Smartwatches have become extremely popular and it’s not difficult to see why. They have lots of uses from health and fitness, communication and navigation.
It’s really frustrating to be driving, walking or cycling whilst following directions, and having to repeatedly look at your phone to find out where you are supposed to be going.
If you have Google maps on your smartwatch then it is much easier to follow the navigation.
If your smartwatch is powered by WearOS software then it will most likely have Google Maps navigation on it, or be compatible with Google Maps.
This means that the smartwatch will also benefit from Google Pay and Google Assistant.
If you have an apple smartwatch then you can still download the Google Maps application from the Applestore, but it does not have the same functionality on an Apple smartwatch as it does on an Android one.
This is because Apple smartwatches are designed to be compatible with Apple Maps.
If having a WearOS smartwatch is important to you and want to be able to use Google Maps Navigation easily, as well as Google Assistant and Google Pay, then there are some great options to choose from.
We have put together a list of 14 of the best smartwatches with those features to make it easier for you to choose which watch to buy.
OUR TOP PICK
Fossil have been creating great watches since 1984. Their products are fashionable, high quality and designed to be fun and accessible.
This watch has a 22mm band which is interchangeable with other Fossil 22mm bands.
The case of the smartwatch is 44mm.
One of the most impressive things about this watch is the battery life.
The battery will last for 24 hours, and when you need to charge it up you can reach up to 80% charge within one hour.
This means you can recharge your watch while you are sitting having a coffee on your lunch break or while you shower and get dressed before going out.
The charger is magnetic with a USB charging cable. It attaches to a ring on the back of the watch.
While the watch is on the charger you can swivel it 360 degrees.
There are four different battery modes including a custom setting so you can choose the most important features to you whilst you preserve the battery.
If you want to use your smartwatch for health and fitness reasons then this could be a great product for this.
It can track your heart rate and your activity and connect with Google Fit to monitor your progress.
The smartwatch has built in GPS tracking so you can see how far you have travelled.
The watch also has wellness enhancements so you can track your sleep history, monitor the quality of your sleep, and set sleep goals.
This product also has a swim proof design.
When it comes to the display of this watch, there are lots of options to customize and personalize the face with thousands of options to choose from.
There are hundreds of apps to choose from depending on what you need from your watch.
It also benefits from Google Pay and Google Assistant.
With the Fossil Gen 5 you never need to miss a phone call as you can answer your calls even if your phone isn’t in reach.
You can also receive notifications for your texts and you can sync your calendar and receive notifications for appointments and events as well.
This watch has a nice sturdy design, 8GB of storage, and 1GB of RAM. It has a high resolution AMOLED display, which is easily visible indoors and outdoors.
EDITORS CHOICE
Suunto was founded by a Finnish adventurer after he developed a new kind of compass in 1936.
Their watches are designed to be practical, durable and innovative. The Suunto 7 is no exception.
It has a silicone band and a 50mm screen. The case is made of polyamide reinforced with glass fibre.
It benefits from bluetooth connectivity and a touch screen.
There is a heart rate monitor and built in GPS tracking so you can keep track of how much distance you have travelled.
There are over 70 sport modes to allow you to monitor your activity accurately.
This watch also comes with free offline outdoor maps.
The battery can last up to two days and the watch has 8GB of storage. The screen is high resolution and the processor is powerful.
There are lots of apps you can download onto the watch including Google Maps.
Google Assistant is well integrated so it performs well and is easy to use.
There is a microphone for you to command Google Assistant, but no speakers to hear replies or hear the navigation directions.
BEST VALUE
This watch has an LCD screen and 8GB of storage. It benefits from bluetooth connectivity, a microphone and speakers.
It has Google Assistant, Google Pay and Google Maps Navigation.
You don’t need to connect your watch to your phone to use google maps as it has a built in GPS and good connectivity.
Google assistant can translate your commands and communicate them to the Google Maps application on the watch.
This watch is designed by a Chinese company called Mobvoi and is very reasonably priced compared to similar products from other companies.
It has a powerful processor which helps it to run smoothly. The display has low lighting to preserve battery power but is still good quality.
The watch battery can last up to 3 days with normal use, but an impressive 45 days if you have it in essential mode.
The TicWatch Pro 4G has a stainless steel beveled edge for a stylish and durable design.
