Wear OS 3 is the biggest overhaul we’ve seen for Google’s smartwatch operating system so far, but it’s also one that apparently came with a huge disappointment, as the first – and so far only – Wear OS 3 watches were the Samsung Galaxy Watch. 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and are not compatible with iPhones.
Far from being a limitation of Wear OS 3, it seems that this is simply a limitation that Samsung has decided to impose, as the Montblanc Summit 3 was recently announced, and is confirmed to have iOS support.
This detail was mentioned in the wearable’s official spec list and also confirmed for storable (opens in new tab) by a spokesperson for Qualcomm, which doesn’t make the Summit 3 but does make the Snapdragon 4100 Plus chipset at its heart, so they should know.
Now, chances are you won’t end up buying the Montblanc Summit 3 – even if you’re an Apple Watch-averse iPhone owner – as it costs $1,290 / £1,105 / AU$2,030.
What does he do to justify that price? It has Montblanc in the name, mostly, although it looks like a competent wearable, with a 1.28-inch 416 x 416 AMOLED display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, 5ATM water resistance, sapphire glass, a heart rate monitor and a premium build.
That’s fine, but mostly it’s just the presence of iOS support that worries us, as it suggests that we’ll soon see some affordable Wear OS 3 watches that include this.
Review: Don’t rely on iOS support for the Pixel Watch
One of the next big Wear OS 3 smartwatches we’re looking forward to is the Google Pixel Watch, but that might not have iOS support.
Google has already teased the wearable and only listed Android compatibility. Even more damning, a Google spokesperson said CNET (opens in new tab) that iPhones will not be supported.
It seems strange that Google and Samsung cut such a large potential audience, which makes us wonder if the chipsets used in these watches could be a factor – as the Pixel Watch is rumored to use an Exynos chipset like the company’s wearables. Samsung. That being the problem is just speculation though.
But whatever the case, at this rate, it could still be a while before many of the best Wear OS 3 smartwatches get iOS support.