Tattoos, notifications, and email issues....

[Bobr1384]

I'll start by apologizing for the long rant 😕

I've had almost every model of the galaxy watches since 2013 (the OG Samsung gear, Samsung gear s2, Samsung gear s3 frontier, Samsung Galaxy watch, Samsung Galaxy watch 3 [including the horrible 2 year wait for that release] and now I have both the Samsung Galaxy watch 4 classic and Galaxy watch 4 original.

I say that to say I've had issues with the always on display since that "feature" first originated (possibly in part due to both arms being sleeved). The acceptable work around has always been the feature in the app that allows your watch to receive notifications regardless of whether the watch is being worn (or rather if it thinks it's being worn) or not. Why on earth this newest off-spring between Samsung and Google would choose to do away with the only feature that actually allows me to receive notifications (you know like the entire basis of having a smart watch) is absolutely beyond my realm of anything resembling a thought process. I now cannot receive ANY notifications because my watch doesn't think I'm wearing it. All of the notifications are there when I swipe to the left, they just won't trigger the vibration/ sound on the watch. I spent 2 hours on the phone with customer service, who assured me it would be fixed in an update. Who knows whether that update is next week or next year. The capability is there because the watch tells you alarms and reminders will be sent whether or not the watch is actively being worn on your wrist. Make that option available for all notifications like every other model I've ever owned. 

My other complaint is the lack of Samsung or Gmail app support. Really?! It's a Samsung and Google powered watch and you're not going to offer either as an option?!! I know it has outlook capability, but sometimes I need to scroll through opened/read emails and that function isn't there in outlook on the watch. Plus my work and there silly azz "protection" limits me on what email carriers they'll allow access to. Again, it's a Samsung watch who possibly could've made the final decision to do away with Samsung email as an option.....

Rant over (for now... haha) thanks for reading. Oh, and if you have any solutions I'm always willing to try....

[RegP]

Its probably such an easy fix aswell! The fact samsung dont even comment on the tattoo situation is beyond me and 0 customer service! Imagine being in 2021 when half the world thats tattood cant recieve notifications on a smart watch 😂 poor poor poor from samsung

[Ferenc75]

Just sharing my experience... Battery life short it's ok probably not changing via software update. The charger part is joke. I ordered a holder because this flat way how charging I can't see anything. Don't have a single led showing as previous generation of galaxy watch. No Gmail notifications that issues extremely annoying me, no Google assistant. Upgraded my first generation galaxy watch the main reason because of Google pay. Now we have Google pay but no Gmail notifications 😒. I don't understand they're doesn't testing this important things? Software update when? Ridiculous. I'm very disappointed honestly

[PawPaw]

I've raised the gmail issue several times with Samsung....although they have said it will be fixed in an update they won't commit to a date or time frame...just the usual it will be rolled out in stages and your watch/phone will inform you when an update is ready......blah...blah...blah......I do find Samsung support very lacking when it comes to communication .....

[Mephisto322]

I have the same problem; won't work over a tattoo on my left wrist. Works fine on my right wrist.

[BrentStarburst]

My wife had this very issue with her Active. It's because it can't see through tattoos to know that it's being worn. The solution was just to tell it to notify even when not being worn which I think is in the app.

[Bobr1384]

Appreciate the feedback. Yeah, every galaxy watch I've owned (the last 6 models) had the exact same tattoo issue, and all of them I had to do the exact same thing your wife did which was to allow notifications while the watch thought it wasn't being worn. The glaring issue (at least mine) is Samsung chose to remove this basic feature from the brand new Galaxy Watch 4. I bought both versions and until Samsung chooses to give us back that setting in an update I literally can't get any notifications. 

[BrentStarburst]

I didn't realise they'd removed that from GW4. Bit shortsighted. Considering the cost of it, Samsung don't seem to care, given the issue with Gmail and calendar notifications not working either. My cheap Amazfit GTR 2 does a better job!

[Bobr1384]

Bumping this thread in hopes of getting the notification setting update that was promised to us....

We're still waiting @samsung

[Curr946]

Please for the love of God, add this basic feature back.  Allow notifications even when the watch thinks its not being worn. This really has upset me and making my current upgrades a complete waste of money.