Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Google Close to Finishing Android Wear App for iOS

RIP Apple watch when this happens


Also, android users aren't losing sleep over not being able to use a zero customizable apple watch
 
MrWillie said:
They used the term popular smartwatches and Gear is the same sentence. How funny, everything I've read says they are a flop.
Click to expand...

You should have a closer look at one. There isn't much a year old Samsung Gear 2 (launched april 2014) cannot do that the Apple Watch does today. The Gear-series would have been hailed as the second coming if it had an Apple logo when the first version of it was launched in 2013.
 
Last edited:
thekeyring said:
So iPhone users have a wider choice of smartwatch than Android phone users?
Click to expand...
Yes. And Android Wear users have a wider choice of smartphones than Apple Watch users.

If you are set on your choice of smartphone OS and if that choice is iOS, you have wider selection of smartwatches to choose from. If, however, you are set on your choice of smartwatch and if that choice is Android Wear, you have a wider wider selection of smartphones to choose from.
 
Apple will allow the App, but it will be restrictive to what it can show on the watch, thus making it a poor experience.
 
ElZeus said:
Personally I'd want the iWatch ui on a moto 360.

Image
Click to expand...

That's every kind of ugly, all rolled into one.

----------

Thankfully Apple are sensible enough to not want to make Apple Watch work with Android phones. All the best with your latest hobby project, Google - we'll expect to see it join the Google idea scrapyard in about... 6 months.
 
AppStoreNerd said:
let me rewrite to fix some issues

Customer: 'I'd like to buy a phone'
Employee: 'Okay, we've got a Samsung, an LG, and an Apple phone'
Customer: 'I'd also like to get a watch in the future.'
Employee: 'Ok... we have a Pebble, Moto 360, Apple Watch and Tizen watches'
Customer: 'I want a phone that will work with any watch I choose'
Employee: 'Only the Android phone has more choice and can run on all watches(tizen,android wear webOS, pebble) - 1 apple watch
Iphone has 1 iwatch + 5 Android wear + pebble - approx 8 Tizen watch - webOS watch by LG
Customer: 'Thanks! I made up my mind - I'll get the Android phone'
Click to expand...

I suppose your narrative has merit.

Suppose a guy walks in there after being locked up for ten years & never using either platform.
 
OldSchoolMacGuy said:
If only Jobs would have kept his promise and opened FaceTime so everyone could use it. Sure would be nice to be able to use it with Android friends too.
Click to expand...

Instead we live in a world where our realities clash with what's shown on stage at Apple's presentations.

"do this and that with your friends" should be followed by a humongous asterisk.

Glassed Silver:mac
 
This is good news. I recently just made the switch from iOS to Android, and I love my Moto 360. If I still had my 6 Plus I probably would have gone the same route with regard to smart watches.

Something about non-circular watches just doesn't look natural. Ive mentioned something along the lines of lists necessitating a more square-ish design, but my Moto 360 does a great job giving me directions, allowing me to control music, previewing text messages, etc.

More importantly, there's a substantial price difference. The Moto 360 is $250 and comes with a high quality leather band. A metal band is only $80 extra. The entry level Apple Watch is $350 - $400, and if you want a metal band, prices start at $650.

And don't even get me started on the lack of custom watch faces on iOS. None of the stock faces on Apple Watch look nearly as good as some the stock (or custom) faces on Android Wear.
 
bbeagle said:
Exactly. Sort of puts the term 'open' on it's head.
Click to expand...

There is nothing that would prevent Apple from creating a companion app for the Adroid operating system. It is Apple preventing Android users from using an Apple Watch with their Android device.
 
bbeagle said:
Exactly. Sort of puts the term 'open' on it's head.
Click to expand...

That's some screwed up logic, are you looking for android to accommodate the apple watch without apples cooperation?

That's the convenient truth of being on the most profitable and locked down system. Apple doesn't want compatibility
 
LordVic said:
I'm well aware that there are thousands of different designs.

but the majority of them are round.

(yes, there are absolutely square faced watches now, but they are a minority)

you'll never please everyone, but while the device still fundamentally looks like a gadget, and not fashion, it'll still be scoffed by those who are looking for something to replace their existing watches (not everyone, and I am well aware ti's a generalization).

but personalizing the face doesn't replace the fact it's still a square screen on a watchband.
Click to expand...

Form follows function. The function of an analog watch was to tell the time, and to do so used circular gears that moved in a circular fashion, so most analog watches are round. Watches were made this way for so long that it became the accepted standard shape for watches, although as has been noted, other shapes do exist.

The function of a smartwatch is to tell the time digitally, and to provide you with information, primarily text information. Text on a round screen is either cut off (see Android Wear), curved and looks strange to the eye, or placed in the middle with lots of wasted space. There is no useful reason to make a round smartwatch, except in deference to traditional watch designs. Apple already has shown a lot of deference to horology, but sacrificing the real world functionality of the watch would have been suicide.

