If you are engaged with outdoor activities, travel, or sports, one coolest feature you definitely want on your outdoor smartwatch is a google map and a GPS, for getting directions and finding the best routes. Getting a google map on smartwatch is pretty easy, and it’s not a big deal getting the same google maps on smartphones either. Most android smartphones just come with the map already installed and easy to get started.
What about smartwatches? There are lots of activities you would find convenient doing them phoneless and the only seamless way to still get connected is having an unnoticeable smart wearable device on your wrists–a smart wristwatch.
Now you have a smartwatch with music player or outdoor smartwatch for hiking and trail running to use for outdoors and you want a map on it, how do you go around it?
How do I use A Wear OS or Google Map on smartwatch?
Maps are important navigation tools for outdoor adventure. Sometimes, for outdoor trips, you may have gone out – say on your best hikes, and you got disappointed not having a map around.
The best way to carry navigation maps for outdoor exploration is having a good navigation google map on your outdoor smartwatch, and we are going to show you how.
Here’s how to set a map on your running smartwatch with Bluetooth music and GPS.
1. Get the best Smartwatch That supports Google Maps
The first step is you make sure your outdoor smart watch can support google navigation map. Most advanced smartwatches out there be it Apple or Android have mapping features. But when it comes to using google maps, they work best with Android smartwatch or wear OS watches. Here are some Best wear OS watches we suggest for you if you haven’t obtained one yet.
Cheap Smartwatch With Google Maps Navigation. Has 4G capacity, 48 hours battery, and is Compatible with iOS and Android, Google Assistant
Suunto 7, GPS Sport Smartwatch
Runs on Wear OS by Google. Supports Google assistant via a microphone, which in turn, performs operations on a well-integrated Google-maps app.
Compatible with Android and iOS devices. Android Wear requires you to get a phone running Android 4.3+ or iOS 9+. Android Wear for iOS is also available for iPhone 5 and late versions.
TicWatch Pro 4G LTE Cellular Smartwatch
Best Standalone Smartwatch With Google Maps Navigation. It has build-in GPS , LTE, bluetooth, NFC, and Wear OS by Google
there is actually no dedicated google map app for Tizen based Samsung smartwatches. This Samsung Galaxy 3 Watch Have no Google Maps. You must use plenty of third-party apps like Navigator Pro(may cost premium subscription). this Smart Watch has Bluetooth and GPS connectivity, Advanced Health monitoring, and Fitness tracking.
Fossil Men’s Sport Metal and Silicone Touchscreen Smartwatch
this map watch is powered with wear OS by Google and work with iPhone and Android phones. Supports Heart Rate, GPS, NFC, and Smartphone Notifications.
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 42mm)
Affordable Apple Watch With Google Maps Navigation. it runs on watchOS 7, supports google map and has LTE options for calls and texting its dessigned with Silver Aluminum Case and White Sport Band, 18 hours battery life, 8G/16G memory.
Fossil Men’s Gen 5 Garrett Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch
Flagship wearOS watch with Bluetooth, NFC, Loudspeaker & microphone, Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Pay, Speaker, Heart Rate, GPS, and Smartphone Notifications
Skagen Connected Falster 3 Gen 5
The Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 and the Storage of 8GB is impressive. The classy Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch allows Google maps run smoothly on it. It also supports Google Pay and Google assistant, and calling over Bluetooth for iPhone and android devices. Heart Rate, GPS, NFC, and 3ATM are just extra bonus functions.
Huawei Watch 2 Classic Smartwatch
Huawei boasts Wifi and even cellular connectivity, plus google map navigation features. 2 days battery, powered by Snapdragon Wear 2100, with 4GB appreciable storage and 3G + 4G LTE. Design features a ceramic Bezel- Black Leather Strap
All these are just a few best watches that support wear OS to use google maps, plays, and streams(with Spotify) music, runs gps tracking.
2. Install Google Wear OS
Make sure your smartwatch supports Get Googles Wear OS. If it doesn’t, you got no options to use google maps. You may only rely on gps for phone-free tracking.
