| Cult of Mac

Can TAG Heuer help Android Wear defeat Apple Watch?

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Or is the TAG Heuer Connected destined to fail?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When it comes to smartwatch sales, Apple Watch has well and truly embarrassed the entire Android Wear ecosystem, even though it hasn’t spent anywhere near as long on the market. But with Google’s platform getting a high-profile supporter this week, is it time for change?

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2TAG Heuer’s new Connected is the first smartwatch from a luxury watchmaker, giving consumers a high-end alternative to the Apple Watch. It has beautiful hardware, great specifications, and even comes with an upgrade program that lets buyers swap it for a traditional TAG watch when it’s no longer useful.

So, is this the device Android Wear needs to mount a threat against Apple’s popular wearable?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

LG’s Watch Urbane 2 is the first Android Wear watch with 4G

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LG's smartwatches have always been bad, but the W7 is even worse.
Photo: LG
LG's new Watch Urbane doesn't need your phone. Photo: LG
LG’s new Watch Urbane doesn’t need your phone. Photo: LG

LG today unveiled a second edition of its Watch Urbane smartwatch, which finally frees Android Wear from your smartphone.

Thanks to its built-in 4G and 3G connectivity, the new Watch Urbane makes calls and continues to receive notifications even when you leave your phone behind.

Viper SmartStart makes your smartwatch an essential car accessory

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Viper SmartStart comes to your wrist.
Photo: Viper
Viper SmartStart comes to your wrist. Photo: Viper
Viper SmartStart comes to your wrist. Photo: Viper

Remember that Ericsson phone that let James Bond control his BMW 750iL remotely in Tomorrow Never Dies? Now you can have your own… kind of.

Viper SmartStart is a smartwatch app for Android Wear and Apple Watch that puts car controls on your wrist, allowing you to locate, start, and control your vehicle before you even get in it.

Samsung could make its new Gear S2 watch iPhone-friendly

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Samsung's new smartwatch could hit Apple Watch where it really hurts.
Photo: Samsung
Samsung's new smartwatch could hit Apple Watch where it really hurts. Photo: Samsung
Samsung’s new smartwatch could hit Apple Watch where it really hurts. Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new Gear S2 smartwatch is its first to support third-party Android devices, and the South Korean company is reportedly looking extend its reach even further by supporting rival platforms, too.

According to one report, the Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic could soon play nicely with iPhone.

You miss out on HealthKit when using Android Wear with iOS

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HealthKit won’t be available to Android Wear customers any time soon.
Photo: Apple

Android Wear made the leap to iOS yesterday, meaning that iPhone owners can now buy and use Android Wear smartwatches should they feel so inclined.

One thing they can’t do, however, is to use Apple’s HealthKit platform to monitor their Android Wear fitness data. According to Apple, data such as step count and heart rate can only be tracked via the Google Fit dashboard — meaning that health-conscious users will want to hang onto their Apple Watches.

And somewhat surprisingly, the decision was entirely Google’s.

Samsung’s Gear S2 is coming to tackle the Apple Watch

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Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic hope to appeal to traditional watch wearers.
Photo: Samsung
Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic hope to appeal to traditional watch wearers. Photo: Samsung
Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic hope to appeal to traditional watch wearers. Photo: Samsung

After teasing the new Gear S2 smartwatch during its Galaxy Note 5 unveiling earlier this month, Samsung has confirmed all the juicy details we’ve been waiting for.

The new wearable will be available in two flavors — the Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic — both of which have round faces and are aimed at consumers who “prefer more timeless watch design.” But will the devices be good enough to trip up the Apple Watch?

Smarter watches: Android Wear works with iPhones now

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iOS users can now use iPhones with Android Wear.
Photo: Google
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iOS users can now use an iPhone with their Android Wear watch. Photo: Google

Google’s smartwatch platform, Android Wear, has officially gained support for iPhones. The Android Wear for iOS app is currently rolling out and anyone with an iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus can start using the Android Wear app at last. Just make sure you’re running iOS 8.2 or later.

The move comes somewhat randomly but makes total strategic sense for Google.