Smartwatches have become ubiquitous, mainly due to their availability at various price points. You can find budget smartwatches for a few hundred dollars or premium ones that can record an ECG. While most of these watches offer a ton of functionality, Wear OS smartwatches take it to the next level by letting you download apps from the Play Store. So, if you recently picked up an Android smartwatch, we’ve made a list of the best Wear OS apps to take its full advantage.
And no, we won’t mention apps like Strava or Google Fit because activity tracking is a basic feature on every smartwatch. Instead, we’ve come up with a list of cool Wear OS apps that extend the functionality of your smartwatch beyond fitness.
So, for times when you’re not running or hiking, these apps will let you maximize the potential of your Wear OS smartwatch. Let’s get to them now.
Note: All apps mentioned in this list are free. However, they may contain in-app purchases.
Browsing on a tiny circular display may not be the most exciting idea. However, there may be times when you quickly want to glance at some information. The Samsung Internet Browser lets you do that without pulling your phone out.
The interface is optimized for a smartwatch screen, so you won’t have to use a magnifying glass to navigate around. You can set bookmarks or access your phone’s bookmarks directly on the watch. Moreover, sites like YouTube also load fine, so for whatever reason, if you want to watch a video on your wrist, you can.
It’s a handy app to have on your watch even if you won’t use it every day.
Meta recently introduced WhatsApp for Wear OS, allowing users to send and receive messages directly via their smartwatch. Despite the app being rather popular, we mentioned it because WhatsApp for Wear OS allows you to initiate conversations without your phone.
So, if you’re in a position where you can’t pull out your phone but want to send an important message, WhatsApp comes in handy. The interface is smooth, and you can view your chats with all your contacts on your wrist.
If you don’t want to send SMS texts using the Messages app for Wear OS, you can choose to use WhatsApp.
A smartwatch is an excellent tool for creating to-do lists on the go. Let’s say you’re working and suddenly remember adding milk to your grocery list. You can do that using TickTick straight from your watch instead of reaching out for your phone and getting distracted.
TickTick can also be used to set reminders. At a particular date and time that you’ve set, the app will notify you on your wrist, along with the required message. You can then mark the task as complete from your watch itself.
If you often create checklists or set reminders for tasks throughout the day, TickTick is a must-have.
Let’s face it. Many of us want to get fitter but are too lazy to work out. Or you may not have sufficient time to visit the gym every day. Seven is targeted at this specific demographic. As the name suggests, the app gives you a workout routine spanning just seven minutes.
Set your goals and workout intensity in the app, and Seven curates a routine for you. Then, at a set time every day at your convenience, the app sends you a gentle reminder on your wrist to work out. When you start working out, you can see prompts to aid you with your exercise right on your wrist.
Here’s a personal anecdote — my goal was to lose weight, and I lost 3Kg in a month simply by working out for seven minutes daily!
Most Wear OS watches come with many watch face options right out of the box. But, if you don’t like any of them, Wear OS allows you to set third-party watch faces — unlike a fruity competitor.
Facer — along with offering several new watch faces — allows you to customize and create your watch face. So, whether you want an analog clock to replicate a classy Rolex or a digital lookalike of a G-Shock, all the tools are at your disposal.
Browse the thousands of watch faces and pick the one you like. In fact, you can download several watch faces and switch between them depending on the occasion.
Whether walking, running, or traveling by public transport, you may have wondered what speed you’re moving at. Velocity Dashboard tells you exactly that — straight on your wrist. The app uses the built-in GPS module in your smartwatch to calculate your speed based on distance and time.
Apart from this, it also has a journey recorded, so if you want to track your runs, the app lets you do that as well. I use the app when cycling to check my speed since my bike has no speedometer. It’s also fun to check your speed using the app when traveling by train or before takeoff on a flight!
There are many games for Wear OS, so your watch can keep you occupied if you’re stuck in a boring meeting. While it’s difficult to pick one game to recommend, Infinity Loop takes the cake, thanks to its minimalistic interface and logical gameplay.
While keeping you entertained, Infinity Loop also keeps your brain at work since you’re constantly solving tricky puzzles. At the beginning of each round, you’re given a random pattern. You need to rotate the patterns to form closed loops or circles. Trust me, this article was delayed by 30 minutes because I was hooked on to the game when testing it out!
It is recommended for adults to consume 2-3L of water daily. Before we move further, ask yourself if you meet this goal regularly. If not, it’s time to download Water Tracker. As the name suggests, Water Tracker lets you log your daily water intake throughout the day.
Every time you drink a glass of water, tap the ‘ ’ icon in the app on your smartwatch. Do this until you meet the recommended goal. Now, the thing is, most of us forget to drink water at regular intervals since we’re involved in work. To tackle this, Water Tracker also reminds you at a set interval to get hydrated.
If you think you don’t drink enough water, you need to install Water Tracker on your smartwatch.
Several users prefer leaving their phones behind for running or workouts. In such cases, you can stream music on your smartwatch using apps like Spotify or YouTube Music on Wear OS. But what if you listen to podcasts instead of music? Enter Wear Casts.
The app allows you to sync your favorite podcasts to your smartwatch. This way, you can listen to them even when you’re not around your phone. Podcasts from all popular platforms, like Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc., are available on the app. While the app is handy, we wish the UI was more modern and refined.
How many times have you heard a song on the radio or in a restaurant and wondered which song it is later on? Thanks to Shazam, you won’t have to live in the regret of not listening to those catchy beats again. While Shazam can be used on your phone, using it on your smartwatch is much more convenient.
You don’t have to pull out your smartphone when listening to a song. Simply fire up the app on your wrist, and it will automatically start listening for any audio playing around you. A few seconds later, you can see the song’s name along with the album and artist.
Yes, you can use most of the apps mentioned above without being tethered to your smartphone. In fact, if you have a cellular smartwatch, you can make calls and use apps that require an internet connection without your smartphone on you.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to recommend a smartwatch that fits everyone’s needs. You can look at our smartwatch recommendations across various categories and pick the one that’s best suited to your needs
You can, in fact, sideload and install APK files on Wear OS smartwatches. However, ensure you download the right version of the app before installing it.
A smartwatch is more than a fitness tracker. By downloading a few of the best Wear OS apps from the list above, you can improve the functionality of your smartwatch by multiple folds. What’s your favorite Wear OS app, and why? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll add it to the list.
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