[wiki] Smartwatches and the Jolla phone
asked 2014-11-25 00:08:23 +0300
This post is a wiki. Anyone with karma >75 is welcome to improve it.
In this wiki we document how to use several models of smartwatches with Sailfish. In addition, whenever applications are required to use a smartwatch, we document all the available applications.
Basically, if it doesn't appear in this list, it is likely your smartwatch won't work with Sailfish.
MetaWatch
This is Strata/Frame version; not the newer Meta M1 version. The older MetaWatch is a basic black&white reflective LCD smartwatch, with barebones hardware (MSP430 µC), documented protocol and partially open firmware. The watch can't run programs; smartphone programs are supposed to be able to push images to the watch, though. Basically, this is used to show some widgets. Battery life is around a week.
Salmeta is an in-progress program to connect your Jolla to the MetaWatch. Binaries are currently available only on javispedro's OBS repository. Salmeta only works with the latest MetaWatch firmware, and is under active but slow development.
- Working features: Basic connecting (Bluetooth Classic & Smart), time synchronization, basic notification forwarding, rearranging watchfaces
- Missing: caller id, media player controls, widgets
Pebble
The Pebble and the Pebble Steel both have the same internals, so they are both included in this list. The Pebble is a black&white reflective LCD smartwatch with a basic CortexM µC. The firmware is closed, the protocol is not documented, but a python communication library is officially supported. The Pebble can run programs on the watch itself, but many of them require a corresponding program running on the phone in order to perform useful work or connect to the Internet. Battery life is around a week.
Pebbled allows connecting the Pebble with a Jolla. Pebbled is available in OpenRepos. Package contains D-Bus daemon talking to the watch and configuration app in QML.
- Working features: Connection (bluetooth classic), notification forwarding, caller id, Voice Calls notification and control, Conversations notifications forwarding, Missed calls notifications, New email notifications, Twitter and Mitakuuluu notifications, MPRIS compatible media player support, Set "silent" profile when watch is connected, Phone to Watch time synchronization, Transliterate strings to plain ASCII, daemon management app, "org.pebbled" DBus interface, installing/removing Pebble programs, running JavaScript side of Pebble programs, Pebble Appstore support, Updating firmware.
SkippingStones is a purely QML implementation of the Pebble protocol and corresponding application. It is available in OpenRepos. Being a purely QML program, you must keep it open in the background to connect to the watch.
- Working features: Connection (bluetooth classic), notification forwarding, caller id, music player control, time synchronization, installing Pebble programs
Pebble Time
Pebble Time (& Time Steel) is a colour reflective LCD smartwatch with a CortexM µC. Protocol is supported by python library. Pebbled is working on adding Time compatibility.
Samsung Gear 1/2/S
The Samsung Gear series are colour OLED smartwatches with high specs (e.g. Samsung Exynos SoC, up to 1GiB of RAM). Despite the fact that the Gear 1 uses Android, and the Gear 2 and S use Tizen, the same phone programs can handle all of them. Battery life is around 3 days.
The Gear uses a proprietary, encrypted protocol, but some progress has been made to connect to the watch. An example command-line daemon is able to connect to the watch, set the time, and forward notifications to it, from the Jolla. There is no user interface for it, but there could be one if there's enough interest.
- Working: basic connection (bluetooth classic), time synchronization, basic notification forwarding, phone call forwarding (hands-free)
- Missing: every other feature, user-friendliness
Qualcomm Toq
The Qualcomm Toq uses a always-on Mirasol colour screen (generic name is IMOD), and a CortexM µC. It averages between 5-6 days of battery life.
It has closed firmware and undocumented protocol. However, most of the firmware is written in Lua, and the protocols used are based on JSON and OBEX; therefore, it seems easy to write programs for it. I have started writing a Sailfish program to connect to it, Saltoq. Currently it's very much a work in progress, if you're interested in using it it's best you contact @javispedro .
- Working: basic connection (bluetooth classic), time synchronization, recent messages, call log, music control, contacts, calendar, sending/receiving calls (no mic), notifications
- Missing: quick replies, weather, stocks, installing custom apps or watchfaces, updating firmware
Android Wear
No idea yet, undocumented protocol! Because many smartwatches seem to be based on Android Wear, it may be interested to tackle this protocol in the future. Generally, Android Wear smartwatches all have colour touchscreens, but varying technologies (OLED -- Moto 360, LG Watch; reflective LCD -- Sony Smartwatch 3), and 1-2 day battery life.
webOS
At CES2015, LG and Audi displayed a smart watch running webOS, expected delivery at the beginning of 2016. No idea about protocol, so not supported.
MotionX
MotionX is a "open platform" for watchmakers to build smartwatch features into traditional watches, created by Swiss watchmakers. First watches expected in June 2015, with a total of more than ten watches during this year. Read more here. MotionX is currently used in wearables, such as Nike+ Running and Jawbone UP. Again, no idea about protocol, so not supported.
U8/ U80/ U8+
Connects well to Jolla - Calls, Contacts and Audio work however other notifications do not work as there is no way to allow access to them via Bluetooth, looking around for an app or patch that will enable this.
Sony SmartWatch 2
Connects to Jolla Via Bluetooth (NFC Pairing does not work for obvious reasons); however SW2 Android app (installed via Jolla Android store) which is needed to connect to SW2 watch functions does not pick up the watch. The watch will confirm that it's connected to Jolla but the Android app on Jolla handset does not recognise the watch is connected so none of the features or notifications work.
Other
- Meta M1: No idea yet, seems protocol is not documented!
- Liveview: No idea, albeit there were some programs for N900/N9.
- MBW150: Doesn't work on Jolla because of lack of Bluetooth DUN support.
Feel free to edit this Wiki to add whatever smartwatches you've tried, or comments, software or ideas.
A useful wiki as I feel that wearables will become more and more prevalent to the point of perhaps people just having a wearable and a tablet and skip a separate mobile phone all together - especially in light of the gear s being able to send and receive calls as a stand alone device. Other manufactures will surely follow suit with that innovation.
michae1 ( 2014-11-25 05:04:22 +0300 )editA small nitpick of mine is that if you call the Pebble a "e-paper" LCD then you also need to call the reflective LCDs "e-paper", because they have higher contrast ratios... so it's not useful.
javispedro ( 2014-11-25 16:47:29 +0300 )edite-paper is a generic term for displays with paper-like readability that do not require back-light, so yes - nitpicking ;-)
smoku ( 2014-11-25 17:10:35 +0300 )editNot long until pebbled supports Javascript apps :). https://github.com/javispedro/pebble/tree/js-testing I have running it on my Jolla and it works like a charm :).
Sailor ( 2014-12-08 22:15:28 +0300 )editPebble application support was merged to pebbled trunk and is available as pre-release on OpenRepos. :-)
smoku ( 2015-01-04 03:11:32 +0300 )edit