I've been using an Apple Watch Ultra with my Pixel using some of the same hacks.
0. I use messaging apps like WhatsApp, and Messenger which are multi device. So I log into them on the home iPhone. (WA finally added 'login as companion device' on iOS only a year ago).
1. Pushover to get notifications from any other apps that don't support multi device. (Signal ugh). I used Buzzkill to do the pushing from the android devices. Very reliable once set up.
2. I use Google Voice for my calls and SMS so that was easy to get on iPhone. (No calls though. The watch doesn't support sip/voip calls except Apple's own FaceTime ugh)
3. I spent a year doing cellular on Watch. I joined various family members' premium plans of the big 3 US networks (as well asany MVNOs like Visible) to use cellular on the watch. I paid ~$10/mo via this route. All good.
But I stopped early this year because I found the cellular reliability to be just... piss poor garbage. (This is extensive use across US as well as international travel in Europe and Asia)
It really wasn't worth cellular I realized.
4. I use Apple laptops, so the "watch to unlock" feature is useful multiple times a day :)
> 0. I use messaging apps like WhatsApp, and Messenger which are multi device. So I log into them on the home iPhone. (WA finally added 'login as companion device' on iOS only a year ago).
> 1. Pushover to get notifications from any other apps that don't support multi device. (Signal ugh). I used Buzzkill to do the pushing from the android devices. Very reliable once set up.
> 2. I use Google Voice for my calls and SMS so that was easy to get on iPhone. (No calls though. The watch doesn't support sip/voip calls except Apple's own FaceTime ugh)
> 3. I spent a year doing cellular on Watch. I joined various family members' premium plans of the big 3 US networks (as well asany MVNOs like Visible) to use cellular on the watch. I paid ~$10/mo via this route. All good. But I stopped early this year because I found the cellular reliability to be just... piss poor garbage. (This is extensive use across US as well as international travel in Europe and Asia) It really wasn't worth cellular I realized.
Signal can be a bit weaker on the watch up here in Canada but is otherwise adequate. The problem with Apple Watch cellular when not using an iPhone to forward data is (1) battery life on LTE is terrible compared to data over Bluetooth, using wifi, or turning on airplane mode and (2) call forwarding from iPhone to Watch, on some Canadian carriers, is charged per minute due to a carrier bug (Telus) which you can call to get refunded but is still frustrating. Normally calls go to your iPhone and the voice is forwarded to the watch over Bluetooth, I believe. Basically the Apple Watch more often acts like an AirPod than a cell phone.
I end up carrying my iPhome with my Android phone to avoid this. I mount the iPhone to my bike/scooter when available using Quad Lock waterproof cases.
Thank you for sharing your techniques, much appreciated. I looked out for Buzzkill type apps and couldn't find any the FOSS space; instead I wrote a script in Termux.
Might try Buzzkill as it might be easier for those who aren't familiar with the terminal but I'm bit weary about the privacy implications especially since famous apps get acquired by shady actors all the time.
I've added blacklist in my script to prevent notifications from sensitive apps being sent over Pushover.
edit: Buzzkill depends upon Tasker for sending messages to pushover? That's a buzzkill(sorry) as Tasker heavily relies on GMS & not an option for de-googled phones.
Won't it vibrate both on your arm and in your pocket, then? I can't even stand when someone decides to send 10 one-line message, let alone when it happens where both my watch and phone vibrates..
(Seriously, why is vibration cooldown not a thing? I believe android will have something like this, but this should have been available for a decade! Like if I had 2 notification from someone 0.3 seconds ago, then I will surely not need a third one now)
I've been using an Apple Watch Ultra with my Pixel using some of the same hacks.
0. I use messaging apps like WhatsApp, and Messenger which are multi device. So I log into them on the home iPhone. (WA finally added 'login as companion device' on iOS only a year ago). 1. Pushover to get notifications from any other apps that don't support multi device. (Signal ugh). I used Buzzkill to do the pushing from the android devices. Very reliable once set up. 2. I use Google Voice for my calls and SMS so that was easy to get on iPhone. (No calls though. The watch doesn't support sip/voip calls except Apple's own FaceTime ugh) 3. I spent a year doing cellular on Watch. I joined various family members' premium plans of the big 3 US networks (as well asany MVNOs like Visible) to use cellular on the watch. I paid ~$10/mo via this route. All good. But I stopped early this year because I found the cellular reliability to be just... piss poor garbage. (This is extensive use across US as well as international travel in Europe and Asia) It really wasn't worth cellular I realized.
4. I use Apple laptops, so the "watch to unlock" feature is useful multiple times a day :)