connect the dock to your computer as it allows data transfer as well as charging.
Unfortunately if you’re using a watch like the Moto 360 (like me) you can’t use this method. There are special interface cables that might allow this, but I haven’t used any and I can’t vouch for them. Use such cables at your discretion.
Installing the App on Your Android Wear Smartwatch
First, you will need to get source code for the app There are a number of open source apps for Android wear that you want to install on your watch and you can check out a list at: GitHubor other websites.
- Once you have the source code of the app you want to install on your watch, simply launch it. Android Studio (Free) On your Mac or PCselect andOpen an existing project“. Select the folder you downloaded and wait for Android Studio to open it for you.
- After the project is opened, “To run” button (looks like play button) and Choose your Android Wear smartwatch from the list of available devices.
The app will then be installed on your watch. You can launch it by going to the app drawer on your Android Wear smartwatch.
SEE ALSO: 15 Best IFTTT Recipes for Android Wear
Set Up and Use Your Android Smartwatch with iOS
Now that you know how to pair your Android Wear smartwatch with an iPhone, start using your smartwatch with your iPhone. You can even use the method mentioned in this article to install open source third-party apps on your smartwatch. As always, if you know of any other, easier ways to install third-party apps directly on an Android Wear smartwatch paired with an iPhone, let us know in the comments section below.
