Merge Watch offers an Apple Watch workaround for Android users
The third-party app mirrors notifications and shares some watch features, but requires initial iPhone activation and a US$6 monthly subscription for full access.
Apple Watch is designed to work with an iPhone, but Merge Watch offers Android users a way to keep using one after switching phones. Engadget reports that the watch must first be activated with an iPhone, then paired with the app installed on both devices.
The app can forward notifications, let users reply to messages, provide music playback controls and sync health data with Google Fit. Engadget’s reviewer also found ECG recordings and sleep data visible on the phone. Notifications can be managed by app.
The connection is third-party notification mirroring, rather than native Apple Watch and Android integration. Notifications still reach the Android phone while the watch is in use, and the shared features run through Merge Watch; other Apple Watch apps continue to operate independently.
In tests with an Apple Watch Series 10 running watchOS 27 and a OnePlus 15 on Android 16, the reviewer observed occasional delays and had to reopen the watch app to restore notifications. The watch sometimes delivered a backlog at once, and battery use was somewhat higher.
Engadget said full access costs US$6 a month. Its reliability and battery observations reflect one device setup, and the review does not establish how the app performs across other models.
