Can my Apple Watch work with an Android Phone?
Apple Watch is undoubtedly one of the best smartwatches on the market today. Everyone wants to have a feel of this amazing device and enjoy the feature it offers to users, including people outside the Apple Ecosystem – the Android Users. This raises the question – “Can my Apple Watch work with an Android phone?”
This article will answer this question and provide more information on using an Apple Watch with an Android phone.
Can you use the Apple Watch with an Android phone?
No, you can’t use an Apple watch with an Android phone. Apple watches are designed to only work with iPhones, but cannot do everything an iPhone does
. You need to install the Watch app on your iPhone to use your Apple watch with an iPhone. This app is solely for iPhone users, and there is no substitute app for Android users, even though the Watch has Bluetooth capabilities.
However, if you have an Android phone, an iPhone, and an Apple watch, you can use the three of them. This means the only way you can use your Apple watch with an Android phone is if you have an iPhone with you.
How to use an Apple watch with an Android phone
You’ll need a few things to use an Apple watch with an Android phone.
- An Android smartphone.
- An unlocked Apple Watch with LTE.
- An unlocked iPhone (either iPhone 6 or a newer version)
- A tool for removing SIM cards.
- A cellular network that works with an Apple watch.
You might be wondering how all these things will enable you to use an Apple watch with an Android phone. Well, keep reading to find out.
Connect your iPhone to your Apple Watch
– To connect an iPhone to Apple Watch, install the Watch app on your iPhone.
– Open the app and select Start Pairing (you can choose to pair them manually or by placing your iPhone camera on your Apple watch.
– Input the 6-digit code that appears on your Apple Watch and select set Up as a New Apple Watch.
– Choose how you wish to wear your Watch, either on the right or left arm.
– Agree to the terms and conditions and enter your Apple ID.
– Click on OK when you are asked about Siri, Diagnostics, and Location.
– Select a 4-digit pin for your Watch and select if you want to use your iPhone to unlock the Watch.
– You can set up Apple Pay and Emergency SOS if you wish.
– Your iPhone and Apple watch will begin to sync. Once it’s done, you’ll receive a notification.
– Then connect your Apple watch to your iPhone’s LTE network.
After carrying out the above actions, move to the second set of actions as explained below:
- Turn off your Apple watch, iPhone, and Android phone.
- Remove the SIM card in your iPhone with the SIM removal tool.
- Then place the SIM card into the Android phone and turn it on.
- Turn on your Apple Watch once your Android phone fully powered on and connected to your cell carrier network.
- You would notice that your Android device and Apple watch are connected to the same cell carrier.
You can now begin to receive calls from your Android with an Apple watch and perform some minor functions on it.
How does the Apple Watch connect to the Android phone?
As explained above, the Apple watch and android phone aren’t connected the normal way devices pair, i.e. via Bluetooth. Technically, both devices are not communicating. They just share the same SIM card details. But connecting them through a SIM card means an iPhone won’t be needed to perform some of its primary functions.
However, connecting your Apple watch to your Android phone will cause it to lose some functionality, and the Watch gets drained faster. In essence, since both devices are not communicating technically, you miss out on all the amazing features the Apple watch offers.
What features will work on an Apple watch when connected to an Android phone?
As earlier mentioned, most Apple watch features will not work when connected to your Android. Although there are some functions, you can still access when connected to an Android phone.
For example, you can make phone calls with it. When it comes to messaging, iMessage works, but since you use an Android phone, you will prefer the normal messaging (SMS) app, which doesn’t work well on your Apple watch.
Keeping track of date and time is possible. Also, you can set alarms, and timers, access the world clock, and use the stopwatch on your Apple watch.
For schedules, you can still use the calendar app. You can set events and a reminder on your Watch. You can stream music or any other form of audio. Also, when connected to your Android phone, you make a recording on your Watch and play them.
If you activated Apple Pay while setting up the Watch app with your iPhone, you could make some payments with your Watch using an Android phone connected via SIM card.
What features won’t work on an Apple watch when connected to an android phone?
If you connect your Apple watch to your Android phone, you won’t be able to access some features and apps like:
Health app: As the name implies, this app serves as a watchdog for your health. You can use it to check your heart bpm during and after working out, check your blood pressure when connected to a third-party app, and also track your sleep
.
Physical fitness: This app keeps track of your fitness, workout routine, and much more.
You will not be able to download any apps, but you can update any existing app or the WatchOS version if necessary.
You won’t be able to use any SmartWatch app on your Android phone.
Also, asking Siri to call a contact saved on your Android phone won’t work. You can only ask Siri to call contacts saved on the connected SIM card.
Why can’t I connect my Apple watch to an Android phone directly?
There are different reasons why your Apple Watch can’t connect directly to your Android phone. They include:
Apple Ecosystem
The Apple Ecosystem is a highly cautious environment that will not allow any other operating system to interfere or work in its domain. This is because Apple wants to give its users optimal privacy. Since Apple can control everything on its products, from its manufacturing to its software development, it keeps all its devices’ functionalities under one secured roof known as the Apple Ecosystem.
Hence, they will not allow a non-IOS device to connect directly to any Apple device. It usually takes a long, tedious and inefficient process if you eventually connect a non-IOS device to Apple products. Also, when connected, you can’t access the full feature the connected Apple device offers.
No Apple Watch app
The second reason you can’t directly connect your Apple watch to your Android phone is that there is no Apple Watch app available to Android users. All smartwatches in the market today use an app to connect to your device properly. The same goes for the Apple Watch. This is because the app often works as the main control point for the Watch. So you can control some settings on your Apple watch through the app.
This app is only found on iPhones. An iPhone is an essential tool to make the connection possible.
Frequently Asked Questions on using the Apple Watch with an Android phone?
Q. Should I use an Android phone with my Apple watch?
A. It is not advisable to use your Apple watch with your Android phone seeing that you need an iPhone to connect your Android phone to your Apple watch. You don’t get access to the full feature an Apple watch offers when connected to an Android phone. You can either use an iPhone to connect to the Apple watch directly or buy a different smartwatch for your Android phone. Any option you prefer, you get to access the full feature that smartwatch offers.
Q. Can Apple watch work without any phone?
A. Yes, your Apple Watch can work without being paired to any device. For instance, you can connect your Apple watch to your Bluetooth headphones or speaker and play music with them. Although without an iPhone, your Apple watch won’t perform to its full capabilities.
Q. Which smartwatch is best to connect to an Android phone?
A. The best smartwatch you can connect your Android phone to is probably Samsung Galaxy Watch. With its amazing features, top-notch design, long-lasting battery, and android compatibility, you get to enjoy the Galaxy Watch. However, you can scout for other Android-compatible smartwatches if you are after something specific.
Q. Are the Apple Watch and Android phones compatible?
A. No, the Apple Watch and Android phones are not compatible. Figuratively, they are like oil and water, as Apple made the Watch specifically for iPhones. So to have the best experience while using your Apple Watch, get an iPhone.
Wrap up
Connecting your Apple watch to an Android phone can be fun and also an experiment. This article has explained the steps to take to achieve it. It also answered the question, “Can you use the Apple watch with an Android phone?”
Let us know your experience in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
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