The idea of effectively using a map on smart watch is especially strong on Google’s Wear OS and android watches. There are some non-android watches that support wear OS and you need to be sure your watch does.
3. Download and Install Google Maps
With the wear OS available in your wrists watch, you can install Google Maps on Your Wear OS compatible.
It’s very simple to install Google Maps – just like installing every other app on your wrist. All you got to do is make sure you have the Google Maps app already installed on your phone.
- Go open Google Play Store.
- On the search bar, type ‘Google Maps’
- select and click Install
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4 Navigate
There are two ways to navigate with Google Maps on an Wear OS smartwatch: manual or voice.
1. Manual
To get around you have to actually open the map. Use the crown on the watch to zoom in or out.
You can also use the plus(+) and minus(-) buttons you see at the top. To locate your where-about on the map click on the button on the left side of your screen.
To check specific places or business areas, brows and tap on the business place and you’ll get to see a blue-colored arrow. A click on it takes you to where you want.
Because google map and android have the same parents, they are a good match for each other. The Google Maps is somehow navigation restricted for apple smartphones and smartwatches. You can select places, businesses or anywhere you want but you wouldn’t be able to navigate them.
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2. Use Google Assistant
Use the Google Assistant to go around. Use voice to get directions on Google Maps.
- Turn on the watch
- Say OK Google and wait let it boot
- After booting says “… navigate to [name of place]”
- To specify the means, say “… by [car, bike, foot]”
- Google Maps notification pops up, make clear where you want to navigate to.
- To end Google Maps Navigation on Wear OS watch, tap on google map card and tap ‘Exit Navigation’
Some Tips for Using Google Maps on Wear OS
- To view the list of places nearby, swipe upwards on the green card at the bottom.
- Swipe left to check distance and time left to destination
- To exit the navigation swipe to the right.
- Hit the blue arrow to go to navigation
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Other things Wear OS by Google can do
There are few other things the google wear OS platform can do
1 Google Assistant
Ask Google assistant what you want and it will automatically serve you answers related to your conversation.
There are three ways to return your answer.
- over the watch speaker if there’s one
- wireless – Bluetooth headphones
- Watch face, in case your smartwatch doesn’t have a speaker or support headphones.
2 Google Apps
You can use google apps on your smart watch wear OS. If you have a google account, you have access to google play, Google translates, Google Fit, Google Play Music, Google Keep, and calendar. You can also get access to contact, sync apps, and notifications.
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3 Notifications
Wear OS can help you text or write a Gmail message without using a phone.
4 Third Party Apps
You can download Runtastic or Strava .
5 Play music
If your Wear OS smartwatches come with enough Ram and onboard storage( mostly 4GB to 8GB) for songs, you can rock out while you work out. You can either store the music or, you stream or download them from Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio directly into your wrists. Check smartwatch with music and spotify
Can you get a google map on a Samsung galaxy watch?
You are not going to find a Samsung Galaxy smartwatches with native integration Google Maps since they don’t come with any Google apps pre-installed. You also can’t get google map official apps in the Galaxy Store, so you are the one to get Google Maps on your Samsung watch.
There are many navigation apps(Navigation Pro for example) that can work any Tizen OS smartwatch like Samsung to help get google maps for galaxy watches.
How to install Google Map on Samsung galaxy smartwatch
Most people can’t get galaxy watch navigation maps working properly because of poor installation. Watch the video below and see how to get your Samsung Galaxy smartwatch run with map navigation.
Wrap up
I hope you were able to get google map installed on your smart watch. Enjoy your outdoor hiking, hunting or running adventure.
I found fun in watches especially when I started having difficult time select wearables for my skinny 5.5 inch wrists.
Because of the amazing toolds embedded inside trackers and smartwatches, I fell in love with fitness.
Today I love to go out for gym workouts with my friends. Now am part of a sizable fitness community and I feel lucky.
