SimpleWear - Phone control & management

SimpleWear enables you to manage specific features on your smartphone using your Wear OS device.

It is important to note that the application must be installed on both your smartphone and your Wear OS device for it to function properly.

Features:

• Monitor connection status to your phone

• Check battery status (percentage and whether it's charging)

• Monitor Wi-Fi status *

• Toggle Bluetooth connection

• View Mobile Data connectivity status *

• Check Location status *

• Activate or deactivate the Flashlight

• Secure your Phone

• Adjust Volume settings

• Control Do Not Disturb mode (Off/Priority Only/Alarms only/Total Silence)

• Select Ringer mode (Vibrate/Sound/Silent)

• Manage music playback from your watch **

• Utilize SleepTimer ***

• Support for Wear OS Tile

• Display Battery Level complication for Wear OS and Phone

Required Permissions:

** Certain features necessitate permissions to function **

• Camera access (necessary for Flashlight functionality)

• Access to Do Not Disturb (needed for changing modes)

• Device Administrator rights (mandatory to lock phone via watch)

• Accessibility Service rights (required to lock phone via watch if Device Admin access isn’t used)

• Pairing the phone with the watch via the app (needed on Android 10 and later)

• Notification access (for Media Controller)

Notes:

• Pairing your devices through the app does not impact battery life

• Please disable the app as a device administrator prior to uninstallation (Settings > Security > Device admin apps)

* Wi-Fi, Mobile Data, and Location statuses are view-only and cannot be adjusted automatically due to restrictions in the Android OS. Therefore, you can only see their current status.

** The Media Controller function allows you to manage media playback on your phone from your watch. Keep in mind that playback may not commence if your queue or playlist is empty on your phone.

*** The SleepTimer application is required.

An Indispensable Tool That Maximizes the Utility of Your Wear OS Watch

As a longtime Wear OS user, I've tried numerous companion apps, but SimpleWear stands out for its remarkable practicality and flawless execution. This application has fundamentally changed how I interact with my smartphone by transforming my watch into a truly powerful remote control. The convenience of being able to securely lock my phone with a single tap on my wrist as I walk away from my desk is invaluable, providing immediate peace of mind. I frequently use the media controller during my commute, as it reliably allows me to play, pause, or skip tracks without ever needing to retrieve my phone from my pocket or bag. 

The flashlight toggle has proven surprisingly useful in dark environments, and the ability to quickly check if I've left my mobile data on is a small but daily convenience. The inclusion of a Wear OS tile provides instant access to key functions, and the battery complication keeps me informed of both my watch and phone's power levels at a glance. While some features are necessarily view-only due to Android restrictions, their status visibility alone is helpful. The setup is straightforward, and after months of use, I've noticed no additional battery drain on either device. For anyone seeking to deepen the integration between their Wear OS watch and Android phone, SimpleWear is an essential, polished, and highly reliable solution.

FAQ:

•   Does this app work with all Wear OS watches, or is it limited to specific brands like Samsung or Pixel? It is designed to work with any watch running Wear OS, regardless of the brand. The functionality depends on the Wear OS version and Android phone compatibility rather than the specific watch manufacturer.

•   I'm concerned about battery life. Does constantly running this app in the background significantly drain my watch or phone? The app is very efficiently designed. In my experience, it has a negligible impact on battery life for both devices. The background monitoring is lightweight, and the convenience far outweighs any minimal power usage.

•   Why are features like Wi-Fi and Location status only viewable and not toggle-able directly from the watch? This is a restriction of the Android operating system for security reasons. Google does not permit third-party apps to automatically change these system-level settings for safety and stability. SimpleWear smartly provides read-only status for these items, which is still very useful for a quick status check.

•   What should I do if the 'Lock Phone' feature doesn't work after installation? This typically requires enabling Device Administrator permissions for the app on your phone. You can do this by going to your phone's Settings > Security > Device admin apps and ensuring SimpleWear is enabled. The app will guide you through this process during setup.