Apple says it spent three years trying to bring Apple Watch to Android

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Technical feasibility of Apple Watch on Android

  • Many doubt Apple’s claim of “technical limitations.”
  • Several argue Bluetooth and protocols can’t be the real blocker: cheaper wearables, Garmin, Suunto, Xiaomi, Samsung, Pixel Watch etc. all interoperate with Android.
  • Others note Android Bluetooth stacks are fragmented and buggy, making consistent UX and support harder, especially at Apple’s quality bar.
  • Some suggest Apple uses non‑standard protocols (as with AirPods), or relies on deep iOS integration for power, updates, ultra‑wideband, and computation offloading.
  • A minority finds it plausible that matching the current tight iPhone–Watch architecture on Android would require OS-level changes or a different hardware design.

Business incentives, lock‑in, and ecosystem strategy

  • Strong consensus that business incentives, not pure tech, drive the decision.
  • Apple Watch is seen as a lock‑in tool: owning one raises the cost of switching to Android.
  • Some note Apple historically used cross‑platform (iPod on Windows) when it served as a “gateway” to Macs; here, Watch instead reinforces staying in iOS.
  • Others argue Apple designs for full-stack control and support; dealing with every Android variant would hurt consistency and supportability.

DOJ antitrust case and APIs

  • The DOJ complaint is summarized as:
    • Apple Watch works only with iPhone, increasing switching costs.
    • Apple restricts APIs so third‑party smartwatches on iPhone can’t reply to notifications, have less reliable connections, and worse cellular behavior.
  • Some see the Apple Watch angle as weak or “performative,” preferring focus on stronger issues (NFC, messaging, App Store, etc.).
  • Others think forcing parity of APIs (for smartwatches, AirTags‑like devices, NFC) is reasonable, analogous to previous protocol disclosures (e.g., SMB).
  • Debate over whether government can/should force interoperability or effectively make Apple “help competitors.” First‑Amendment style arguments are floated, but not resolved.

User experiences and competing products

  • Multiple users report Garmin, Pixel Watch, Fitbit working “fine” but often with worse UX, app ecosystems, or especially battery life versus Apple Watch.
  • Some would have considered or bought an Apple Watch if it worked with Android; instead migrated to Garmin or similar.

Broader reflections

  • One comment frames Apple’s tight integration and poor cross‑compatibility as an inherent tradeoff of highly optimized, vertically integrated systems.
  • Others see Apple’s “artificial limitations” (e.g., notification restrictions, lack of iPadOS support) as deliberate product tying rather than necessity.