Apple says it tried to make its Watch work with Android, but failed

WEB DESK: Apple’s renowned Apple Watch, known for its seamless integration with iPhones, once aimed to expand its compatibility to Android devices.

However, recent revelations indicate that despite efforts, this endeavor did not come to fruition.

According to a report by 9to5Mac on Thursday, this information surfaced from Apple’s response to the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against the company.

Notably, the lawsuit specifically mentions Apple Watch, highlighting its exclusive compatibility with iPhones and the potential antitrust implications of this limitation.

Quoting from the lawsuit, it states, “Apple’s smartwatch—Apple Watch—is only compatible with the iPhone. So, if Apple can steer a user towards buying an Apple Watch, it becomes more costly for that user to purchase a different kind of smartphone because doing so requires the user to abandon their costly Apple Watch and purchase a new, Android-compatible smartwatch. (…) Apple also recognises that making Apple Watch compatible with Android would ‘remove[an] iPhone differentiator’.”

Despite these assertions, Apple acknowledged exploring the possibility of Android support for the Apple Watch.

This exploration spanned three years, culminating in the conclusion that technical constraints rendered this integration unfeasible, as per information reported by 9to5Mac.

However, a Bloomberg report from November 2023 presents a less favorable perspective on Apple’s intentions.

It suggests that the endeavor to introduce Android compatibility for the Apple Watch was met with partial abandonment, citing concerns that such integration would diminish the watch’s value to iPhone users.

It’s essential to note that while Apple maintains its ecosystem exclusivity, other prominent smartwatches, such as Google’s Pixel Watch, also remain incompatible with Apple’s iOS platform.