Can you use Galaxy Watch with iPhone? A thorough compatibility test

GalaxyWatch

works with iPhone, just like heart rate monitor and PPT controller. But how are its features different from the Android ecosystem? Well, it must be a little different, right? It's like spider-man traveling to a multi-verse. It can't be so perfect.

For a few months I have been testing the Galaxy Watch with both, Note 9 and iPhone 6. And if you are like me, an iPhone user who wants to use the

GalaxyWatch

instead of an Apple Watch, this guide is for you. Let's see how compatible the Galaxy Watch is with an iPhone.

Read:

Apple Watch Vs Galaxy Watch: An In-Depth Comparison

Can you use Galaxy Watch with an iPhone

1. Galaxy Watch app on iOS

First, you need to download the app

GalaxyWatch

on your iPhone from the App Store. Connecting your Galaxy Watch to your iPhone is quite simple. Once you have opened the Galaxy Watch app on your iPhone, click on pair a new device and select your model, remember to turn on your Bluetooth before you begin. Follow the onscreen instructions on the iPhone and Galaxy Watch to complete the pairing process.

Read:

Once connected, you will see the status of your watch on the app's home screen on your iPhone. Swipe the screen to your left and you will see the settings page where you can manage your

notification settings, apps settings, sound and display settings, music settings

etc At the bottom of this page is the "Galaxy Apps" tab which will be the main app store for downloading apps to your Galaxy Watch using your iPhone.

For iOS requirements, click

here

.

2. Appeals

Compatibility - Fully Supported

When connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth, the Galaxy Watch is fully capable of making and receiving calls. But there is a catch, when you try to make a call from a newly paired Galaxy Watch, an error pops up.

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Once you tap on the error message you will see a Bluetooth device with a similar name to your Galaxy Watch which is connected to your iPhone, connect and you are ready to make calls.

The fact that there are two separate Bluetooth signals coming from your Galaxy Watch when used with the iPhone gives a very separate option to connect the Galaxy Watch to two devices simultaneously.

After the initial setup, when you try to make a call from your watch and a pop-up appears on your iPhone screen, just search and connect to the Galaxy Watch similar Bluetooth signal on a new device rather than on your iPhone. This will allow you to make and receive calls through the new phone while using the iPhone for all other apps and notifications.

Galaxy Watch has the same calling features when paired with iPhone as with any other Android device for that matter. You can easily receive calls, make calls and switch between watch and iPhone with just one click, which is an added advantage over Apple Watch.

3. Texting

Compatibility – Partially Supported

Ah! a point of difference, after all,

Galaxy Watch does not support

SMS when connected to iPhone. The SMS tab just disappears from the “Phone” app and you cannot send SMS from your Galaxy Watch when connected to an iPhone.

Receive text as SMS or text from 3rd party app like WhatsApp is always available

but only as a notification.

By tapping on this notification

will not give you the opportunity to reply to the text received

either as predefined or full text. This feature is also available on a Galaxy Watch when paired with an Android device. Looking on the bright side, you won't miss any important text messages.

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4. Email

Compatibility - Partially Supported

Another disappointment for iPhone users is the lack of 'E-mail' from the Galaxy Watch when connected to the iPhone. The Email app is missing from the list of apps on the watch when paired with an iPhone, which will be an inconvenience for users who mainly rely on email for work.

Although push notifications from the Mail apps on your iPhone can be received on your Galaxy Watch, which does half the job because typing an email on your watch is inconvenient anyway, to be honest . On the other hand, being able to scroll through your inbox and forward an email to a saved contact would have been a plus.

5. Third-party messaging apps

Compatibility - Partially Supported

Third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp, which are partially usable on Galaxy Watch otherwise, are even less useful when your Galaxy Watch is connected to iPhone.

All you can do here is get notifications from your WhatsApp app on your iPhone which is enabled by default and can't be changed, which we were. The notification received on your watch can be tapped to see the full message on your Galaxy Watch screen, but again sending a reply or even a preset or emoticon is not an option.

6. Notices

Compatibility - Fully Supported

The most reliable feature of any wearable device is to receive seamless notifications from your phone. Galaxy Watch supports notifications from almost all daily use apps, whether native or third-party apps like WhatsApp, Slack, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Notifications on your Galaxy Watch will be quite prominent with vibrant comments. Yes, the Galaxy Watch has vibrating feedback which should not be confused with the haptic feedback on Apple Watch. The Galaxy Watch will still receive notifications when you are not wearing it, which can sometimes be annoying due to the noise produced by its vibrations. Also, depending on your watch's iOS app, you might not be able to change these settings, which is another downside.

7. Sleep tracking

Compatibility - Fully Supported

Unlike the Apple Watch

, Galaxy Watch has a built-in “Sleep” app that automatically tracks your sleep record, meaning you don't need to set a bedtime, the watch does it all for you. The built-in app recognizes both REM sleep (rapid eye movement) and deep sleep. It was about on par in our case, plus or minus 15 minutes.

