Third-party workout syncing was praised as very easy, especially for sending activities to external services.
Pros: battery life, value for money
Cons: mapping and navigation, smartwatch features
Best 2023 Smartwatches for third-party app support
Third-party app support was strong in the scored reviews, especially through Google Play and well-integrated Wear OS apps.
Pros: software smoothness, comfort
Cons: battery life, GPS accuracy
Third-party app support was consistently strong thanks to Play Store availability and broad watch-face or fitness-app options.
Pros: battery life, display quality
Cons: voice assistant quality, sleep tracking accuracy
Third-party app support was strongly positive, with reviewers highlighting access to apps such as Google Maps, Spotify, WhatsApp, YouTube Music, and the Play Store.
Pros: app ecosystem, battery life
Cons: size options, comfort
Third-party app support is positive but not seamless, with Spotify/Connect IQ setup described as smooth and straightforward rather than Apple-like.
Pros: display quality, value for money
Cons: charging convenience, smartphone notifications
Third-party app support was positive where reviewed because workout data could flow to connected platforms such as Strava and MapMyFitness.
Pros: style and design, charging convenience
Cons: battery life, charging speed
Third-party app support is positive in limited evidence, with syncing to Google Fit, Strava, and Samsung Health mentioned approvingly.
Pros: style and design, battery life
Cons: charging convenience, smartphone notifications
Third-party app support was praised as practical add-on functionality rather than cosmetic extras.
Pros: battery life, GPS accuracy
Cons: heart rate accuracy, value for money
Third-party app support is a positive surprise, especially for sharing data with platforms such as Suunto, Apple Health, and Strava.
Pros: battery life, display quality
Cons: band quality, smartwatch features
Third-party app support was mixed: Strava and Connect IQ are useful, but Garmin apps can feel clunky or less polished.
Pros: battery life, GPS accuracy
Cons: smartwatch features, charging convenience
Third-party app support is limited compared with mainstream smartwatch platforms, though Garmin’s activity export and Connect IQ extras still add value.
Pros: battery life, GPS accuracy
Cons: smartwatch features, smartphone notifications
Third-party app support is inconsistent, with some appreciation for added apps but stronger criticism that the ecosystem is far behind premium stores and still limited.
Pros: value for money, battery life
Cons: smartwatch features, app ecosystem
Third-party app support was mixed: Garmin’s store and watch-face options helped, but broader integrations and app depth drew criticism.
Pros: battery life, mapping and navigation
Cons: value for money, score tracking
Third-party app support exists through Connect IQ, but reviewer evidence suggests the ecosystem lacks polish versus Apple Watch.
Pros: battery life, GPS accuracy
Cons: user interface, fit
Third-party app support was a weakness compared with Apple/Google-style ecosystems.
Pros: value for money, GPS accuracy
Cons: sleep tracking accuracy, recovery insights
Third-party app support was repeatedly criticized as sparse or disappointing, even when reviewers could live with the limitation.
Pros: battery life, workout tracking variety
Cons: call handling, smartphone notifications
Third-party support is the most criticized connected feature, with repeated complaints about missing or limited integration and export options.
Pros: style and design, display quality
Cons: companion app quality, value for money
Third-party app support was a weakness, with reviewers telling app-focused buyers to look elsewhere or comparing it unfavorably with full smartwatches.
Pros: battery life, style and design
Cons: value for money, charging convenience
Third-party app support was essentially absent, a limitation reviewers emphasized when comparing the ScanWatch 2 to fuller smartwatches.
Pros: style and design, battery life
Cons: smartwatch features, value for money
Third-party app support is one of the clearest weaknesses, especially the lack of Strava, Polar Flow, Apple Health, Google Fit, and export options.
Pros: comfort, battery life
Cons: companion app quality, value for money