Mobile phones have positioned themselves as the center of our digital life, which represents a large part of our lives. The great change they have brought in access to all types of information and functions has has changed the way we work, study and communicate, but above all, we communicate. In Europe, for example, WhatsApp is a religion and very few people do not have it.
Since its popularization in the first decade of this century Many companies have tried to create new devices that would replace mobile phones. because the mobile phone has, to a large extent, replaced computers. Tablets are the best example, but not the only one.
We have seen virtual reality headsets, augmented reality, devices with artificial intelligence… but nothing has managed to overshadow the mobile phone. In fact, the devices that have been most successful are not those that have tried to replace them, but rather those that have been placed as additional accessoriesadding value to mobile phones, such as wireless headphones and, above all, wearables, including smart bracelets and watches.
Why choose Wear OS
Within this segment the Apple Watch and the Watches with Wear OS are the most powerful options which can be purchased. The first is for Apple mobiles only while WearOS-powered devices are designed to integrate seamlessly with Android, providing interactive notifications and much more.
Door control. One of the possibilities of the Google Play Store is that developers can create applications for these devices in almost the same way as for smartphones. For example, brands like HomyHub and Nuki allow you to open their locks from watches. Thus, it is possible to control access to our home without even taking out our mobile phone.
Home automation. Google Home is one of the applications available for watches with WearOS, which allows you to control a large part of the home devices that we have linked to our account. Of course, custom routines cannot be activated yet, so we will continue to depend on the mobile phone for this.
WhatsApp. One of the most used applications in Europe, if not the most. A few months ago it officially arrived on watches equipped with the Google system and can be used without the need for a mobile phone. You can see the list of chats, reply, listen to audios and much more.
Google Assistant. The voice assistant of the creator of Android is another advantage of this type of watch. It allows you to activate all types of devices, ask questions or stream music. Of course, it is still not as powerful as what we have in speakers or smartphones, especially with the arrival of Gemini.
Mobile Payments. The inclusion of NFC chips with the Android software allows these watches to be used to pay, including Google Wallet, which has the cards that we have included in our profile. This facilitates payment in contactless payment systems, someth ing that is very widespread in Europe, unlike other countries.
The best watches
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra. A few days ago, Samsung announced its new watches with Wear OS, as well as its foldable phones. The Watch 7 stands out for its sober design and a very good screen, in addition to having functions related to Samsung mobile phones, which are the ones that make the most of them. But the most striking model has undoubtedly been the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, the company’s response to the Apple Watch Ultra, with a very good battery, a lot of resistance and a design that leaves no one indifferent.
OnePlus Watch 2 and Watch 2R. OnePlus has gone from a brand that didn’t make watches to one of the benchmarks with some of the best watches of the moment. Its first watch with WearOS uses Google’s new dual-processor system, which gives it a huge battery life of up to 4 days, one of the highest ever seen in a watch with this operating system. Its current price is around 280 dollars. An alternative to this model is the OnePlus Watch 2R presented a few days ago, which has a sale price of 249 dollars.
OPPO Watch X. Another company that has not yet established its position in Europe in the field of wearables is OPPO. The flagship model in our market is the OPPO Watch. Overall, it stands out for its design, autonomy and aesthetics.
Google Pixel 2 Watch. The last model to recommend in this section is Google’s, the Pixel Watch 2, which went on sale in Europe last year. In our test, we already highlighted its design with a sphere that seeks to hide its edges and the integration with the Fitbit sports platform. Among the main aspects to improve is the autonomy, which is not the one that stands out the most. Its current price is around 299 dollars.
Economical and very valuable
But if what you are looking for is a watch with Wear OS to be able to do everything we mentioned at the beginning of this article, but you do not want to spend a lot of money and you do not need the latest model, there are alternatives. Samsung and Xiaomi offer watches that have not been announced this year but are very valid, and for prices that start below 150 dollars.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, 5 Pro and 6. Samsung presents not one, but several models of watches with WearOS every year, since it left Tizen aside and partnered with Google to improve the watch ecosystem. There are many models, but depending on what you are looking for, one option or another is recommended. If you are looking for something simple and economical, the best is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which currently costs around 145 dollars and works well, although its battery is not the highest. If we want something more resistant, with more battery and designed for extreme sports, the best is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which costs around 233 dollars. And if we want something more current, cheaper but not as big, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is a good option for around 208 dollars.
Xiaomi Watch 2 and 2 Pro. One of the most appreciated brands in Europe when it comes to wearables is Xiaomi. The Mi Band took off a few years ago and is still selling very well today. Its collaboration with Amazfit has positioned Xiaomi as a benchmark in simple wearables. But a few years ago it also entered the sector of advanced smartwatches, with WearOS. One option is the Xiaomi Watch 2, which costs only 149 dollars and another is the Pro version, which costs around 225 dollars.