Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Series Drops Support for iOS Devices Post Partnership With Google

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series has seemingly dropped support for iOS devices, as per Samsung's specifications page for the new wearables. Up till now, Samsung's Galaxy Watch models have offered support for both Android and iOS but now with the partnership between Samsung and Google, it looks like iOS users will have to look at other flagship smartwatch options in the market. Samsung launched is Galaxy Watch 4 series that includes two sizes for the Galaxy Watch 4 and two for the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic yesterday, August 11, at its Galaxy Unpacked event.

Samsung and Google teamed up to work on an improved wearable software experience and announced One UI Watch that debuted with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series. While the smartwatch series boasts of flagship specifications such as a new SoC, 1.5GB of RAM, and a host of sensors, what seems to be missing is support for iOS devices. The specifications page for the Galaxy Watch 4 series on Samsung's global website shows the smartwatch models are compatible with Android 6.0 or higher with no mention of iOS compatibility.

Typically, Samsung's Galaxy Watch models come with iOS support allowing iPhone users to make use of features like a rotating bezel or a round dial or others. This was the case with the previous generation Galaxy Watch 3 as well that is compatible with iPhone 5 or above and iOS 9.0 or above.

However, a report by Ars Technica citing inputs from Samsung states that the South Korean tech giant currently has “no plans to stop legacy support for previous Galaxy Watches that were compatible with iOS devices.” So, Galaxy Watch 3 or older model users can continue to keep using their smartwatch with iOS devices.

Samsung unveiled four smartwatch models at its Galaxy Unpacked event including a 40mm and 44mm size of the Galaxy Watch 4, along with 42mm and 46mm size for the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. They feature AMOLED displays with optional 4G connectivity, 5ATM + IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certification. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 price starts at $249.99 (roughly Rs. 18,600) for the Bluetooth-only variant, while its LTE model starts at $299.99 (Rs. 22,300). On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic price starts at $349.99 (Rs. 26,000) for the Bluetooth-only version and $399.99 (Rs. 29,700) for the LTE model.