The TicWatch E3 put Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip into a watch at $199.99 - at launch, one of only two Wear OS watches running that processor, the other at nearly twice the price. That chip advantage showed up in everything: app launches, notification rendering, background processing. Wear OS has no native iPhone mode; Merge provides one: install on both devices and E3 connects to your iPhone for notifications, Apple Health syncing, contacts, music control, and camera control.
What works with iPhone
Once paired through Merge, the TicWatch E3 handles the full companion workload for iPhone. Every notification from your iPhone - Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, Slack, and any other app - arrives on the watch in real time, with per-app controls to decide what reaches the wrist. Health data syncs to Apple Health via Merge: heart rate, steps, distance, floors climbed, calories, workouts with GPS routes, and pace all route through Merge's health bridge, keeping your health history inside the iOS ecosystem you already use.
iPhone contacts sync to the watch for quick access. Music playback and volume are controllable from the watch - a standout feature for a budget Wear OS device - and camera control lets you trigger the iPhone remotely when the camera app is open. The 4100 chip renders notification cards fast enough that the E3 feels premium in this respect even at its price point, and 8GB of onboard storage supports offline music playback when you'd rather leave the iPhone behind.
Android phone required for first-time activation
The TicWatch E3's initial setup requires a Google account sign-in, and that step goes through the Wear OS by Google app on Android - there is no equivalent iPhone path. A quick borrow of a friend's or family member's Android phone is the practical answer if you don't own one. Switch the watch on, pair it to the Android phone over Bluetooth, complete the Google sign-in, and let it finish. Plan for around 10-15 minutes. That's the only time the Android phone is ever involved; once the watch is set up, iPhone and Merge take over entirely.
Pairing TicWatch E3 with iPhone using Merge
- Complete the TicWatch E3's initial activation using an Android phone and the Wear OS by Google app.
- On your iPhone, search the App Store for Merge Watch and install it.
- On the TicWatch E3, open Play Store, search for Merge Watch, and install it.
- Open Merge on your iPhone - approve the Bluetooth permission when prompted, then keep it foregrounded.
- On the TicWatch E3, open Merge and approve the Bluetooth permission when prompted.
- Tap Start Pairing - the watch stays discoverable for five minutes.
- On your iPhone, open Settings → Bluetooth and wait for the watch to appear in the list, then tap it to pair.
- Once paired, your iPhone will appear in Merge on the watch - tap it to complete the connection.
- Set up your Merge subscription via the iPhone app if prompted.
- Grant notification and health permissions on both devices when asked.
Using the TicWatch E3 day to day with iPhone
The Snapdragon Wear 4100 keeps the Merge background service stable even when the watch is simultaneously handling health monitoring and a busy notification queue. Older chips with less RAM would occasionally drop background services under load, causing notification gaps - the 4100 handles it cleanly. Battery runs roughly two days with always-on heart rate and moderate notification volume, and the 380mAh cell charges fully in about an hour via the magnetic dock. Camera control is an unexpected premium-feeling feature on a budget watch - being able to frame a shot from the wrist at this price point is genuinely useful. Essential Mode can extend standby significantly if you hit a day where charging isn't convenient.
