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Android Wear vs Watch OS
- Thread starter shenfrey
- Start date
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Android wear right now. Hoping Apple approves the app iOS, but I doubt it. I go between android and iOS, so I don't see a point in getting the Apple watch that I would be stuck on iOS. I know android wear is the same way at the moment, but at least google are trying to put it on iOS. Also it has a much cheaper entry price, and there seems to be much more value for money in android wear.
I had a Moto 360 for about a week and Android Wear doesn't even come close to what Watch OS just pumped out with this watch.
Android Wear has no sense of consistency, it's all based on Google Now cards which has is ok but still has limitations. Battery life on Watch OS is probably double what you get on the Moto.
The only thing I'll give the nod to Android Wear is the customization. You could literally download custom watch faces all over the Internet and have it on your watch in a matter of seconds. For example, I had a Green Bay Packers watch face which was awesome.
Android Wear has no sense of consistency, it's all based on Google Now cards which has is ok but still has limitations. Battery life on Watch OS is probably double what you get on the Moto.
The only thing I'll give the nod to Android Wear is the customization. You could literally download custom watch faces all over the Internet and have it on your watch in a matter of seconds. For example, I had a Green Bay Packers watch face which was awesome.
I can't vote since I do not have an Apple Watch, but this is why I'm here. So far my Zenwatch does everything I expected from a phone extender and even some I did not. I really like the idea of paying for stuff by swiping my wrist, but do not care about receiving calls on my watch. I just never use a phone enough for calls since all friends and family text and the BT in my car covers driving automatically. Surprisingly to me, the most useful feature of a watch is reading texts with hands on the wheel and responding by voice. This is amazing since I refuse to text and drive on a phone. The Zenwatch is $200 for an attractive design, stainless steel and universal 22mm swappable leather band (I refused to buy a watch that I could not swap the band out for anything I wanted).
For those that have experience with both, are the features of Apple Watch worth the $449 premium (SS & leather) over Android or is it just because you are trapped by IOS at the moment? Does Apple's decision to use proprietary bands and charge $150 for leather (a nicer Fossil leather is $25) irk you? Would you choose the $200 Android if it works with IOS or is the functionality of the Apple Watch that much superior? I'm paying close attention and learning all that I can since my Apple gf loves my watch, but refuses to pay AW prices to get the same convenience and her bday is in the fall.
For those that have experience with both, are the features of Apple Watch worth the $449 premium (SS & leather) over Android or is it just because you are trapped by IOS at the moment? Does Apple's decision to use proprietary bands and charge $150 for leather (a nicer Fossil leather is $25) irk you? Would you choose the $200 Android if it works with IOS or is the functionality of the Apple Watch that much superior? I'm paying close attention and learning all that I can since my Apple gf loves my watch, but refuses to pay AW prices to get the same convenience and her bday is in the fall.
Can't help but agree here. I had a Moro 360 and aside from the watch looking plastic (I know it was metal) and cheap, I found that Android Wear just felt unpolished and as you said, inconsistent.
+1 Watch OS
Yep. Even with a 3rd party app launcher, I felt that trying to launch any app was a complete chore to the point where I just stopped downloading third-party apps. LOL!
Android wear is better in the current state. This is mainly do to google now. It is pretty intelligent at pulling information from emails and google searches. A lot of people are not crazy about that idea, but it does just work. Shipping notifications from emails, sports scores, etc. There is no set up needed.
I've owned the Moto 360 and now a SS Watch.
The Apple watch wins hands down. There's still something awesome about seeing a circlular display.
The Apple watch wins hands down. There's still something awesome about seeing a circlular display.
I do think Google Now is good yes, and it's the only reason I would ever consider Android (until I realise that's not a good enough reason). Though we will soon have google now on our watch, I'm sure.
we both know google now on IOS will function nowhere near the way it functions on Android. I will say I am pleased with the notification syncing on the apple watch. I was really concerned about having to delete message on the watch and then again on my iPhone. Seems weird they got it right on the watch, but syncing with the iPad still stinks. For example, an iCloud email badge icon will stay on your iPad until you actually open the app...even if you cleared it on your phone. Same with lock screen notifications.
Don't put it past Google. Google now in the Google app works pretty much identically to Google now on android, aside from having built in functionality such as the setting alarms and launching apps. Really the only difference for the watch would be that the notifications would be handled differently, there would be less of them. But I can see it happening certainly.
The recent announcement of no third party watch faces or apps that tell time, pulls me towards Android Wear. Granted I use a Galaxy Note 4 and why I lean towards Android. Apple Watch relies on iOS, Android relies on Android. As of now functionality both are even with the upcoming Android Wear update 5.1.1. The only differences between Wear and Apple are design and hardware.
That's because the watch is actually pulling directly from the phone. If you take any action on the watch it's just like you were doing it on your phone. Carplay works the same way. The watch and the carplay screen just serve as a screen and controller for the iPhone. Pretty ingenious way of handling it.
I just wish the iPad functioned in the same way. Google tablets do this with the phones. If you act on your phone, it removes it from the notification center on the tablet.
When did you own the Moto 360? I have not had nearly the experience you. My battery life has gotten me through a day no problem at all, which is what all the reports I have heard about the AW. I have not played with the AW, but I feel both Android wear and Watch OS do the same thing just in different ways. It's like android and iOS. Neither is really better it's just what you prefer more. I don't see any clear advantages to the AW. I would love to give one a try, but I just can't justify spending $600 on it right now. That cost the same as my N6 and iphone 6+ on the two year contract. Both of those can do a lot more than a watch, and both have outstanding build quality.
This!!!
It's the Android Achille's Heel...
I can get Google Maps on my iPhone.
I can get Google Now on my iPhone.
I can get Google Search on my iPhone.
I can get Google Drive on my iPhone.
I can get Google Voice on my iPhone.
There is ZERO benefit to using these on Android...
To the contrary, these apps are usually smoother, faster, and look loads better than the exact same apps on Android.
On the flip side, I cannot get iMessage, FaceTime, FindMyFriends, FindMyPhone, Apple Maps, Passbook/ApplePay, iTunes, etc. on an Android. It's a one way street.
This is the problem with their business model.
When you are in the data collection business, you MUST provide the same services to your "enemies" or give up your lucrative data collection for an ENORMOUS segment of the population.
Since Apple is in the hardware sales business instead, their hands are not similarly tied.
As long as Google Now for Watch OS doesn't include timekeeping as a main function, Apple can't deny it. We WILL see it soon & the one single infinitesimal advantage of Android Wear will be erased.
Same here. I was curious to try it once they make it iOS compatible but now I have the watch so I don't see myself trying it.
So in your eyes about a week means a day? In your first post you said you had the moto 360 for about a week. Now you say a day. How can you tell much about a smartwatch in one day? Also there is no way you can tell anything about its battery life in one day.
You may like the AW better, and a lot of people do. But just making claims like these are kind of crazy. Maybe you could tell after a day the watch was not for you, but saying the battery life was double on the AW. There is no way you could tell that in one day.