Requirements
- Wear OS 3.0+ smartwatch (Samsung Galaxy Watch 4+, Google Pixel Watch, etc.)
- Phone with CrewTalk installed and connected to a hub
- Google Play Services for Data Layer communication
- Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection between watch and phone
Setting Up
Install the Watch App
The CrewTalk Wear OS app is installed alongside the phone app. On supported watches, it should appear automatically.
Enable Wear OS in CrewTalk
On your phone, go to Settings in CrewTalk and enable Wear OS Support. The phone starts advertising the crewtalk_phone capability.
Open on Watch
Open CrewTalk on your watch. It will search for and connect to your phone automatically via the Data Layer API.
Verify Connection
The watch displays your current hub name, channel, and connection status. A green indicator means connected and ready.
Using PTT from Your Watch
The watch app shows a large, rounded PTT button — designed for easy tapping even on small screens:
- Tap the button to start transmitting (toggle mode)
- Tap again to stop transmitting
- Feel the haptic feedback confirming each tap
- The button changes color to indicate transmit state
For best microphone pickup, raise your wrist toward your mouth when transmitting — similar to talking into a walkie-talkie mic on your shoulder strap.
Watch Display
The watch shows:
- Hub name — Current hub you're connected to
- Channel — Active channel name/number
- Status — Connected/Disconnected indicator
- PTT button — Large, centered, color-coded
How It Works
The watch operates as a remote control for the phone app:
- Watch → Phone: PTT button presses send
PTT_DOWN/PTT_UPmessages via Data Layer - Phone: Receives the command and triggers the same PTT logic as the on-screen button
- Phone → Watch: State updates (hub, channel, connection) are pushed back to the watch
The phone handles all audio processing and network communication. The watch is a lightweight remote that sends button presses and displays status.
Capability Discovery
CrewTalk uses the Wear OS capability system for device pairing:
- Phone advertises
crewtalk_phone - Watch advertises
crewtalk_watch - Both discover each other through the Data Layer API
- Connection is automatic once both apps are running
The watch and phone must use the same Google account and be paired through the standard Wear OS pairing process. The Data Layer API handles all communication over the existing Bluetooth/Wi-Fi link.
Battery Considerations
The watch app is lightweight and battery-friendly:
- No audio processing on the watch (all handled by phone)
- The Data Layer API is optimized for low-power communication
- The watch screen can be off — the app stays running in the background
- Expect minimal impact on watch battery during a typical shoot day
Limitations
- Phase 1: The watch operates as a remote PTT button only (no mic/speaker on watch)
- Watch mic capture and speaker playback are planned for a future update
- The watch must stay within Bluetooth range of the phone
- The phone app must be running and connected to a hub