Biggest Apple Watch Competitors
The Apple watch is often considered the king of smartwatches. It has been on the market since early 2015, and since then, it has truly set the standard for what a smartwatch is supposed to be. Even non-Apple fans are often forced to admit that the company got it right with this wrist device.
Over time, the now-iconic Apple watch has evolved from what many once considered useless money grab to an essential piece of technology for many people. The company has created an environment of devices that allows people to feel comfortable leaving their iPhones behind when they have their Apple Watch. One example of this is running. Many people who run prefer to do so without a bulky smartphone, and the Apple watch still allows them to listen to music and stay connected in case of emergencies.
Competitive Market For Smartwatches
Although the Apple Watch is so well respected, there is now some major competition on the market. Sure, the Android watches have always been there, but they felt almost like cheap knockoffs before. They have evolved, and other companies have also stepped up to the plate.
We get that not everyone is an Apple fan, so we did a little research into the top 3 competitors to the Apple watch. You will have heard of them more than likely, but this is a breakdown of how they truly compare.
Here are the top three competitors to the Apple Watch.
Garmin Viviactive 4
We figured we’d begin with a watch that runners would appreciate. Although the Apple watch is fine for runners, it is not considered the best by many people who take the sport seriously. It keeps track of your runs and other fitness activities, but there isn’t a great deal specific to becoming a better runner or training for a marathon.
This is where the Garmin Vivoactive 4 reigns supreme over the Apple Watch. Some of the features here are built-in GPS and 5 ATM water resistance. This means this watch is also great for swimming, which, to be fair, the Apple watch is, too. It also has a Pulse OX sensor that monitors your blood oxygen saturation levels. This also checks respiration to monitor the number of breaths taken per minute. The Garmin Vivaactive 4 also has altitude acclimation, which is handy for running at higher elevations.
Great Watch For Runners
While this watch is not exclusively for runners, Garmin included many features that make it feel like this was its intended purpose. Moreover, the company did this without taking away other valuable features.
Another way this watch edges out the Apple watch is with battery life. It’s not a secret that Apple watches don’t have the best battery life, but this option from Garmin can go a few days on a single charge. On the other hand, an Apple Watch gets a full day, maybe.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Naturally, the most significant overall competitor to the Apple Watch is Android. This is for two reasons. First, Android and Apple have been dueling it out since the smart devices war. This battle has continued to watch with fans of respective devices declaring theirs the best. Arguably, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the best android watch, so it makes sense this one would be compared to Apple.
People genuinely love the Galaxy Watch 3 because it stands out in what seems like an endless sea of Android watches. It has an outstanding balance of style and functionality, and It caters to many people. This watch also allows users to do many things such as work out, track calories, and listen to music.
This watch comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes and is slimmer than their previous models. In addition, a rotating bezel is featured here, which makes using the watch feel more natural.
It should be noted that although this is considered to be an android device, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 does not run on a Google operating system. Instead, it runs on Tizen OS, which comes from Samsung.
Fitbit Versa 3
Fitbit is a significant player in the athletic-focused section of the smartwatch industry. The Versa 3 may not be as popular as the Fitbit Sense, but it offers a great deal. This one has built-in GPS, which means you no longer have to take your phone with you if you have your watch. It also has an advanced heart rate monitor. This watch also has an Sp02 sensor for blood oxygen levels. You can also check menstrual cycles using the watch.
This new Versa 3 has a built-in speaker, which is excellent for phone calls. It also comes with working with both Alexa and Google Assistant. One drawback here is the number of apps offered on Fitbit’s platform. That amount is growing, but it does not compete with other options. Hopefully, soon there will be many more applications for Fitbit watches. Many people love them, so it’s only a matter of time before more developers just onboard and begin producing Fitbit apps.
Final Thoughts
The world of smartwatches has grown tremendously over the years. Gone are the days where it was only the Apple watch. Yes, Apple is still on top in the watch game, but it has serious competitors. Some of these are usual suspects like Samsung, but others come from more fitness-based companies. This shows how far the industry has come. What this also shows is the diversity of needs of customers. Some people need their watches for running and working out, whereas some use them to organize their lives. Luckily, most of these watches can do all of those things.
Competition inspires progress, and I honestly can’t wait to see how the smartwatch world continues to grow due to increased options on the market for customers. This is truly a golden age of technology.