Google may be developing an Android Wear app to integrate with iOS devices that could appear in the Apple Store, according to rumors started by a report on the French website 01net and relayed to the English-speaking world by Gigaom and others. Integrating Android Wear with iPhones may seem like flirting with the enemy, but the move could have advantages for Google, Apple and the consumer – which could cause the tribal division between Android and Apple aficionados to crumble in the near future.
Benefits for Google
Letting Android Wear users sync their devices with the iPhone will open up a new market of millions of people. In the fourth quarter of 2014, alone, 74.5 million iPhones were sold. With Apple releasing the Apple Watch in April, Google does not want to lose this entire sector of the market.
Benefits for Apple
Apple may enjoy a reciprocal benefit. Although the Apple Watch will be available soon, it will retail for $349. People who cannot afford this price point may be convinced to switch over to an Android phone, so they can also have an Android Watch. However, integration between the Android Watch and iPhone would give people who don’t have $349 for a watch the option to buy a less expensive Android smartwatch but use an iPhone. Thus, Apple may see an increase in iPhone sales.
Benefits for Consumers
Consumers, most of all, would benefit from an Android Watch app for the iPhone because it would give them a choice. They would not have to buy into either Google’s or Apple’s tribe but could pick and choose the specific devices most suited to their needs. Consumers who want an Android Watch with an iPhone would be able to be in both the Android and Apple worlds. In fact, according to Gigaom, a developer known as MohammadAG recently hacked his Android Wear smartwatch to work with his iPhone’s notifications.
An Android Watch app in the Apple Store may seem like a misplaced product, but it makes sense for everyone. Google, Apple and even the consumer will benefit if these rumors prove true.