The cover glass has anti-fingerprint technology to keep it smear free and the speaker is water resistant.
Some of the excellent features of this watch include instant calls and messages, cloud sync notifications, emergency SOS auto dial, music streaming, and smart home controls.
This watch has a heart rate monitor to assist with your exercise and physical activity.
You also have the option to download TicSleep, an app which makes use of the phone’s sleep tracking capability.
RUNNER UP
Huawei is a company that is dedicated to connecting the whole world by offering digital technology that is efficient and available to everyone.
This watch has a black leather strap and a ceramic casing with a beveled edge.
It is water resistant and it compatible with android and IOS devices.
This watch has built-in GPS so you can track your location and the distance you have travelled.
This is useful for exercising but also for using Google Maps Navigation. You can command Google Maps through Google Assistant using the microphone.
The watch also has a constant heart rate monitor and other health and wellness features.
There is a workout coach feature that tracks important data like your recovery time and your VO2 max.
You can track your sleep and find out more about your stages of light, deep and REM sleep.
You can even download and listen to music on this smartwatch.
The battery will usually last around for around two days but you can adjust the power settings to maximize the battery life.
The watch has 4GB of storage which is less than some others on this list, and the processor is not the most up to date.
This means that there is some risk of glitching as you use the watch.
That being said, it is a very affordable option if you have a lower budget for a smartwatch.
RUNNER UP
The Emporio Armani smartwatch 3 is compatible with Android and IOs devices. It has 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM with a powerful processor so you can expect high end performance from this watch.
This watch is water resistant and benefits from a speaker and a microphone.
The design of this watch is premium and stylish which is what you would expect from a high end brand like Armani.
This does add some money to the price tag, but you are not paying for all style and no substance as this is a good watch.
It has all the features you would expect from a good smartwatch including being able to take calls, receiving notifications from your smartphone, managing your calendar, controlling your music, monitoring your heart rate and tracking your location with GPS.
There are lots of different apps you can download onto this smartwatch and you have the option to customize the display.
You can purchase items easily with Google pay and use the microphone to command Google Assistant.
Google Assistant connects with Google Maps Navigation which also uses GPS to update your location.
The only issue with this watch is that the GPS can sometimes be faulty and is not always accurate, which impacts the functionality of Google Maps.
The battery usually lasts one day and will need to be recharged each evening, but you can make it last longer if you put the watch into battery saving mode.
RUNNER UP
Since 1989, Skagen have been making watches inspired by Danish minimalism, the Denmark coastline, and the city of Skagen.
This particular watch has 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. It has a 1.3 inch AMOLED display with great resolution.
It is waterproof and has a touch screen. The microphone allows you to command Google Assistant, including using it to control Google Maps Navigation.
The leather strap is 22mm wide and backed with sweat resistant silicone for comfort and hygiene.
The band is interchangeable with other Skagen 22mm bands which gives you more options for customizing your watch.
You can take phone calls on this smartwatch, receive notifications and alerts from your smartphone, download apps, monitor your heart rate, track your activity, and use GPS to follow your location.
This smartwatch performs really well and there aren’t any obvious downsides.
The battery lasts for about 1 day so you will need to charge it every night.
However, you can extend the battery life with the various power modes and once you plug it in to charge it will get up to 80% within an hour.
RUNNER UP
The Moto 360 is a smartwatch from Motorola that comes with a genuine leather strap and a high impact sports strap.
It has a very sleek design with a water resistant screen. The 12 inch AMOLED display has excellent resolution and a sunlight readable display.
It is made for durability, with stainless steel casing, titanium screws, and scratch resistant glass. It also has a PVD coating.
The battery lasts for up to 24 hours depending on how much you use it and you can get it back up to 100% charge in only one hour with the quick charge function.
With 8GB of storage, 1 GB of RAM, and a powerful processor, you aren’t likely to run into any issues with performance or glitching.
There are lots of apps that you can connect to with this smartwatch, including Google Pay, Google Fit, Strava, and Nike Running Club.
With GPS to track your distance and location, a built-in heart rate monitor, and Google Assistant which you can command using the microphone, you are not short of features with this smartwatch.
Some users have experienced issues with Google Assistant connecting to Google Maps Navigation.
RUNNER UP
This is one of the cheapest smartwatches available with Google Maps Navigation which can be commanded with Google Assistant.
