Merge Watch is a third-party app that allows an Apple Watch to communicate with an Android phone, addressing Apple’s usual restriction that the watch only works with an iPhone. It enables Android users to retain features such as forwarded notifications, message replies, music controls and some health-data syncing, although the experience is less seamless than Apple’s native ecosystem.

The watch must first be activated with an iPhone, after which Merge Watch is installed on both devices and granted permissions for Bluetooth, health data and notifications. ECG readings and sleep data can appear on the Android phone, but notifications are handled through the Merge app rather than natively, and the Android phone continues to receive alerts simultaneously. The service also raises privacy considerations and costs up to $6 a month for full access, with testing suggesting the results are mixed for everyday use.