Last month developer Mohammad Abu-Garbeyyeh managed to get an Android Wear-based smartwatch to display notifications from an iPhone, even though Google’s wearable OS doesn’t support Apple’s mobile devices (at least, not yet).
A new video posted by the software dev today shows an Android Wear watch working with the iPhone’s calling function. In the video, an incoming call on the iPhone is answered using the Android watch. Abu-Garbeyyeh says he simulated the gesture to answer to phone call on the watch in software to avoid filling the video frame with his hand, but the functionality works perfectly just as it would with an Android device.
As with the previous pairing of Android Wear and iOS, this implementation doesn’t require a jailbroken device and works with native APIs included in Apple’s operating system. You can see the whole video demonstration below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2pkyHp8HN0&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=MohammadAbu-Garbeyyeh]
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The phone is jailbroken (rounded dock corners). Are we sure it doesn’t have to be?
Well, I’ll give you some reasons:
1. I won’t damage my reputation for some views.
2. There’s no way to jailbreak a restored iPhone as of now, so I’m not willing to go back to that for a video.
3. Pebble did it, it’s not technically impossible, and it’s not hard (read more about it here: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/CoreBluetooth/Reference/AppleNotificationCenterServiceSpecification/Introduction/Introduction.html).
4. My first video required a jailbreak, and I mentioned that, I have no reason to lie about it.
Fair enough. Just making sure.
@MohammadAG, I have a Moto 360 that I recieved as a gift and at first I used it with my 1st Gen Moto X, but then I got the iPhone 6 Plus and have been using the 360 only as a watch. I want to connect it to my iPhone 6 Plus and be able to get notifiactions on it just like you’re showing is possible in your videos. How would I be able to do this? Is there a tutorial available or will you release this in app form anytime soon? Thanks!
Even though it may be jailbroken (I didn’t watch the video) the iPhone recognizes android wear watches. I have one and my iPhone recognizes it and I can connect to it on my iPhone without a problem, it’s the software in the android wear that doesn’t support the iPhone. They’ll connect and then my android wear will disconnect from it. By tweaking the android wear software you can enable it to connect to the iPhone (you just have to use the APIs for the iPhone Bluetooth in the software I believe).
My guess is the watch is simply acting as a bluetooth headset which is nothing new or special. @MikeBeas
Yep exactly, complety useless…
You may be right, but it’s not that bad. You can see who’s calling without having to pull out your phone.
It’s ANCS, read the description of the video, but yeah, since Pebble did it, it’s not special.
How can I use it?
The point is: who wants to use Android watch with iPhone? Apple Watch is superior to android watch in every way from apps, integration and technologies built into it.
Who wants this? People who think the Apple watch is aesthetically hideous and want a nice looking smartwatch to pair with their iPhone.
> Who wants this? People who think the Apple watch is aesthetically hideous and want a nice looking smartwatch to pair with their iPhone.
Yes, many people think the apple watch is ugly while the Hauwei, Moto, and LG watches are attractive.
I saw one of those Moto watches a couple of days ago. That thing was FUGLY.
Did these people actually have seen an Apple Watch in person?
Plus all android wear watches are so poor in construction, the design is copied from normal watches, and none has a single bit of temper… run-off-the-mill watches.
For me this option would compete with Pebble – trading battery life for aesthetics.
People who had an Android Wear watch from before (e.g, me). For anyone new to the market, an Apple Watch is superior to an Android Wear watch with this.
> The point is: who wants to use Android watch with iPhone? Apple Watch is superior to android watch in every way from apps, integration and technologies built into it.
Only the most devoted iFans actually believe that apple’s late to market android wear imitation is actually meaningfully better in _any_ way.
Well, unless you are apple pay user. Frequent apple pay users have a legitimate reason to prefer this watch. Otherwise, the best android wear watches are better than apple’s imitation.
Imitation? Apple’s watch has a completely unique UI, it has technology not found in the other brands, it has superior sensors. Apple just took longer before they announced their product, but Apple was in development for over 3 years and I think the Android crowd was just getting an inferior product out sooner so they could say they were first. But reality is that Apple is bringing a lot more and superior technology. The gear watches look like half assed prototypes, which is why guys like Samsung have so many models that didn’t sell well.
Let’s see this straight.
Android Wear watches suck because they seldomly have most or any of the features the Apple Watch has.
Just to name hardware features:
8GB of storage
Wireless charging with magnetic connector
Quick-Release straps
OLED screen
Around 300dpi screen density
Normal for a watch 10.5mm depth
Ambient Light Sensor
Speakerphone (that Moto can answer the call, but can play a sound, because it lacks speakers)
Scroll Wheel
Bluetooth+Wifi
NFC
Accelerometer+Gyroscope+Compass+Barometer
Full-time HRM
Sapphire lenses on the HRM so it does read your heartbeat reliably when the watch is not 100% in contact with your skin or your skin is wet.
