Huawei GT3 PRO : Third Party App Ability is Very Good.

If you are someone that is thinking of buying the Huawei GT3 PRO and wondered how the device interacts with third party apps, then this article is for you. I have created my own rating system that ranks each smart watch brand with a consistent, unbiased approach, so I hope this article answers the questions that you might have.

From a testing perspective, my expectations were very high given that this is the flag ship model for Huawei smart watch’s. In the end, the device’s ability is no different to the lower end devices that Huawei offers, like the Huawei GT3 Active and Huawei Watch Fit 2. Here is a summary of my final results.

Feature	Result
Connection Type	Bluetooth
Operating system	Harmony OS3
App Stores	2/5
In Direct Ability	5/5
Direct Ability	4/5
Final Score	11/15

When I reflect back on the results, the only area that falls behind is the app gallery, which I will explain in my testing results. Otherwise in the other area’s that matter, I have given a very strong score. Especially the indirect ability which is important to anyone that has a premium subscription to popular apps like Strava, Komoot or Adidas running, but I will provide more detail in my testing.

I will also give you a small insight on how the device ranks in the market. This ranking system is based on the devices that I have tested over the last year or so. At least that way it can give you more options in case a device that is rated higher meets your user intentions.

App Stores : 2 out of 5

When it comes to app stores, the issues that tend to arise is what apps can integrate with your phones eco system. The logical way to go about this is to have a like for like device for example, a apple phone with apple watch or a Samsung phone with a galaxy watch.

The Huawei device’s is no different, which doesn’t really integrate well with Apple phones, and very limited options for android phone users too. Here is a summary of my final results.

Test Criteria	Rating
Own app gallery	Yes
App manager	Yes
Ability to synchronise Apps	2/5

Verdict : The score I have given is a 2 out of 5 for app stores which is a fair score. I was hoping that with a more high end device you would get some extra features but that wasn’t the case, and it’s more like a generic experience across the more high end Huawei watch’s. The Garmin app store is the more stable app store, because nearly all of the apps available is compatible with multiple ecosystems and they can operate without having your phone nearby. One other factor to is that not all of the apps can be used within your region. I live in New Zealand and a lot of the apps didn’t work because of this.

Indirect Ability 5 out of 5

In direct ability is where you can interact with third party apps by sharing your tracking data via Huawei Health app as a partnership. I really like this method because it’s a one stop shop, by tracking your activities normally via Huawei Health, then once done the third party app can collect your data and provide it’s own insights that you trust, that wont have an impact on your battery life.

The Huawei GT3 PRO performed very well, which is very consistent with the other Huawei devices that I have tested, like the GT3 Active, Watch Fit 2 and the Huawei Band 7. The three popular third party apps that I use in this test is Komoot, Adidas running and Strava, here is a summary of my final results, using a android phone.

Name of App	Type	Subscription	Result
Komoot	Hiking	Free	5/5
Adidas Running	Running	Free	5/5
Strava	GPS tracking	Free	5/5

Verdict : Komoot, Adidas running and Strava are apps that I use a lot. I do a lot of GPS accuracy testing when I test a new watch because these apps offer a map view called terrain. I like the terrain view because it’s easy to compare accuracy. In terms of user experience, the data synchronises the moment you end your activity, and in this test I used all third party apps at the same time. Even if you leave your phone at home, the data synchronises immediately once your phone is in Bluetooth range.

Direct Ability : 4 out of 5

Direct ability is where the third party apps can be controlled from the device, and in this test I could only test apps that is available to my region in New Zealand. In this test I chose three apps which is Petal maps, watch controller and calculator, here are my final results for this category.

Criteria	Calculator	Watch Control	Petal Maps
Synchronise directly to watch	Yes	Yes	Yes
Use without phone	Yes	No	No
Use with more than one ecosystem	Yes	Yes	Yes

Calculator : This app worked fine, and the app can adapt to Huawei and Android Ecosystems. Also the app can operate independently, and can operate outside your phones Bluetooth range. I honestly dont think it’s useful, because I would use my phones calculator to save the battery, otherwise it works well.

Watch Controller : A fantastic app where you can control your Spotify account directly from your watch. The app can adapt to the Huawei and Android ecosystems, but unfortunately the app cannot work independently so your phone must be in Bluetooth range to work. This is probably my favourite app to use, it’s nice to switch playlists as you listen to your favourite music, including adding new music to your playlists.

Peta Maps : A fantastic app where you can get directions to a place you want to go. The app can adapt to the Huawei and Android systems, but cannot work independently so you have to carry your phone with you. You cant set directions directly from the watch, it can only be done by your phone. The voice directions including a picture of certain landmarks makes it very handy to navigate to your destination. Fantastic app to use that matches Google maps.

Verdict : All though there isn’t many apps to choose from, which is dependant on your location, some of the apps can adapt to different ecosystems, in fact all apps that I have tested has that ability. I have to be honest that there isn’t too many useful apps to choose from, so just be aware of that. The only real decent apps worth downloading and to use is watch controller and petal maps.

How Does The Huawei GT3 PRO Rank in the Market

After the testing the Huawei GT3 PRO, the experience is no different to the other Huawei devices that I have tested, which you will find in the ranking table below. I was hoping for a little bit extra since it’s the flagship device of Huawei, but it’s not the case.

If you compare the Huawei GT3 PRO against my number one ranked device, Forerunner 55 is that the third party apps that’s compatible to this device can adapt to different ecosystems and operate independently.

Rank	Watch	Speciality	Score
1	Garmin Forerunner 55	Multi Sport	15
2	Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro	Smart Apps	14
3	Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 & 5	Smart Apps	14
4	Huawei GT3 PRO	Fitness tracking	11
5	Huawei GT3 Active	Fitness tracking	11
6	Huawei Watch Fit 2	Fitness Tracking	11
7	Huawei Band 7	Fitness Tracking	7
8	Fitbit Charge 5	Health	7
9	Polar Ignite 3	Fitness Tracking	5
10	Xiaomi S1 Active	Smart Apps	3

Final Conclusion

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have learnt a lot about the Huawei GT3 PRO’s third party app ability. I was hoping that there would be a slight advantage, with this device but in the end, the Huawei GT3 PRO’s third party app ability is the same experience as the Huawei GT3 active and the Huawei Watch Fit 2.

If you are someone that has a premium level subscription, the Huawei GT3 Pro’s indirect ability is very strong. Just check within the settings of the third party app if a partnership can be created so that any activities that you track using the Huawei Health app can be shared.

As for the direct method, it depends which part of the world you live in. In my experience being in New Zealand, some apps weren’t available to my region to use, and to be fair our country probably comes last to any new updates. In my experience the only apps that are useful is the watch controller app and the petal maps app.

Although the third party app ability is reasonably good, does it really matter? well in my experience, Huawei Health’s activity tracking is very good. To be fair it meets my user intent for intermediate level fitness and low level health tracking. On the other hand, some of my watch tester’s prefer third party apps because they look to improve their performance and third party apps can provide that insight where the native system cant. Thank you so much for reading