Apple Watch with Android

Project approach and motivation

• Many commenters find the write-up well done and the hack technically impressive, especially as a way to use Apple Watch health capabilities while daily-driving Android or de-Googled phones.
• Some question the effort-to-benefit ratio, seeing it as a fun challenge more than a practical setup.
• A few point out the apparent contradiction between “not giving more money to Apple” and buying Apple hardware, though others note the author emphasized not buying new devices.

Health tracking and data export

• Several are primarily interested in whether health data can be exported to Android or self-hosted tools; current setup mainly keeps data on the watch and iPhone, with export/automation “on the roadmap.”
• Suggestions include writing a small watch app to sync Health locally and export elsewhere, and using existing Apple Health export tools.
• There is debate over which devices are “most accurate”: Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura ring, Whoop, Xiaomi/Huawei bands, etc., with references to third‑party testing but also criticisms that such testing is narrow and overinterpreted.
• Some argue that high accuracy mainly matters for longitudinal comparisons and intervention tracking; others feel most consumer sleep metrics are of limited practical value.

Alternatives: Garmin, Pixel Watch, other ecosystems

• Many recommend Garmin for fitness and sleep, praising battery life, physical buttons, and on‑device analytics, though others report inaccurate sleep or high‑HR measurements.
• Pixel Watch 3 is cited as roughly on par with Apple Watch in sensor accuracy in some tests and preferable for Android users, though Fitbit/Pixel integration and feature gaps (e.g., smart alarms) draw criticism.
• Cheap bands (e.g., Xiaomi) are seen as good enough by some, but others call their sleep tracking “almost pointless.”
• PineTime/AsteroidOS and Linux phones are mentioned as philosophically appealing but currently lacking in sensor accuracy and device support for serious health use.

Lock‑in, interoperability, and policy

• Several note that Apple explicitly chose not to support Android as a host OS to preserve ecosystem lock‑in; related excerpts from antitrust filings are referenced.
• Some say Apple’s restrictions on standalone watch use and third‑party devices effectively push users toward iPhone; others see this as a major reason to avoid Apple altogether.

Practical issues: cellular, notifications, battery

• Experiences with Apple Watch cellular range from “flawless for years” to “unreliably bad and not worth it,” with concerns about battery drain and carrier quirks.
• Various notification-bridging setups are discussed (Pushover, Buzzkill, Termux scripts), along with privacy concerns and dependence on Google services.
• Several digress into battery longevity: partial charge limits (80%), running phones from wall power, and avoiding swollen (“spicy pillow”) batteries.