Android Wear or Tizen? Help decide between Galaxy Live and Gear 2

[NJRonbo]

You know, it's amazing how difficult it is to decide on an Android Smart Watch now that it has split into two separate platforms.

Clearly, the Gear 2 is a more advanced watch, with longer battery life.

However, it runs Tizen which prohibits the use of Google Now, the most appealing factor of owning a Smart Watch in the first place.

So, basically, now I have to look at the Galaxy Live which can barely run on a single day's charge, can't make phone calls, but DOES run Google Now.

What do you guys personally prefer here?

 

[Gekko]

open and free always beats closed and proprietary.

 

[NJRonbo]

open and free always beats closed and proprietary.

Which platform are you talking about?

 

[Gekko]

Which platform are you talking about?

IMO stick with Android Wear. Android Wear is open and used by many manufacturers and will work with many Android phones. Tizen watch is closed and only used by Samsung and will only work with Samsung phones. Open and free always beats closed and proprietary. Tizen is like being stuck on a deserted island all by yourself.

 

[furiousyellow]

Google Now and turn-by-turn navigation are important features as is the transportability Gekko points out. The one big advantage to me for Tizen(Samsung) is the willingness to do local storage so the Gear 2 can be used as a standalone media player/fitness device.

Having a smartwatch to leave your phone in your pocket is great, but having a smartwatch to leave your phone at home sometimes is even better. Hopefully, they'll remove the local storage restriction on Live.

 

[Squidyman]

get the live, here is why

Well now your wish came true. Wear now supports local storage.
I bought a live over 2 because the live is better in many respects. What happens if Samsung doesn't keep supporting tizen? I don't have to worry about that with my gear live. Battery isn't that bad, I charge it at night and it lasts a day or two.

 

[MrDroidi]

Re: get the live, here is why

Any updated opinions? Does the Gear 2 get updated that often I just bought one.

 

[animguy]

Samsung sends regular updates to the Gear 2 through the phone app Gear Manager.
They have added quite a few apps since I first got my Gear 2 in April.
Overall, I really like the watch, there are a few things on Wear that I would like but the camera has come in handy multiple times. The Bluetooth calling and notifications are great.

 

[bryanchow]

Does the Galaxy Live have a built-in speaker and is that supported by Android Wear?

Not sure about the latest ones but the first batch of Android Wear watches (Moto 360, LG G, original Gear etc) all didn't support audio playback since they did not have a speaker and the SDK did not support it too.

I'm a developer and our app can play audio on Samsung Gear series running Tizen but not for Android Wear.

 

[xendula]

I'd recommend the Gear S and Gear 1 over the Live and 2.
The Gear S is light years ahead of its competition with its stand-alone capabilities, has a gorgeous display, HR tracker, GPS, BT and Wifi. Sure, it's Tizen, but that's still better than Android Wear, simply because it is capable of more.

Future tizen support and app store size are a concern for me as well, though.

I also bought a Gear 1 a few months after getting my S, because it is so cheap and you can flash full Android on it with the very awesome Null ROM. That gives me the portable emergency camera and the apps I need while exercising. I can highly recommend the Gear 1 for that fact alone.