This means that there are some compromises- there is less storage than some other smartwatches on this list with only 4GB.
The processor is also a bit outdated so won’t perform as well as the more modern ones.
However, it still performs pretty well so is good value for money if you have a low budget.
The battery tends to last around 48 hours.
Whilst you can’t make contactless payments, you can use the microphone and speaker to command Google Assistant, and phone calls made with wifi or bluetooth are usually reliable with good sound quality.
This watch has a 1.39 inch AMOLED display with crisp image quality. This makes it great for using Google Maps Navigation.
The battery can last around 2 days on a single charge.
You can download multiple apps onto the smartwatch spending on what you need.
RUNNER UP
Whilst this smartwatch has less storage than some of the others at 4GB, it has a really good processor.
This means that it runs efficiently. The silicone band is smokey blue in color with a buckle closure, which can be interchanged with any other 22mm Fossil bands.
The case of the watch is plated with aluminium for lightweight durability.
This smartwatch has some brilliant features including heart rate monitoring, GPS location tracking, smartphone notifications, microphone, a touchscreen, a customizable watch face, multiple time zones, and custom goal settings.
It has Google Pay, Google Assistant and Google Maps Navigation, and there are lots of different apps that you can download to the smartwatch.
This watch is swim proof with a 24 hour battery life.
It comes with a rapid charger and has bluetooth connectivity.
RUNNER UP
Whilst this smartwatch has less storage than some of the others at 4GB, it has a really good processor.
This means that it runs efficiently. The silicone band is smokey blue in color with a buckle closure, which can be interchanged with any other 22mm Fossil bands.
The case of the watch is plated with aluminium for lightweight durability.
This smartwatch has some brilliant features including heart rate monitoring, GPS location tracking, smartphone notifications, microphone, a touchscreen, a customizable watch face, multiple time zones, and custom goal settings.
It has Google Pay, Google Assistant and Google Maps Navigation, and there are lots of different apps that you can download to the smartwatch.
This watch is swim proof with a 24 hour battery life.
It comes with a rapid charger and has bluetooth connectivity.
RUNNER UP
This water resistant smartwatch from Samsung is designed to help you achieve your wellness goals.
You can track your sleep quality and set your goals to get more rest.
The watch will monitor your heart rate and the data is shared with your Samsung health app which you can show to your Doctor.
The advanced workout tracking allows you to make the most of your exercise routine and achieve better results.
You can track your activity, connect to live coaching sessions and join group challenges with your friends.
The watch also provides VO2 readings to track your endurance.
As you would expect, this smartwatch connects with your smartphone so you can receive notifications, alerts, calls and texts.
It also works really well with Google features like Google Pay, Google Assistant and Google Maps Navigation.
You can also stream using Youtube music.
RUNNER UP
This smartwatch from Fitbit has all the usual features you would expect, but also some more exciting benefits.
The EDA scan app detects electrodermal activity which is an indicator that your body is reacting to stress.
The watch also keeps a log of your temperature so you can see how it fluctuates throughout the day and night, along with the levels of oxygen in your blood.
The ECG app can assess your heart from atrial fibrillation and share the results with your doctor.
This smartwatch will alert you if your heart rate goes above or below your usual parameters.
You can use the built in GPS to track your distance and workouts and to assist with navigation.
The built-in microphone and speaker allow you to take phone calls on the watch.
You can use Google Assistant to set reminders, control smart devices and use Google Maps Navigation.
RUNNER UP
This smartwatch has 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. This combined with the powerful processor means that it performs very well.
This watch has a 1.28 inch AMOLED touchscreen display and is water resistant. It has a metallic body and strap and a fashionable design.
The brand of the watch makes it more expensive than some of the others on the list, but it is a good quality watch that is very fashionable.
You can use Google Pay, Google Assistant, and Google Maps Navigation on this watch without any glitching or compatibility issues.
It doesn’t have advanced fitness features, but you can still track your heart rate and your activity and the watch works well with Google Fit.
It also has a swim proof design.
This watch allows you to stay connected to everyone with alerts and notifications for calls, texts and calendar appointments from your smartphone.
The battery life lasts for around 24 hours but can last for up to 3 days on low power mode.
You can charge the watch up to 80% in an hour with the magnetic USB charger.
