I am grateful for everything that went into making the BT calling feature available from the manufacturers or this forum. My hope is by pointing out some of the issues I have had in hopes that anyone else could help me correct these issues or the app be improved, if possible.
I have a lot of experience with the KingWear KW18, my first Smartwatch and the KW08. Both are true BT tethering watches, but they do not run off of the Android OS and lack all the features of the Android watches. In these watches the BT calling feature is integrated with the Sim Card phone option, there is only one Phone app. You open the app, type in a number or access the Phone Book on the watch to enter the number and then before making the call select either BT or Local (Sim if one is installed) on the screen and the call is made from the selected source. It works very well. I still like these watches and they are hard to beat when you want the BT call feature on your watch. Thus I was ready and waiting for this feature to be available on the Android watches.
So I purchased an H2 in Nov 2017 that came with the BT calling app installed. (I did not add it through the firmware update.) I watched the video before ordering the watch so I had expectations of how it would work. After using it for over a week, it is not working as I expected and I have a few issues with it on my H2. (I cannot speak for the other watches that have this feature installed.)
I cannot use Watch Droid (WD) on the H2. It constantly connects then a short time later disconnects, reconnects rendering it unusable. I have tried restarting both devices. Un-pairing, repairing and uninstalling both apps and reinstalling them and it still works the same. Even though BT or WD was not selected to be turned off in Hibernation Manager to shut down during sleep mode, I tried turning Hibernation Manager completely off and it still acts the same. So I can’t use Watch Droid on the H2 and have to use WiiWatch (WW). The watch does connect initially to the BT call app and when it connects to WW, it holds a connection better than on other watches I’ve had. Whether this is a result of the BT call app I have no idea because WD works fine on my I4 Air.
My first impressions (*) of Android 5.1 BT calling feature, now that I have some experience with it. (I am using the standard launcher that came on the watch.)
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When it works the actual call function works well on the H2. The volume is plenty loud to hear clearly and the mic is responsive even when not close up to the watch. Callers reported to hear me fine, no problems.
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While the call function is very good I do have some issues with the operation of the app itself on my H2. (Again I am not saying it is the same on all watches).
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Most but not all of the time when you wake the phone the app connects by itself when BT is already on and I load the Phone Book and call log. It is set up to use if you get or want to make a call.
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Some of the time it will remain connected for a while. No specific time period was observed.
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Sometimes the watch disconnects from the phone and will not respond to an incoming call unless you reopen the app on the watch and let it reconnect or manually reconnect it. When this happens I check that I have a BT connection and WiiWatch is still connected, they both were. The BT call feature is basically lost for these calls as you don’t want to be messing around trying to make a connection while on a call and possibly lose the call?
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When these repeated disconnects of the watch occur, each time it reconnects you have to upload the Phone Book, call log again. About a third of the time it will not reload and the screen messages either tells you its loading but never does or instructs you to do a restart. I do BT first and if that does not work have to restart the watch and or the phone to load these files.
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The disconnects seem to always occur when the watch goes to sleep but not every time. I run Hibernation Manager and checked to make sure BT or BT call were not being disconnected, plus any other app that would affect these features. Nothing different. So I turned Hibernation Manager OFF and still get the same disconnects, again almost always after it goes to sleep. I even tried not putting the watch into the sleep mode but just letting it time out (15 sec) on its own and no difference.
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Another minor issue is if I take the call initially on the phone and then switch the call to the watch I can continue the call from the watch but I only get the dial keypad displayed on the watch. The volume control and other two icons to hang-up and select audio output are not available. They appear to only be available when I take the call from the watch.
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Overall I want the functionality of the BT call feature. When it works it works great but in its present condition, having to constantly reconnect the app or upload the phone book and call log each time I want to use it, it is almost more trouble than it is worth Maybe I am a bit spoiled by my KW tethering watches. I would have second thoughts about installing this version on my I4 Air should it become available.
I still have my ZeBlaze Thor. I might pull it out of mothballs and install the BT firmware onto it and compare the two.
So if anyone can help me with any of these issues I am all ears. My goal is to make it function like any of the other features of the watch.
Aside:
Sonia had asked me to compare the H2 to my I4Air. The H2 is a step up from the H1 with its Android 4.4 OS. I set both the Android watches I use up identically so no matter which one I wear I don’t have an issue trying to remember with how it operates. The H2’s big advantage is the Fitness options that the I4 does not have. Since I don’t use these features very much, for my purposes overall the I4 Air wins hands down. From style to smoothness of operation, reliability, an excellent launcher and great battery life, even down to the tubular shaped clasp that works so easy, I find the I4 Air easily the best of the 8 watches I have owned which includes in order the: QZ09; KW18; ZeBlaze Thor; KW08; H1; I4 Air and H2.