Thoughts after one week with a Galaxy Watch

[ShivaKanou]

I know I may be posting what other have already posted here, here are my thoughts after one week of using my Galaxy Watch.

The watch itself is visually really cool, it does get noticed, the watch faces are nice and although it's big, I don't find it heavy at all. I thought it was going to look huge on my wrists, since they are small, but it fits perfectly.

I was looking mainly for these following features:
1) Calls
2) Messages
3) Spotify
4) Workout

And the watch failed at 3 of these 4 things. I hasn't failed yet at the workout feature because I haven't got the time to look for an app that suits my needs (glad if anybody could help me).

Although it has a different amount of features, it lacks heavily on really basic things. I really would like to know what Samsung was thinking during it`s development, since they build a really cool product that behaves in a really dumb way.

The main issue for me so far are calls. I know there are people who really like Ben 10 or Power Rangers and would like to talk through their watch, but "normal" people prefer to talk through their cellphones. How come Samsung messed up on that? The watch lacks the really simple function of answering calls through the watch but talking through the phone. And even when I pick up calls on my phone, it will route them to the watch. Can you disable that? No. Unless you unpair the watch.

I feel that WhatsApp is not as popular outside Brazil, so I'll give Samsung credit for that. The watch does not provide WhatsApp support. I mean, you can reply to messages from it, but you can't start conversations.

For now, it's not offering support to Spotify. That was something I was really looking forward, but in order to remote control you Spotify app with your watch you gotta downgrade your Spotify app on your phone. I don't know if it's an issue with Spotify itself or the watch, but I do hope they fix this asap.

And the last item, workouts. It's cool that the Samsung Health app offers a good variety of exercises, BUT I don't get the point of tracking the TIME for lifting exercises instead of tracking reps, weight amount and giving me option to choose my rest time amount. I had to download a Timer app to control my rest time (again, I would be glad if anyone could recommend me a simple app to track these things).

Come on, Samsung, your watch looks stunning, but a company your size shouldn't be allowing these flaws.

 

[j_hansen]

I was under the impression that it could track reps/sets working out

 

[11B1P]

Look and see if you have "Workout Trainer" by Skimble in your Play Store. There is a phone app and a companion app for the Gear S3, but I don't know if it is available for the GW.

 

[supersoulfly]

The main issue for me so far are calls. I know there are people who really like Ben 10 or Power Rangers and would like to talk through their watch, but "normal" people prefer to talk through their cellphones. How come Samsung messed up on that? The watch lacks the really simple function of answering calls through the watch but talking through the phone.

This is the big complaint for you?

Why would anyone want this function?

 

[sonnnet]

This is the big complaint for you?

Why would anyone want this function?

I don't get it....! If you answer a call on the watch but you then decide you would rather continue the call on your phone, then when you pick up the phone, it will already be on the call screen and you press an icon on the phone screen which transfers it to the phone. I've done this many times!

 

[sonnnet]

I was under the impression that it could track reps/sets working out

It can. You choose for example arm curls as an exercise, rather than weight machines. But OP is right that you can't manually add detail. There are apps for that though...

 

[sonnnet]

I know I may be posting what other have already posted here, here are my thoughts after one week of using my Galaxy Watch.

The watch itself is visually really cool, it does get noticed, the watch faces are nice and although it's big, I don't find it heavy at all. I thought it was going to look huge on my wrists, since they are small, but it fits perfectly.

I was looking mainly for these following features:
1) Calls
2) Messages
3) Spotify
4) Workout

And the watch failed at 3 of these 4 things. I hasn't failed yet at the workout feature because I haven't got the time to look for an app that suits my needs (glad if anybody could help me).

Although it has a different amount of features, it lacks heavily on really basic things. I really would like to know what Samsung was thinking during it`s development, since they build a really cool product that behaves in a really dumb way.

The main issue for me so far are calls. I know there are people who really like Ben 10 or Power Rangers and would like to talk through their watch, but "normal" people prefer to talk through their cellphones. How come Samsung messed up on that? The watch lacks the really simple function of answering calls through the watch but talking through the phone. And even when I pick up calls on my phone, it will route them to the watch. Can you disable that? No. Unless you unpair the watch.

I feel that WhatsApp is not as popular outside Brazil, so I'll give Samsung credit for that. The watch does not provide WhatsApp support. I mean, you can reply to messages from it, but you can't start conversations.

For now, it's not offering support to Spotify. That was something I was really looking forward, but in order to remote control you Spotify app with your watch you gotta downgrade your Spotify app on your phone. I don't know if it's an issue with Spotify itself or the watch, but I do hope they fix this asap.

And the last item, workouts. It's cool that the Samsung Health app offers a good variety of exercises, BUT I don't get the point of tracking the TIME for lifting exercises instead of tracking reps, weight amount and giving me option to choose my rest time amount. I had to download a Timer app to control my rest time (again, I would be glad if anyone could recommend me a simple app to track these things).

Come on, Samsung, your watch looks stunning, but a company your size shouldn't be allowing these flaws.

WhatsApp is extremely popular worldwide, not just in Brazil. I'm not sure why you were giving Samsung credit had that not been the case, but there we are. To have a licensed app, Samsung would have had to have partnered with WhatsApp. They didn't. The watch app WhatsApp have certified is only available on Android Wear. This is a well known drawback of Tizen vs Android Wear (availability of apps). But there are also many advantages to Tizen. You takes your chances.