RUNNER UP
This is the most luxurious product on the list and is also quite expensive.
It has 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM with a powerful processor, which has similar specifications to some of the cheaper watches on the list.
It has a compact design and a high quality display, but this still doesn’t really justify the price.
If you have the money to spend and having a high end brand is important this could be the watch for you.
This watch has a modular design which means that the straps and lugs can easily be removed and switched out for others depending on what you fancy.
Even the case is interchangeable with other compatible Tag Heuer cases. There are no issues with performance, glitching or lagging.
This watch has good functionality with Google features like Google Pay, Google Assist and Google Maps Navigation.
You have a large choice of applications to choose from on the Google Play Store.
The GPS tracking will work with a variety of different fitness applications including Google Fit.
However it’s not designed specifically as a sports watch.
You can connect this watch to your smartphone using bluetooth so you can see your alerts and notifications and stay on top of your communication.
The keyboard is quite accurate when it comes to replying to messages.
The battery life will last for a day but you will need to charge it every night.
If you are using it alot, you might even need to charge it in the early evening.
There are a few downsides to this watch considering the high price tag.
The biggest downside is that you can’t make or receive calls because there is no speaker.
The other downside is that it doesn’t have a heart rate monitor or a sleep tracker.
Buyer’s Guide
Now that you have more information about some of the best selling smartwatches on the market, it is time to choose which one is going to suit your needs.
If being able to use Google Maps Navigation, Google Assistant and Google Pay is important to you, then there are a few features you need to look out for.
If the smartwatch runs on WearOS then it is likely to be compatible with Google applications. However, if you want it to run smoothly with no glitches then you need to consider the storage and the RAM.
If you can afford good storage and RAM then the smartwatch will perform much better. The other factor that contributes heavily to the performance is the processor.
If the watch has good storage but an out of date processor then it could still run slowly.
Each manufacturer designs their smartwatches differently, which means some watches have the Google applications well integrated for a very smooth user experience.
Others are compatible with the apps but not designed specifically to use them.
Another feature to consider when you want to use Google Maps Navigation on your smartwatch is the display. If the display is crisp with a high resolution then the image quality will be brilliant.
This means that the maps imagery on the screen will be much better quality. An AMOLED display is the best kind if you can find a smartwatch with this feature.
In order for Google Maps to work well, the smartwatch needs to have a really good builtin GPS. If the watch cannot accurately track your location then it will make the navigation application glitchy.
It is ideal if the watch has wifi connectivity so the GPS will work with Google Maps even if the watch loses connectivity to your smartphone.
If you want to be able to use Google Assistant to command Google Maps then the watch needs to have a microphone.
It is also beneficial if the watch has a speaker so you can listen to the navigation guidance as well as reading it on the screen.
Once you have ensured that your watch has the necessary features to work well with Google applications, you can think about what other features you might like your watch to have.
You will need to consider what you will be using the watch for.
If communication is most important then you will need to test out the keyboard function to ensure it is accurate and you can respond to messages quickly.
You will also want to ensure the watch has good connectivity to your phone so you can remain up to date with your notifications. You will also need a microphone and a speaker in order to make and take calls.
If you are going to be using the smartwatch for health and fitness then you will need to ensure that it has a heart monitor. This will let you monitor your heart rate during exercise.
Some watches are also equipped with the ability to monitor the quality of your sleep, your skin temperature, and your maximum VO2. You will want a watch that is compatible with a range of fitness applications, like Google Fit, Strava, or Nike Running Club.
Some watches are able to accurately track different exercises and provide coaching advice. You might want to find a watch that lets you set goals for your fitness and your wellness.
Comfort is also an important thing to consider, whatever you are going to use the watch for. Some products come with leather straps, silicone straps, or metallic straps.
It comes down to personal preference as to which one will suit you best. The material of the casing also contributes to comfort as well as durability.
Summary
Whatever your priorities are, you will be able to find something to meet your needs on this list.
Whether you want a high end brand, an affordable watch that is good value for money, or a watch that is optimized for fitness, we will have reviewed a product on this list that will be ideal for you.
From a young age, I have always had a big interest in technology, and this blog is an extension of that interest. Through this blog, I hope to provide others with all of the information they need regarding tech options to consider, and things such as compatibility. Some of the different items I will be discussing include headphones, smartwatches, and how to fix common issues.
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