Name ONE android wear watch that fulfills or surpasses all those specs?
None!
Every single Android Wear watch is flawed in what is expected for a smart watch!
And the better ones aren’t cheap also, only $50 less than the Apple Watch Sport, and don’t offer half the features.
There are some nice watches with android ware. Some of them have better battery life and more features than apple watch.
One size does not have to fit all, dear.
Thats really great…No offense Mohammad, but I don’t buy it.
What are the possibilities of you telling us how we can do it to ours? Until someone else has been able to replicate and substantiate your bold statement, for now, all you have is a video anyone with an iPhone 6 and a Moto 360 replicate. Give us a breakdown of how you did it without an Android smartphone (I don’t believe this can even be done with an Android EMU).
Hell, for that matter don’t post a write up, upload an app to the Apple Store. I’m sure you will be an instant millionaire if you aren’t full of shit. Hell, I’d pay for it if it’s legit.
Anyone who states this is nothing new and it’s totally easy because Pebble can do it, is a lying idiot. It’s not easy because it’s not possible. BTW. You don’t need an Android to set up a Pebble, I’m betting you not only used your jailbroken phone to accomplish this, but you used an Android to get past your initial setup.
If I’m wrong, don’t just post a rant about your rep. Prove it,
Chris Keblitis
You don’t need to buy it, I’m not selling it.
I already have, it uses ANCS, detailed by Apple here: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/CoreBluetooth/Reference/AppleNotificationCenterServiceSpecification/Specification/Specification.html
PushBullet uses it for notification mirroring, Pebble uses it for notification mirroring, etc.
Someone’s already replicated this on a G Watch R on Twitter, check my replies to them, as a matter of fact, it’s more stable on their watch.
Nowhere did I say the watch was set up without an Android device, as a matter of fact, development is being done using ADB while the watch is using Bluetooth debugging from my HTC One M8. If/when I release this, you can use a USB connection to install the APK on the watch or install a ROM with the APK.
I have not looked into how initial set up can be done without a phone since my watch has no USB port. So again, if/when I release this, you’re on your own (though you could easily use a friend’s Android device to get the APK on the watch, then unpair it permanently).
I didn’t use my jailbroken phone to do any of this, it’s all official Apple APIs, anyone who says a jailbroken phone is needed, would be a “lying idiot” as you put it. I used an Android device to get past my initial set up since I still have said phone, and I bought said watch when I used said phone.
I don’t need to prove it, you can do it yourself with the details I gave, as someone has done on Twitter.
If I find this stable enough, the app will be paid on the Play Store / custom PayPal store. If not, free and open source.
This is exciting! Finally we have access to many great smartwatches – including some with beautiful round designs – on iOS!
My Pioneer Car Stereo have done this for quite some time. The Android watch is just using the BT APIs stack.
Nothing magical, it doesn’t require a Jailbreak.
Pebble does this too. It is quite amazing how many things are possible with that limited set of BT functions.
However, Apple really needs to open the Watch Kit to other watch manufacturers, a Watch is unique and personal the A Watch won’t please all people. I’d look ridiculous and even embarrassing all wearing the same thing.
I don’t know how legit this announcement is, but Google is hard at work bringing Android Wear to iOS.
With this we can have attractive round-faced watches!
Well, they are just trying to widen their mass appeal because Apple iPhone users typically have money and Android phone users typically don’t.
You’re an idiot, and that’s an idiotic statement. If that’s all you have, it proves you have nothing. Explain why so many in the poor neighborhoods have iPhones? Because Apple sells them for a $1 on a 2 yr contract. You know why? because they are cheap devices.
Steve Jobs said that there would never be a reason to sell more than one version of the iPhone. Now Apple is selling 3-4 versions, and if they aren’t cheap, they bend. So again, your comment goes to show what an idiot you are for that statement.
HEYYY
THE IPHONE SAYS MOHAMED FROM HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM.
WHERES ALL THE ISRAEL APARTHEID BASHERS ?
Do not be a troll, please.
I think this isn’t a jailbroken iPhone… Given the modified look & feel of the UI, I assume that this is not even a real iOS device. It’s one of those cheap iPhone clones running a skinned Android version.
You can see the round corners in the Dock, slightly changed color schemes and one more thing… iOS doesnt have status icons near the carrier information.
No, it’s most certainly a jailbroken iPhone. It’s only jailbroken because the developer happens to prefer it that way, though. The jailbreak isn’t necessary to get pairing to work. The “modified look and feel of the UI” is just a tweak that rounds the corners of the dock. I used the same exact tweak when I was jailbroken.