The Huawei Watch Ultimate offers a robust set of health and fitness features, but its app integration is limited compared to other popular smartwatches. Here's a detailed comparison:
Huawei Watch Ultimate App Integration
- App Selection: The Huawei Watch Ultimate uses the Huawei AppGallery for installing apps, which has a limited selection compared to other platforms. Users can install apps like Spotify, TickTick, and a calculator, but the overall variety is restricted[1][9].
- Third-Party Support: While the watch can integrate with third-party apps like Strava through the Huawei Health app, support for Western playback streaming services and fitness apps is lacking[9].
- Voice Assistant: Huawei's Celia voice assistant is available but only works when paired with a Huawei smartphone[9].
Comparison with Other Smartwatches
- Apple Watch Series: The Apple Watch boasts the most extensive app ecosystem, with thousands of apps available directly through the App Store. This includes popular apps like AllTrails, Calm, Pandora, Peloton, Shazam, Spotify, Starbucks, and Strava[2][8]. The seamless integration with the iOS ecosystem makes it a top choice for iPhone users.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch: Running on Wear OS, the Samsung Galaxy Watch offers access to Google's app ecosystem, including Google Maps, Google Pay, and Google Assistant. It also supports third-party apps from the Google Play Store, although some are Samsung-specific[2][8].
- Google Pixel Watch: As a native Wear OS device, the Google Pixel Watch provides solid app compatibility via the Google Play Store. It includes apps like Spotify, Google Maps, and full integration with Google services like Google Assistant and Google Home[2][8].
- Garmin and Fitbit: These brands focus more on fitness and wellness apps. Garmin's Connect IQ store offers specialized health tools and apps like Spotify, while Fitbit's ecosystem includes a fair number of fitness and wellness apps but is more limited compared to Apple or Wear OS options[2].
In summary, while the Huawei Watch Ultimate excels in health and fitness tracking, its app integration is limited compared to other smartwatches, particularly those running on Apple's or Google's ecosystems. Users seeking a wide range of apps might find other options more appealing.
Citations:
[1] https://www.androidauthority.com/huawei-watch-ultimate-review-3335995/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ei0c1XLfi0
[3] https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/huawei-watch-ultimate-best-smartwatch-you-have-not-heard-of/
[4] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.huawei.huawei_watch.huawei_watch_ultimate_guide.smart_watch
[5] https://www.kentfaith.com/blog/article_which-app-is-used-to-connect-smart-watch_24674
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLA4TcLEDo
[7] https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/content/en-us15771217/
[8] https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-smartwatches
[9] https://www.stuff.tv/review/huawei-watch-ultimate-review/
[10] https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2023/05/25/forget-apple-watch-huawei-watch-ultimate-beats-apple-to-game-changing-new-features/