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Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Started Nov 10, 2020 | Questions
OzRay
OzRay Forum Pro • Posts: 19,428
Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Does anyone know of a smartwatch that will natively run Android apps? I'm not after a fitness watch, but one that I can install apps from Google Play and have them run on the watch as if they were on a smartphone.

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Robert Zanatta Senior Member • Posts: 2,630
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

In the past I looked and I don't believe so. They seem to all watch their own operating system (Tizen, WearOS, etc) and are typically designed to integrate with your Android smartphone.

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Mark B.
Mark B. Forum Pro • Posts: 29,742
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

OzRay wrote:

Does anyone know of a smartwatch that will natively run Android apps? I'm not after a fitness watch, but one that I can install apps from Google Play and have them run on the watch as if they were on a smartphone.

No smartwatch I'm aware of uses the same Android OS that's in a smartphone.  The watch OS has to be designed for the limitations of a smartwatch vs a full smartphone.  Even Wear OS has it's own set of apps specific to smartwatches.

Mark

OzRay
OP OzRay Forum Pro • Posts: 19,428
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Thanks, that's what it was looking like. Some information I've come across seems to indicate that you can run some apps that are on a mobile phone through a smartwatch, but even that is somewhat unclear as to what degree.

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markyboy81 Veteran Member • Posts: 4,778
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

A while ago there was a watch that was released that could run Android natively - The Omate Truesmart - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omate_TrueSmart.

This was a nice looking watch and did actually work as a standalone android phone, but it wasn't that refined.

There was also the Neptune Pine Smartwatch, which was similar to the Omate but very clunky looking - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune_Pine

I owned both of these at one point but never really got on with either of them, and it seemed that they weren't popular enough for either these manufacturers or any other to build anything along the same lines.

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OzRay
OP OzRay Forum Pro • Posts: 19,428
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Thanks for the info. I've pretty much given up on the idea, as it seems that this is a lost cause.

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Phil324 New Member • Posts: 6
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

I dont think there are any as there are built in apps which might helps us in day to day life. like WhatsApp, insta etc.

Phil324 New Member • Posts: 6
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

OzRay wrote:

Does anyone know of a smartwatch that will natively run Android apps? I'm not after a fitness watch, but one that I can install apps from Google Play and have them run on the watch as if they were on a smartphone.

Check out this watch = https://tranya.com/products/tranyago-smartwatch

Mark B.
Mark B. Forum Pro • Posts: 29,742
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Phil324 wrote:

OzRay wrote:

Does anyone know of a smartwatch that will natively run Android apps? I'm not after a fitness watch, but one that I can install apps from Google Play and have them run on the watch as if they were on a smartphone.

Check out this watch = https://tranya.com/products/tranyago-smartwatch

Only 5 posts, and you've 'found' this and the Tranya earphones.  Isn't that interesting.

This review of the watch shows it has some serious shortcomings. I get that it's a budget choice, but it recorded the heartbeat of an inanimate surface it was sitting on.
https://fossbytes.com/tranyago-smartwatch-review/

Ronald Contributing Member • Posts: 641
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Samsung has a family of watches that run Android apps .

they can be controlled via the watch or most Samsung phones. I have been using one for years

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Mark B.
Mark B. Forum Pro • Posts: 29,742
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Ronald wrote:

Samsung has a family of watches that run Android apps .

they can be controlled via the watch or most Samsung phones. I have been using one for years

Yes, I did too. But the OP - who BTW hasn't posted anything in 2 years - was looking for a watch that would run the smartphone apps on the smartwatch. The Samsung watches run watch apps, not the native smartphone apps.

Drzewoid Senior Member • Posts: 1,121
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

Popular Amazfit Stratos / Pace can run apk files

Patrick T. Kelly Veteran Member • Posts: 4,629
Re: Smartwatch that runs Android apps

I'm no geek but my Ticwatch says it is running Android 9. It has Google Play Store. Will it run all Android Apps. No. Neither will my Acer chromebook. If I go to Google Play Store on my phone I can load Google Keep, Google Maps, Google Messages. I don't because they're on my cell phone.

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