LG G Watch Android Wear long term review

Android Wear app screen
Android Wear app screen

I ordered my LG G Watch at the launch date for Android Wear devices which was at the end of June 2014.  I’ve been wearing it off and on since it arrived on July 7th 2014.  This was one of the first Android Wear watches to be announced and shipped to customers.  Newer models have been released since then.

Unlike the non-smart watches I bought for fashion reasons more than function, this was one that I wanted for function over fashion.  I spend all of my time around computers, cellphones, or clocks so simply telling me the time isn’t something I need a watch to do for me.  In fact I usually don’t wear a watch unless I’m leaving my house.

What the LG G Watch (Black Titan) which originally sold for $229 does besides tell you the time, is function as an extension of the smart phone you are using.  You can now easily glance down to see a notification banner on your wrist.  You feel a small vibration when notifications are made.  You can raise your wrist up and speak a command to initiate an action.

Unlike some other Android Wear smartwatches released later, this LG G Watch has no built in WiFi capability.  All of the communication between it and your paired smart phone is carried over a Bluetooth connection.  An application must be installed on your smartphone which allows the watch to use the WiFi or cellular data connection for it’s communication as well.

No speaker was built into this watch, so using it to listen to music without headphones, or to listen to a phone call is not possible.  You can answer an incoming phone call, or send it to voice mail by swiping one way or the other on the notification, but you will need to use the speaker and mic on your cellphone, or maybe a Bluetooth headset or vehicle adapter you have also paired with your phone.  You can send SMS messages or initiate a phone call by using voice commands on the watch.

Google Fit Step Tracker
Google Fit Step Tracker

No heart rate monitor hardware was included in this watch. It can still function as an activity tracker and works with Google Fit, but heart rate readings are not possible.

Nexus 5 and LG G Watch on chargers
Nexus 5 and LG G Watch on chargers

This watch uses a recharging cradle and not a cable. On the back of the watch are contact points which are pressed up against pins in a recharging cradle with a magnet. I along with many other noticed a tarnished charging pin over time that would eventually make it difficult to recharge the internal battery of this watch. A solution that I used was to rub a pencil eraser over the contact point and remove the oxidation and restore the ability to make a good electrical connection. I feel like this shouldn’t be a requirement, and I don’t know how much this has to do with sweating and the contact between the charging pin on the back of the watch body and one’s skin.

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I tried using different settings and eventually picked the watch face that includes the Google Fit activity display, and also a setting that keeps the display OFF most of the time. With this combination I frequently see more than 2 days of use between charges. I won’t take my charging stand on a trip that only spans a weekend or two days. I do pack it for trips that are longer in duration. When I was trying settings that had the screen all of the time, it was normal to need to recharge the watch each night while sleeping. I don’t find the need to raise my arm and rotate my wrist to cause the screen to illuminate an imposition. I think the trade off for greater battery life is worth it.

LG G Watch on eBay

Since I’ve had this watch the Android Wear software has been updated multiple times, some of the updates adding additional features and improving performance.  The ability to control the display using gestures has been expanded since the initial release, for example.

Android Wear 1.1.1
Android Wear 1.1.1

Updates tend to follow updates to the Android operating system, however there is support for using these smart watches with iOS based smartphones.  In general I have found the stability of Android Wear to be pretty good, and can’t recall ever having to use the hard reset button on my watch.  That same button is used to power on a watch that is completely off.  I use Airplane mode on my watch when I fly.

Android Wear 1.4.0 about versions screen
Android Wear 1.4.0 about versions screen

There are applications that are built into Android Wear, and functions for using and controlling applications that are part of Android on your smartphone.  Some Android applications are written to support Android Wear devices, and when these are installed on a smartphone that is paired to a smartwatch, you see those applications also showing up to be launched, and also displaying information on the watch.

My Ford Mobile control screen on Android Wear
My Ford Mobile control screen on Android Wear

The app that I can use to control my plug in hybrid has a small screen for locking and unlocking as well as starting and stopping my vehicle.  In this case the MyFord Mobile app lets you do this from your smartphone or your smartwatch.  The same app also pushes charging status alerts to my phone and watch’s display.

MFM Android Wear message
MFM Android Wear message

I must admit that I’ve grown to really like getting the same Android and Google Now cards I see on my smartphone, displayed on my watch at the same time.  This means I don’t need to set my phone somewhere in the car where I can glance down at it’s screen.  Instead I feel a vibration on my wrist an simply turn my arm and look at the watch face.  This is easily done while driving, without taking a hand off the steering wheel or looking away from the road.  When I’m sitting at a table, I don’t feel like I need to take my phone out and place it on the surface where I can see it.  A glance at my wrist is all it takes to see who’s calling me, what the new email is about, or even which network my phone has connected to.

Network notification message
Network notification message

There are a number of things that I do use the voice command feature to initiate.  To do this you raise your arm and turn your wrist and wait for the “Ok Google” prompt to appear.  You then say “OK Google” followed by your command.  Some commands are executed with any results displaying on the watch.  Other commands are initiated but require you to use your smartphone to complete the action or review the results.

I’m still getting good battery life out of my watch and continue to use it almost daily.  If something were to happen, I’d almost certainly look to replace it with a newer model Android Wear watch, or a similar older watch at discount.  If you want to try out a smartwatch, this might be a low cost option worthy of consideration.