Google threw its hat into the smartwatch ring last year when it introduced the Google Pixel Watch, and now it’s back for a much-needed iteration with the Pixel Watch 2 – an updated version that proves that the other What a good idea to wait for the generation of a new technological product.
With better battery life, a more comfortable design, and a far more intuitive display, the Pixel Watch 2 is better than its predecessor in almost every way. This is enough for Google to make its mark among Wear OS smartwatches and rival Samsung’s Galaxy Watch lineup in a way that other rivals like the Moto 360 and Oppo Watch could never deliver.
With the Pixel Watch lineup taking hold, it all raises a very important question: can you use the Google Pixel Watch with an iPhone?
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Does Pixel Watch work with iPhone?
There’s no contest that the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for iPhone owners, but it also doesn’t hurt Apple’s ecosystem that it’s the only smartwatch that’s actually compatible with the iPhone.
There was a time when Android watch makers like Samsung offered limited iPhone compatibility through third-party apps like the Galaxy Watch iOS app for iPhone. For whatever reason, he stopped doing this a few years ago; The 2020 Galaxy Watch 3 was the last Samsung smartwatch that iPhone users could enjoy, and the Galaxy Watch has been an Android-only affair since then.
Google was reluctant to change this with the Pixel Watch, which has similar compatibility specifications as the Galaxy Watch. In other words, the Google Pixel Watch only works with Android phones and No Work with iPhone.
Although this seems to limit the options, that’s not entirely a bad thing. Whether they’re running watchOS or Wear OS, modern smartwatches are designed to become an extension of your smartphone, providing notifications and handing off activities between the larger screen and your wearable device.
This requires a deep level of integration into the operating system on your smartphone, so it’s not something a third-party app can do nearly as well. Smartwatches are significantly more complex than AirPods or the Pixel Buds, which, despite their advanced features, still use an industry-standard Bluetooth audio connection under the hood.
Simply put, Google wants to make sure Pixel Watch owners can enjoy the full Wear OS experience, and doing that requires Android on the other end. While an iOS app can easily handle Fitbit-powered health and fitness features, if that’s what you want to do with your Pixel Watch, you can save money by choosing a Fitbit instead – which of course the Pixel Watch is best for. Is good. ,
Does Pixel Watch 2 work with iPhone?
Although Google has been a little more generous than Samsung this year, offering Android 9.0 support for the Pixel Watch 2, while Samsung draws the line at Android 10.0 for the Galaxy Watch 6, it still hasn’t taken Apple’s side. Is.
At this point, it’s fair to say that will never happen. Google doesn’t even offer an iPhone app for its Pixel Buds headphones; Even though they can technically be used with an iPhone over a standard Bluetooth connection, the lack of an app means you’ll have a much worse user experience than adjusting settings or taking advantage of other advanced features like ANC on the Pixel. There will be no capacity. Buds Pro.
Of course, the same is true in the other direction as well. Apple’s AirPods go one step further and don’t even have an app; Their features are built directly into Apple’s operating system, making them completely useless to Android users. Similarly, the Apple Watch may be one of the biggest smartwatches on the market today, but it’s a non-starter for those who aren’t willing to adopt an iPhone as part of the deal.
What about other Android devices?
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that the Pixel Watch 2 is a perfect companion to Pixel smartphones, especially Google’s new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, for which it’s designed with matching aesthetics. However, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t need to have a Pixel smartphone to use the Pixel Watch.
Technically speaking, the Pixel Watch 2 is compatible with any smartphone running Android 9.0 or later (or Android 8.0 or later for the original Pixel Watch). This compatibility is provided through the Google Pixel Watch app on the Play Store. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that you’ll probably get the best Pixel Watch experience if you also use a Pixel phone.
This isn’t unique to Google either. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 also works with any Android 10.0 device, but some features like Samsung Pay will only work if you’ve paired it with a Samsung smartphone. As Google takes a more pure approach to Android, there are fewer restrictions on its Pixel watches, but there’s still no doubt that Google designed them to work best with Pixel phones.
The concessions to other smartphone platforms probably have more to do with Android’s open nature. The Apple Watch only works with the iPhone because the iPhone is the only device that runs iOS. With Android on almost every other smartphone on the market, there’s no reason for Google to limit its customer base to just its smartphones when it can support a huge world of Android devices with minimal effort.
Android has always been about offering more options, and that’s equally true for the Wear OS smartwatch ecosystem. Although Google’s Pixel Watch 2 may not be ready to take on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 just yet, it’s still an exciting time for Wear OS smartwatches, and we’re sure Google has more in store for us. Something is there.