Apple Watch for Android

The US Department of Justice has launched an antitrust case against Apple, alleging the world's largest technology company is maintaining a monopoly on its mobile environment and gadgets such as the Apple Watch. In the complaint, the Department of Justice utilised the fact that the Apple Watch is only compatible with Apple devices to support its assertion that Apple is a monopoly. During an antitrust lawsuit defence, Apple recently revealed that they previously explored making the Apple Watch compatible with Android smartphones. This revelation contradicts the long-held notion that Apple prioritises a closed ecosystem where their devices work best with each other. The project was reportedly in development for three years before being abandoned due to "technical limitations."

Apple Watch for Android

According to a recent report by 9to5Mac, the Cupertino-based tech giant pondered developing an Apple Watch for Android. He worked on making it compatible for three years before abandoning the idea. According to the story, Apple was keen to introduce Android functionality to the Apple Watch but stated that it was not feasible due to "technical limitations."

Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple developers were working on making the Apple Watch and Health app compatible with Android smartphones and that the program was "nearly complete" before being cancelled. It further alleges that the tech giant may have claimed 'business factors' to explain the Apple Watch's incompatibility with Android devices.

Apple Watch: Case Filed

The recently filed action against Apple includes many anti-competitive activities and claims that the tech giant broke antitrust rules by locking people into its iPhone ecosystem. Regarding smartwatches, the complaint claims that competitor smartwatches disallowed crucial features when connected to iPhones, giving the Apple Watch an unfair advantage.

The lawsuit against Apple focuses on its control over the app market and the potential stifling of competition. Highlighting their past efforts towards Android compatibility might be a way for Apple to demonstrate they're not a monopoly. However, the need for more details about the technical limitations leaves room for debate.

Conclusion

This revelation sheds light on Apple's internal discussions and past development efforts. This doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will revisit an Android-compatible watch in the future. It sparks debate about the future of wearables and the potential for cross-platform compatibility.