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Best Wear OS smartwatch apps (2019)
That wrist-worn computer you've got there – it counts your steps, it displays notifications, it monitors your pulse, and yes, it even tells the time with utmost accuracy! But what if we told you that it can do a lot more than all that?
Yup: smartwatches may be small in size, but they pack a whole bunch of sensors and hold enough processing power to run useful apps – apps that help you stay fit, that let you find your way around, that help you follow the latest headlines, that make using your smartwatch more fun.
Smartwatches powered by Google's Wear OS – the LG Watch Sport, the Huawei Watch 2, and the Skagen Falster, to name a few – have access to the Play Store and its rich software catalog. Formerly known as Android Wear, the platform has not only plenty of watch faces to offer, but also has thousands of apps waiting to be downloaded. We ran through a whole bunch of them so that we can now highlight the ones worthy of your attention.
Pen and paper? Perhaps it is time to leave them in the last century. Here is an app that lets you quickly create multiple shopping lists that you can share with your fellow household members. There is no need to type items manually. Instead, you just tap on the things that need to be picked up. The smartwatch app lets you easily add new items or mark the ones you have as picked.
Google Maps needs no introduction – it is an app that you should already have on your smartphone. Downloading it for your Wear OS smartwatch as well would allow you to keep track of your route without the need to take your phone out, as directions are automatically shown on your smartwatch's display. The app supports ambient mode, meaning that navigation data is displayed even with your watch in standby.
And while wandering around, you can find a nice place to eat or have coffee at using the Foursquare app. Naturally, its Wear OS version is much simplified. "What are you in the mood for?" the app asks, and you pick from a list, depending on whether you're searching for a coffee shop, a restaurant, a shopping mall, or you simply want to see what locations are trending near you.
Citymapper is a transit app designed to help you get around the city using the most efficient means of public transport available, combining bus, subway, train, ferry, taxi, car share, bike share, and plain ol' walking. The Wear OS version of the app gives you step-by-step directions and real-time alerts, letting you know when it's time to hop on or hop off. The service isn't available everywhere, but many major cities are covered, including New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington DC.