Downgrading Spotify on your phone has long been suggested on Spotify forums as a way of getting Spotify on Galaxy Watch to be able to work as a remote. It's a bad idea. Yes, the Spotify Galaxy Watch app leaves rather a lot to be desired, but there is a workaround here. Play Spotify on your phone. Then open the MUSIC app (not the Spotify app) on your watch. Tap the icon that looks like this (top right of screen) and you can then control Spotify remotely from your watch, from within the MUSIC app. Well, you can skip tracks back and forth and adjust volume at any rate. No downgrading required.

 

[ShivaKanou]

I don't wanna talk through the watch XD I wanna talk through the phone, but pick up using the watch.

 

[ShivaKanou]

Ok, but seriously, who wants to talk through the watch? Ok, there are people who want to do this, but why not give you an option to turn off call routing to the watch?

 

[ShivaKanou]

Didn't know that about the music app, thanks!

 

[supersoulfly]

I don't wanna talk through the watch XD I wanna talk through the phone, but pick up using the watch.

Yeah... I have no idea why anyone would want that. Seems an unnecessary complication.

 

[Jewels81]

Yeah... I have no idea why anyone would want that. Seems an unnecessary complication.

It comes in handy when I'm driving cause I'm not like alot of people that are glued to their phones while supposed to be paying attention to the road. When it comes to texting....that has to wait til I'm done driving or I pull over somewhere. But that and at work when I'm not right by my phone, talking thru watch comes in handy.

 

[supersoulfly]

It comes in handy when I'm driving cause I'm not like alot of people that are glued to their phones while supposed to be paying attention to the road. When it comes to texting....that has to wait til I'm done driving or I pull over somewhere. But that and at work when I'm not right by my phone, talking thru watch comes in handy.

Still don't see how it's handy and not an extra step.

Reach over to watch to answer call then reach over to phone to talk on phone.

Opposed to just reach over to phone.

 

[Jewels81]

Still don't see how it's handy and not an extra step.

Reach over to watch to answer call then reach over to phone to talk on phone.

Opposed to just reach over to phone.

Lol maybe I'm confused. All I have to do is swipe to answer on my watch. No touching phone at all.

 

[supersoulfly]

Lol maybe I'm confused. All I have to do is swipe to answer on my watch. No touching phone at all.

The OP wants to answer the call on the watch, but use the phone for the conversation.

I agree that taking a call on the watch is super easy. Same with a phone. I don't understand the desire to complicate the process by incorporating both devices.

 

[Jewels81]

The OP wants to answer the call on the watch, but use the phone for the conversation.

I agree that taking a call on the watch is super easy. Same with a phone. I don't understand the desire to complicate the process by incorporating both devices.
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Oh gotcha. I get what you saying now. Sorry and thanks.

 

[sonnnet]

I don't wanna talk through the watch XD I wanna talk through the phone, but pick up using the watch.

Did you see my post about this? You just press a button on the phone. So it does exactly what you want it to do. Except the button is on the phone, not the watch.

 

[sonnnet]

Yeah... I have no idea why anyone would want that. Seems an unnecessary complication.

Actually, I can see a need for it, as I've done it several times. Eg a call comes in and you expect it to be brief, so you answer the call on your watch. However, it turns out the call will be longer and you need more privacy, so you transfer to phone. Another example: a call comes in. You are wearing your watch and your phone is in another room, or you can't remember where you've put it exactly. Rather than miss the call, you answer it on your watch. Then you find your phone and transfer.

Anyway, you CAN do this, it has that capability already. Just hit the Bluetooth icon which says Galaxy Watch on the call screen of the phone (to de-select it). And voila, the call is transferred to the phone.

The other issue the OP mentions, ie when answering a call on the phone, it gets routed to the watch... Something wrong there. That has never happened to me. The device I answer the call on is the device the call audio comes through. Unless I transfer. So the OP's issue sounds like a phone settings problem.

 

[supersoulfly]

Actually, I can see a need for it, as I've done it several times. Eg a call comes in and you expect it to be brief, so you answer the call on your watch. However, it turns out the call will be longer and you need more privacy, so you transfer to phone. Another example: a call comes in. You are wearing your watch and your phone is in another room, or you can't remember where you've put it exactly. Rather than miss the call, you answer it on your watch. Then you find your phone and transfer.

Anyway, you CAN do this, it has that capability already. Just hit the Bluetooth icon which says Galaxy Watch on the call screen of the phone (to de-select it). And voila, the call is transferred to the phone.

The other issue the OP mentions, ie when answering a call on the phone, it gets routed to the watch... Something wrong there. That has never happened to me. The device I answer the call on is the device the call audio comes through. Unless I transfer. So the OP's issue sounds like a phone settings problem.

I can appreciate switching in the middle of the call..but OP is making it sound like he strictly wants to use the watch to pick up and strictly talk through the phone.

 

[sonnnet]

I can appreciate switching in the middle of the call..but OP is making it sound like he strictly wants to use the watch to pick up and strictly talk through the phone.


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Well that would be strictly a bit ridiculous! But, hey, he can do that if he wants, provided he is prepared to press ONE button on his phone.