Well let's be true, maybe where it says' lied 'I should put'missed some details'. This is all because the GalaxyGear, the new smartwatch of Samsung whom this morning we saw in his first ad As the main star and presenting itself as the direct heir to all wrist intercoms in the history of science fiction, it could work with more devices than those initially announced by the South Korean firm. Samsung's neglect or ruse to achieve better sales figures with the Galaxy Note 3?
At first, the Seoul-based company announced that the Galaxy Gear It would only work with the third generation of your phablet, next to which we have seen in multiple promotions and even in a ad campaign of which we have already spoken in Android Help, to expand the range of supported devices in the coming months. Now, to the surprise of locals and strangers, it seems that the smartwatch of Samsung it could even work with smartphones from other brands. As Matías Prats would say in his now legendary video, But what is this?
Samsung Galaxy Gear running on an HTC One
Apparently, a member of xda-developers – who else – has been able to install the app .apk of the Galaxy Gear Manager at their HTC One equipped with the custom ROM 'omj', which works on 4.1.2 Android Jelly Bean. In principle and in accordance with what affirmed by the user himself, the only thing that doesn't seem to work is the service Voice.
On the contrary, everything else seems to be "working fine" and the user can send and receive calls no problem. As for the fact that Voice doesn't work, he has promised to try to install it again to see if he can get it to work on his HTC One.
Meanwhile, the situation gets even weirder when another xda-developers user claims he can't use the Samsung Galaxy Gear with its HTC One with a version stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean since, in your case, you get an error message warning you that the application has not passed the validation test. So could the first user have lied and circulated a fake? Is it just a matter of luck, carelessness, or really Samsung intended to launch a half truth to increase the sales of his Galaxy Note 3?
What does “compatible” mean on Samsung watches?
Beyond the previous case, real compatibility depends on the Galaxy Wearable app, which connects and manages the watch from your mobile phone. With it you can software update, set up clock settings, download applications, use Find my watch and define notificationsSome watches can work without a phone, but to get the most out of them it is recommended link a compatible mobile.
Keep in mind that functions depend on pairing: If the Bluetooth connection is not stable, there will be errors. The app does not support Gear VR nor Gear 360 and, except for Galaxy Buds, not for use with tablets. Additionally, supported devices may vary depending on region, operator and model.
System requirements, permissions, and Samsung Health
For Android phones, Galaxy Watch/Gear usually require Android 6.0 to 11+ depending on the model and at least 1,5 GB of RAM. Generally speaking: Watch4 and later need Google mobile services and a newer version of Android; previous generations accept Android 6.0 + and even some older Gears worked with Android 4.4. Bluetooth is backward compatible (4.2/5.0 LE), so newer versions coexist with older ones.
The app asks for permissions: on Android 11 or lower Location to discover devices; on Android 12 or higher Nearby devices. Optional as Phone, Contacts, Calendar, Call Log o SMS enable syncing and extra features. You'll also need Samsung health for sports registration: you can download it even if you don't have a watch, and on non-Samsung phones it is advisable to verify that installs and works normally. There are indicative store requirements such as iOS 9.0 + y Android 10 + for certain versions of the app.
Use with non-Samsung phones: what works and what doesn't
It is possible to use a Galaxy Watch with other Android brands. The initial connection is identical: Bluetooth enabled, install Galaxy Wearable and grant permissions. Now, if you don't use a Samsung, there are functions that will not be available or they will be cut off: Samsung Pay on the clock, HealthMonitor (ECG and blood pressure), certain automatic responses, Bixby, some themes/apps from Galaxy Store, and even calls or messages direct on certain models without compatible alternatives. The sleep log and notification sync They may be less precise, and the overall experience is not always as smooth.
However, access to metrics such as pulsations, SpO2, body composition (on models that include it), water resistance, app installation available and receiving notifications. There are tutorials to try to activate ECG without a Samsung phone, but they involve risks and are not recommended.
Pairing with iPhone: clear limits
The Galaxy Watch 4 and later (including new generations) are not compatible with iPhone because they depend on Google Mobile Services and the cape One UI Watch about Wear OS. They do not work on iPad or iPod touch. Instead, previous models like Galaxy Watch, Watch Active, Active2 or Watch3 came to link with iPhone through the app Samsung Galaxy Watch (iOS), although with limitations of responses, apps and personalization.
If you are considering using a Samsung watch with iOS on older models, assume that features like reply messages or certain services may not be present or may be unstable. On recent models, the recommendation is do not pair with iPhone.
Compatibility by models, examples and nuances
In practice, the general rule is: Watch7/Ultra: Android 11 +; Watch6/5: Android 8.0 +; Watch4: Android 6.0 + (with Google services); Galaxy Watch/Watch3/Active and Gear S3/Sport generations: Android 6.0+ or 4.4+ depending on the case. On iPhone, only generations prior to Watch4 were supported. Historically, Samsung even published third-party listings for the Gear S2 and similar with examples such as Asus Zenfone 2, Google Nexus 5/6, HTC One (M8/M9), Huawei Honor 4X/6, P8, Ascend Mate 7, Kyocera DuraForce, Lenovo Vibe Shot/X2 Pro, LG G2/G3/G4/G Flex/G Vista/Optimus G, Motorola Droid Turbo/Maxx/Mini, Moto X, OPPO R7, Pantech IM-A910S, Sharp Aquos, Sony Xperia Z2/Z3, Vivo X5 Pro, Xiaomi Mi3/Mi4/Note Pro, ZTE Nubia Z9/V5, making it clear that compatibility was expanding beyond Galaxy.
Recent announcements and user experiences
Some users have reported that Gear S3 and other veteran watches display policy warnings that block pairing with very recent mobile phonesThese decisions may be due to software changes, removal of plugins or the search for homogenized functions. If it affects you, check that the Galaxy Wearable app and its accessories are up to date, and check with your region's official support to confirm supported models.
Galaxy Gear/Watch compatibility covers more devices than those usually announced at the beginning, but it is conditioned by the Galaxy Wearable app, the version of Android or iOS, permits, the ecosystem (Samsung vs. third-party), and the specific watch generation. The newer the watch and the Android phone, the better the integration; with iPhone, only models prior to Watch4 may be accommodated and with clear limitations.
Source: xda-developers Vía: SamMobile.
