What if the Apple Watch were compatible with Android, a question that more than a few Android users have been asking for years, but which has largely been denied because of Apple's preference for exclusivity? However, the company now claims that it has actually attempted to provide Apple Watch support for Android phones

, and that it is now working on a new Android phone that will be compatible with the Apple Watch

.

This came to light as part of the DOJ's lawsuit (via 9to5Mac) against Apple over claims that Apple has an illegal iPhone monopoly. One of the key pieces of evidence for this claim is the Apple Watch, and the fact that it is only compatible with the iPhone.

Clearly, the DOJ believes that by turning iPhone users toward the Apple Watch and not allowing connection to non-Apple smartphones, it makes the idea of leaving the Apple ecosystem more expensive. This is because not only would they need a new smartphone, but they would also have to purchase an expensive smartwatch to go along with it.

Apple has countered this accusation by saying that it has considered making the Apple Watch compatible with Android. In fact, the company reportedly spent three years trying to make that happen, but the project was abandoned, citing "technical limitations."

Of course, it is hard to believe that Apple could not have made the Apple Watch compatible with Android. Apple has a history of refusing to make its products and services available on Android phones. This includes iMessage. iMessage could have been offered on Android, but Apple executives believed it was an important way for iPhone owners to continue buying iPhones for themselves and their families.

A Bloomberg report last year claimed as much about the Apple Watch. Apparently the work was "nearly complete" and the goal was to help sell the Apple Watch in countries and regions where the iPhone does not have a high market share. However, sources told Bloomberg that the project was scrapped so as not to "dilute the value of the watch against the iPhone."

If the Apple Watch had been on Android, it would not have provided the same experience as using a wearable on an iPhone. For example, AirPods can be used as regular Bluetooth earbuds on non-Apple devices, but more advanced features such as quick pairing and spatial audio require a compatible Apple device.

The Android-friendly Apple Watch would undoubtedly operate the same way. It has all the basic features, but none of the premium features that can only be achieved through connection to an iPhone.

Then again, if Apple had been able to offer premium features on its Android phone, it could have dominated the Android wearables market. Google has tried much to revitalize Wear OS and wearables on the platform, but it has yet to match the performance (or popularity) of the Apple Watch.

But if it had, there would have been one less reason to buy an iPhone - which might have affected Apple's bottom line. Both in hardware sales and in revenue from the App Store and other services. After all, there's a reason the Apple Watch dominates our Best Smartwatches list.

Whether the DOJ's argument will hold up in court is not certain, but the idea of leaving the Apple ecosystem is a difficult one for some. They have to move all their favorite apps, they have to move their photos and videos from iCloud, or they have a lot of Apple hardware and it would cost a fortune to make a meaningful switch.

Change is scary, and familiarity is comforting. Especially if that familiarity does not involve paying a lot of money for a new device. Whether the DOJ can prove that Apple intentionally erected such barriers, however, is another story.