Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 limitations include compatibility issues, etc.

Last week, Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, marking the debut of Wear OS, a new operating system jointly developed by Google and Samsung. These watches have a large number of impressive features, but a closer look will reveal its exclusivity, which will discourage some shoppers. Samsung’s latest flagship smartwatch has some disappointing limitations, including compatibility limitations and missing features.

These devices are not compatible with iPhone

This is a bit of a departure for Samsung. In the past, Galaxy Watches were used with the iPhone, as did the previous Wear OS watches. Although most iPhone users may buy Apple Watch, they cannot be used as a substitute due to the lack of iOS support. It also raises the question of whether the future Wear OS 3.0 watch can be used with the iPhone, or whether it is just an incompatible Samsung watch (with Samsung One UI overlay). More importantly, these watches are not suitable for smartphones without GMS. This means that recent Huawei phones are also unlucky.

Unfortunately, the limitations of non-Android phones do not end.

read more: The best smartwatch you can buy

Android users also face the limitations of Galaxy Watch 4

Unless you own a Samsung phone or you want to throw the Galaxy S21 into your shopping cart, you might want to take a break. Not all Galaxy Watch 4 health tracking products are available for every Android user.

In our Galaxy Watch 4 guide, we hyped Samsung’s BioActive sensor, which combines an optical heart rate sensor (PPG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and bioelectrical impedance (BIA) sensor. However, some of these health tracking functions only work when the watch is paired with a Samsung smartphone. Other Android users will not be able to access the measured values, including ECG that requires the Samsung Health Monitor app.Blood pressure measurement is also unique to Samsung smartphones. Currently Extremely restricted.

In fact, some of the most anticipated health features will be available to all Android phones. The new BIA sensor is a highlight of the device, allowing users to determine body composition indicators (including basal metabolic rate (BMR), water retention rate, skeletal muscle and body fat percentage). These measurements, as well as SpO2 and VO2 max, are available to all Android users.

Google Assistant is not available on Galaxy Watch 4 (currently)

Although Galaxy Watch 4 is a product of Google/Samsung Dream Team, it seems that Google did not immediately prioritize it. Early reports pointed to the lack of pre-installed Google apps and features. Users will find Google Maps and Google Play Store, but Google Assistant has not yet appeared. This leaves us with Bixby, Samsung’s default assistant. Bixby has not received the same attention as other voice assistants, and cannot compete with Google Assistant in terms of popularity. Samsung said it is working closely with Google to support Google Assistant and other popular Google services. Google Assistant will be launched later, but we don’t know when it will be available.

Still an exciting choice for Samsung phones, and possibly other Android phones

If you have a Samsung phone, Galaxy Watch 4 is a smart move. For iPhone users, it is not even an option. For other Android users, some minor annoyances may be added. Whether the limitations of the aforementioned Galaxy Watch 4 will cause the price of the device to be questioned, it depends on your budget. It seems that the two companies have joined forces to create a competitor to Apple Watch, and the results are quite impressive. It’s just not as easy to access as we hoped.