Although the sleep tracking feature in Galaxy Watch is standalone and you don't need to download any app per se, but, in order to view sleep data on the phone, you will need to download the Samsung Health app which is available on iOS and can be downloaded from the Galaxy Watch app settings page on your iPhone.

8. Voice Assistant (Siri/Bixby)

Compatibility - Partially Supported

Samsung released its own personal assistant in 2017, released alongside the S8 series. The voice assistant is called "Bixby" and is now part of most Samsung devices, including the Galaxy Watch. A simple command "

Hey Bixby

" Where "

Hi Bixby

" or a double press on the home button of the Galaxy The watch activates the personal assistant.

The personal assistant does the job well enough, like setting an alarm or making calls, etc., but unlike Siri, you'll miss tasks that could be continued on your iPhone even if initiated via Siri on Apple Watch. Like if you search through Siri on Apple Watch which should show web results, Siri will just ask you to continue searching on iPhone where the results will show up. So there's really no point of compatibility here, but Bixby is good enough to perform standalone tasks on your Galaxy Watch.

9. Battery

How is the battery a compatibility issue? Well, I guess that's surely the case if you don't have full control over your Galaxy Watch settings and behavior from your iPhone.

The simple fact that using with iPhone

you can not block your Galaxy Watch from receiving notifications and phone calls

even if you don't wear it, you lose battery power. Some ways to control it would be to put your watch in mode

Do not disturb

when you're not wearing it or turn off your watch's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection completely, which doesn't make sense every time you take the watch off your wrist.

10. Heart rate monitor

Compatibility - Fully Supported

heart rate monitor

is again a standalone feature of the Galaxy Watch that also works well with the iPhone and doesn't really require an app on your iPhone. But just like sleep tracking, if you want to see the details, you can see them on the Samsung Health app on your iPhone.

As an added feature, the Galaxy Watch comes with an i

12.App Store

Compatibility - Partially Supported

Although the Galaxy Watch app on your iPhone allows you to access apps and watch faces on your Galaxy Watch, not all apps are available on the iOS version of the app. Some common and useful apps like Camera could not be found in the iOS version of the app.

And as for the App Store app on the Galaxy Watch, it is not available on the watch when paired with an iPhone.

13. Find my device

Compatibility - Fully Supported

Galaxy Watch’s’

find phone

' which, when connected to your iPhone, allows you to ring your iPhone, helping you locate the device. Likewise, the Galaxy Watch wearable app on your phone lets you ring your watch the same way, making it super easy to locate your watch in a messy room, drawer, or bag.

The downside here is that this app only helps you locate your device when it is within Bluetooth range and not an actual GPS location of the device on a map.

14. Workout/Fitness Tracking

Compatibility - Fully Supported

Galaxy Watch has a lot to offer when it comes to workout or fitness tracking, and luckily this feature is seamlessly supported on iPhone as well. The Samsung Health app on your iPhone again comes into the picture here where you can see your day's progress or your fitness history.

There are over 30 different workout presets available on the Galaxy Watch and are fully supported on the iPhone through the Samsung Health app.

15. PPT Controller Remote Options

Compatibility - Fully Supported

Remote control is something that wouldn't typically be expected in a smartwatch, but breaking all barriers, the Galaxy Watch has a very unique feature to offer, the PPT controller. While there's no iPhone role here, if you're using a Mac, this feature is fully supported, proven to work.

Designed to help as a PPT controller remote during a presentation, this app can also be a mouse pad when used in touchpad mode, which can come in handy when you need to open a completely different file .

16. Access to the camera

Compatibility: not supported

Galaxy Watch does not offer any built-in camera app. Luckily, you can use third-party apps like

Camera Remote Control

which not only allows you to switch between cameras but also supports other advanced features. However, these third-party camera apps are only available on the Android ecosystem. Unfortunately, the iOS version of the Galaxy Watch App Store does not offer any camera apps, but it may appear any day. Fingers crossed.

19. Watch Modes

Proving to be really smart, the smartwatches come with different modes just like the Galaxy watch. These modes are also very usable with the iPhone.

Along with some basic modes like airplane mode, silent mode, battery saver mode, and do not disturb mode, Galaxy Watch also offers a movie mode. Cinema mode limits screen illumination when a notification is received. Believe me, it really helps.

Can you use Galaxy Watch with iPhone?

So here are some features that we think might help you come to a conclusion. While not absolutely and completely compatible, the Galaxy Watch is pretty much functional when paired with an iPhone. Most daily use features are supported and provide you with seamless operations. Depending on how often you use third-party messaging apps, you may decide to go for the Galaxy Watch or the Apple Watch.

Make your best judgment and let us know your experience in the comments below.

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