What's the difference between Android Wear and a smart watch?

[AC Question]

whats the differance between android wear and a smart watch?

I thought all smart watches were android wear?

 

[SpookDroid]

Re: whats the differance between android wear and a smart watch?

It depends on what smart watch you're referring to. Just like there are Android phones, iOS phones, Windows phones, Tizen phones, etc., Android Wear is a smart watch OS based off of Android, and as such, has certain features and options to interact with Android and iOS. Watches like Samsung's latest Gears opted to use a different OS (Tizen for Samsung's, if I recall correctly), which means it might offer different features and ways to interact with your phone. Pebble is another example with their very own custom OS, and as such, apps are different and need to be compiled specifically for those custom platforms. Android Wear apps will not run on Pebble and viceversa, for example.

 

[osthoro]

Android wear is an operating system for smartwatches. A smartwatch is a physical device. There is a difference between Full android and android wear operating systems.

 

[iJohnnyCash]

There is a difference between Full android and android wear operating systems.

Could you please say more about a smartwatch with full android and a smartwatch with android wear? What happens with apps.

I will really appreciate your time

 

[kramer5150]

I don't own one, but a smart watch with "full android" is basically a stripped and compacted down android cell phone, strapped to your wrist and worn like a watch. Think of it as a carrier unlocked streamlined Android cell phone that can be activated with its own SIM card and cellular phone number. In order to shrink everything down they have to cut corners a bit. Smaller battery, less on board memory, slower CPU, no IR blaster, no USB-C, no headphone jack, no fingerprint scanner...etc. But you can place and receive voice calls via bluetooth headset or in many cases speaking into the "watch" itself and listening to its small speaker. You can www surf and send/receive text messages. All without being connected to a cell phone, because it has its own SIM card and line activation.

They generally also limit the number of frequency bands too I think... that will probably vary a lot from model to model. So depending on what carrier you prefer, you will have to make sure the frequency is supported on the "watch". Just like any other carrier unlocked phone.

But it can also function as a bluetooth/wifi cell phone accessory and sync with your android cell phone to receive notifications...etc. So you really don't have to activate a cellular line for one.
Heres an example:

Android Wear is a specific android based operating system for those watches that Google designates as "AW compatible". Not all smart watches that sync up with an Android phone, use Android Wear as their watch OS. Basically AW is a feature specific operating system for smart watches. Because its wearable-centered, it has things like heat rate monitor, step counters... and probably others I am forgetting.

Confused yet???... Its getting little more convoluted now because there are AW watches that can be activated with a SIM card. So these watches are still AW, and "wearable centric" but add cellular connectivity and activation with a SIM card. So they can stand alone, place/receive calls and text, and yet do not need to be connected to a cell phone "host".

These are just basic basic generalizations... it should be taken more case by case because the lines of distinction are blurring more and more.

 

[iJohnnyCash]

@kramer5150, lets say I understood the reasons which Google developed AW. But happens with apps? One AW App is compatible with Smartwatch with classic android? If not, how many apps do you estimated that exist for smartwatch with full android?

I have choose to order a LEM5 and generally I focused to full android, because I found more choices with good ration between price, design and features, but also my main mobile device is WP and so I can't use a AW device as "notification hub". If AW apps aren't compatible with these smartwatches that practically mean that these smartwatches are "dead" without a community of users and developments.

 

[kramer5150]

Re: whats the differance between android wear and a smart watch?

Good question, I dont know how apps work on these stand alone andriod watch-phones. Good luck with the lemfo device and your WP. I think most people use android phones with them, not windows.

 

[iJohnnyCash]

Re: whats the differance between android wear and a smart watch?

Good luck with the lemfo device and your WP. I think most people use android phones with them, not windows.

Yeah I know there are complete uncompatible with WP, for that reason I choose a standalone watch, maybe I find a useful and practical way to use it. At least, I hope that I will be able to find basic app like a email client. I also ask from my carrier to give me a dual sim.

Good question, I dont know how apps work on these stand alone andriod watch-phones.

If someone can answer about it, I will appreciate it

 

[kramer5150]

One thing thats concerning right off the spec sheet is storage capacity on many of these phone/watches. ~4G is just barely enough to run/house the android OS and whatever bloat apps they package along with it. Thats assuming these devices use standard play store apps... which I think they do.