Citizen CS replied to my email - the watch app is region-specific and does not work outside Japan. Therefore no app is available outside Japan.

Unfortunately things are more complicated …

Although the official Citizen Riiiver website says you can use your watch for many things via the ioT platform (what they called “iiideas”). Click here for their website. When I open the smartphone app on my phone and navigate to “iiidea” -> “Store”, it is empty. I am not a programmer and won’t be writing any custom apps. Therefore I cannot access the additional features of this watch.

I guess because it is a JDM watch, I cannot find the smartphone app on Google Play (dunno about Apple, Im not iphone user), and I have to google to find and download the APK from other websites (I used APKcombo). Maybe because of this regional block, the iiidea store cannot be accessed.

Do seriously consider this before buying the watch, you may just end up with a BT time sync watch.

Another Eco-Drive bluetooth hybrid watch, the Citizen Riiiver BZ-7014 (JDM). This is a beefy watch with 15mm thickness and 93g weight (with OEM silicone strap). 44mm case diameter, 50mm lug-to-lug. Rather large and heavy for my liking. I bought this from a Japanese eBay seller for about CAD 225 (incl. standard Japan Post shipping, no tax (I was lucky!)), MSRP > CAD 450. Apart from activity tracking, it also supports open-source ioT (Internet of Things) platform where you can develop custom apps for the watch to control other devices via BT & smartphone - seems like a novel idea but I don’t really see any development since the 2019 debut of this watch. Maybe because of the lack of software progress, plus the premium price, Citizen keeps it in the domestic market only, unlike its sister line CZ Smart smart watch (which is a more of a generic smart watch). In any case, I am really only interested in the BT automatic time sync function to maintain accurate time (I already have another Citizen BT analog watch, the BZ-4005).

I notice Walmart sells some Q&Q watches (including a few solar models) at low prices but I don’t like the style. I bought this one (H008-204) from Japan which costs around CAD 52 (unfortunately like all purchases from Japan, I was slapped with hefty courier fee (CAD 25, half the cost of the watch) - all the Japanese watch sellers I contacted said they do not use Japan Post because they receive lots of customers complain about shipping speed, lost shipment etc. I have bought things other than watches from Japan which used Japan Post - I find that they are reliable and shipping is fast (comparing with eBay International shipping from USA).

I like the clean dial design with numbers. Case diameter 38mm, lug-to-lug 40mm, thickness 10mm. Like many JDM men’s watch models, the dial is on the small side, similar to small field watches. The watch weighs next to nothing. Material and quality of build is mediocre (I presume the case is zinc alloy). The crown movement is stiff and inaccurate, difficult to adjust and set time. The watch comes with a nice black leather strap (lug width 18mm).

I did find some information about the solar movement - it is Miyota E31 with accuracy of +/- 20 seconds per month.

Conclusion - IMO Q&Q watches are one tier below other Japanese sub-brands such as Alba, Lorus (from Seiko) and Reguno (from Citizen), at only slightly cheaper price. I’ll pass.