The Apple Watch has proven to be the best device in a market of one as WearOS on iOS is a joke. This complete lack of competition has left the Apple Watch in limbo; its undoubtedly a good product but Apple has no impetus to make a no-brainer purchase any more compelling.

The answer? Android.

The iPod didn't really blow up until Apple introduced Windows compatibility which in turn made more than a few people switch to the Mac.

If Apple made the Watch compatible with Android it would suddenly be in competition with dozens of other products at all sorts of price points. It wouldn't be enough to just release the Watch 'as-is' because it doesn't really do anything the better-integrated Galaxy Watch and forthcoming Pixel Watch don't do.

This would then compel Apple to make the product better which in turn makes it better for iOS users and maybe also makes some people switch.