After using GW4 46mm classic BT and 44mm BT versions for 2 months, i've made a list of given below problems and requests for GW4 watches. GW4 is a promising, good looking (classic models looks very premium) smart watch with good smart features but has some problems. The most problems and requests can be solved with software updates. Hope Samsung and WearOS devs will work on them with updates soon. You can also share your own experiences and requests, if you like. Cheers
PROBLEMS:
--Battery drains fast. Even with light usage it doesnt last more than 2.5 days; After latest update and a couple days of usage battery improves a bit last about 2-2.5 days in moderate usage without aod and wifi. Bluetooth enabled about 1/3 of day, 10 mins indoor running or outside walking, sleep tracking with oxygen, a couple notifications per day. No AOD, HR monitoring enabled only during exercises, no wifi. Power saving mode seems like doesnt make much difference. Little improvement on battery is ok after latest updates but still far from good. In light usage like my case, it should last at least 5 days as cheaper competitors do. For sure Wearos needs some serious improvement for battery usage. Meanwhile, samsung devs can come up with a lite mode option instead of watch only mode, where users can extend battery life while using basic functions like step counting, basic notifications etc, unlike watch only mode where users can only see current date time and nothing else is functioning.
--Sleep tracking is accurate and working good most of the time. So far only 3 times failed to record sleep. It might ve been because i navigated to sleep tile or opened it shortly after waking up from sleep while watch didnt finish with sleep analysing. I think its a bug Samsung devs can probably find and solve with updates.
--GPS route is not being recorded when walking session started automatically even though option is enabled in settings. I think it prompts user to start recording location when auto walking/running detected and started. However, it's supposed to start recording location as option is already turned on in settings.
REQUESTS:
* Lite/Essential mode; Watch only mode is very useless, not showing basic data like steps, weather, workouts, basic notifications etc, showing only date/time. Lite/Esential mode is needed for lite users where watch shows basic data like steps, basic notifications if BT on etc just like fitness bands do. Battery must last at least 5 days with those basic features enabled when lite/esential mode enabled.
* Feature to direcly send sms and whatsapp messages to people. Currently users can only reply a message if it's delivered recently and stay in the notifications area.
* Auto workout detection time interval should be shorter or users should be able to change time intervals for auto workout detection like 1mins, 5mins 10mins, not only fixed 10mins. Some people do walkings/running for 4-8 mins and take some rest then start again for another 4-8 mins or so. In such cases, watch should be able to start work out session automaticall if users want so.
* Google voice assistant
* Text length/character limit in notification messages (e.g twitters, emails etc.) is short considering watch's memory/ram capacity. There must be option to see full message/text unless it's really long. At least character limit can be increased more.
* Option to change font size on built in watch faces.
* Double tap option instead of single tap for screen wake feature. When watch screen touch legs/arms etc. by accident especially during sleep, screen keep turning on. Double tap is better than single tap for screen wake up.
* Option to change time intervals for heart rate monitoring like every 10mins, 30mins, 60mins etc.
