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Google is reportedly considering a version of its Android Wear app that would play nice with Apple’s iPhone and iPad.
The Android Wear app allows you to pair and use your Android smartwatch with your Android phone so the two can work as a team. But the app only supports Android devices on both ends. So an iPhone user wouldn’t be able to pair with an Android watch such as the Moto 360 or Samsung’s Galaxy Gear .
That limitation could soon be history, according to a story out Tuesday from French website 01net. Google is reportedly prepping an iOS app for the App Store that would let users of Apple’s iOS pair their phones with Android smartwatches. Such an app could be unveiled at Google’s I/O developers conference on May 28 and 29, or even sooner if demand calls for it.
Assuming the report is accurate, Android Wear support for iOS could deliver benefits to both Google and Apple. By limiting Android Wear to Android smartphones, Google is missing out on a large audience. Thanks to the iPhone 6, Apple moved a record 74.5 million iPhones during the final quarter of 2014, a huge and untapped market for Google and Android smartwatch vendors.
Apple, meanwhile, could potentially see a bump in iPhone sales. The company is planning to bring the Apple Watch to market in April, but not all smartwatch buyers are going to flock to it, especially with a starting price of $349. A variety of Android smartwatches sell for much less. But again, you currently need an Android smartphone to support them. Consumers who buy an Android Watch that supports iOS would be able to choose an iPhone 6 as an alternative.
A connection between Android Wear and the iPhone seems technically doable. An iOS app developer cooked up his own hack that allowed his Moto 360 smartwatch to sync with his iPhone, according to a video sent to The Hacker News. And no jailbreak or root access was required.
Would Apple approve an Android Wear app for its App Store? Apple already offers several apps from Google, such as Google Maps and Google Chrome. An Android Wear app would be different as it would open up a new world of compatibility between the companies’ respective devices. But if Apple and Google each saw the move as advantageous, there’s no reason why it couldn’t happen.
For new details on the Apple Watch, tune in to CNET’s Apple event live show and blog on March 9, at 9 a.m. PT.
Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment. A Google spokesperson told CNET that the company had nothing to share at this time.