Just because it's not shaped like most analog watches doesn't mean it can't be viewed as jewelry, plenty of people have rectangular shaped jewelry, along with plenty of other shapes. The lack of the round shape may turn some people off, sure. But it's still a better choice than turning everyone off because the watch cuts off text, warps text, or is massive and wastes a ton of space where space is at a premium. I'd argue a much bigger roadblock to it being viewed as jewelry is that it's got a limited shelf life. My great-great-grandmother's jewelry can be worn by my great-great granddaughter in theory. While the Apple Watch could be worn by later generations, it would be a useless hunk with an empty black rectangle on top. Not a great argument for it being jewelry. Then again, while it works many people might think it looks stylish, so it could be considered fast fashion it if catches on.
 
AleXXXa said:
No, you don't. :)
The moto is way to big and thick, it looks like a giant bottle cap. The finishing is so bad and the bands have the worst quality i've ever seen. Even $50 seikos have better cases and bands.
http://files.tested.com/photos/2014/09/29/67997-1.jpg
Click to expand...

My brother (a fandroid) has one and it's not that thick.

2dd73d1043ba8404.JPG
 
bbeagle said:
Android Wear users may have choice, and Apple Watch users don't.....

but also Apple PHONE users have choice, while Android PHONE users don't.
Click to expand...

So Android users have 1 less option for a watch.... hmm.
I don't think anyone is going to cry over this. There isn't anything I've seen Apple watch does that Android wear doesn't do.... and for less with more choices.

Android users can do a lot more with their phones too...

I don't think this argument has ever been valid. With apple you are buying a user experience and design for the trade off of open functionality. For a lot of people, that's perfectly fine, and for others it's not.

It's all about preference. I'll never give up my Mac, but to the iPhone I will never go back. And that's just what works for me. Not that I have any problems with the iPhone.... and now it's nearly on par with Android features and even has a few Android doesn't and vice versa.... but the control freak in me that wants my tech to work the way I want it to just can't do the IOS walled Garden anymore
 
Apple will accept Android Wear

I think Apple will accept the Android Wear app, but put on a bunch of restrictions on some key functionality that seem to "violate guidelines," so that it becomes just another pebble app. :(
 
Lots of people keep mentioning Tizen. I can't say I'm expecting TIzen to really take off. I guess time will tell though.

Also, let's try and not turn a thread about Android wear support on iPhone into a thread about corporate ethics.
 
apple.snapple said:
Makes since.

Google Maps came out right when Apple Maps came out and showed just how much further ahead Google was when it came to maps.

The same thing could occur now if Apple Watch doesn't appeal or fails to take off. Personally, if Apple Watch had a $200 version, it would be a day one preorder, but $350 is just too rich for my taste. For $350, you can get literally any Android Wear watch and nearly any band on the market.
Click to expand...

I fully agree with you. Not to mention prices go up based on colors and "links or straps" that appeal to you.
 
I would rather have the moto360 than the Apple Watch.
But the problem is that I would have a very similar experience to my Pebble.

Since Apple doesn't give developers full access, it is very unlikely for features like replying to text messages or emails. Unlikely to control Apple Maps as well.

Sure it will be able to reply to emails if you use the Gmail App, or use Google Maps functionality. But it won't be as integrated with iOS.

I'm not sure how much this will affect the usage. My gut feeling is it will be the same as the pebble, which is fine.. But I want more if I'm giving up a weeklong battery life.
 
lots of love for the Moto 360 here, it is a great product and far less expensive that the Apple Watch.
Here in Australia I can get a Moto 360 with leather strap for A$329
Apple Watch Sports starts at A$499, if I want a non rubber strap it is A$949 for an Apple Watch or A$728 for the Sports + Strap. This is all based on 38mm, it would be even more for the 42mm.
 
ElZeus said:
Personally I'd want the iWatch ui on a moto 360.

Image
Click to expand...

that's cause you aint got no taste

----------
fermat-au said:
lots of love for the Moto 360 here, it is a great product and far less expensive that the Apple Watch.
Here in Australia I can get a Moto 360 with leather strap for A$329
Apple Watch Sports starts at A$499, if I want a non rubber strap it is A$949 for an Apple Watch or A$728 for the Sports + Strap. This is all based on 38mm, it would be even more for the 42mm.
Click to expand...

so go buy one. it's so cool, moto 360. revolutionary.
 
Android wear is cool but unfortunately apple puts limitations so nothing will truly work with Apple products unless it's made by apple.
 
Android Wear coming to iOS and the generally positive raction to the Android Wear Watches such as the Moto 360 adds to my theory that the Apple Watch was announced before Apple originally intended.
I think it is possible that: Apple intended to announce the Watch mid '15 and ship late '15, but they decided to bring the timeline forward and announce early, partly due to the relative success of Android Wear, Pebble etc.
  • At the 2014 announcement, the demo Watches were prototypes.
  • The march '15 event gave use more information, but it was still a month before we could prerecord. Keep people interested.
  • April 10th preorder and the first time the general public have the opportunity to see it in person.
  • April 24th some people can actually get the product.
All of this to keep people interested while the engineers finished the software and initial production be begin.
 
Image

This picture makes me want a moto 360 so much. When will the ios version of android come out? Also isnt the moto 360 v 2.0 suppose to come out soon?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back