It's Apple against the World for smartwatches According to CounterPoint's latest numbers, Apple Watch commanded over one-third global shipments in Q1. Samsung/Tizens market share is only 8%, but it's still a respectable second. Google's Wear OS is fifth at just under 4 percent, making it easy to see why both companies are so dominant in other categories and eager for competitive advantages.
Google has two options. The first is that the Fitbit acquisition effectively doubles Google's existing market. After a long period in the Tizen forest, Samsung was finally convinced to switch to Wear OS. From the perspective of developer access and the resulting applications, Samsung felt that a return to Google's operating system was logical. It's great that Google will take care of the support issues.
Samsung holds the market share advantage. While the company's Tizen version has not been a huge success, it has helped secure second place. It was clear that the company would have to make its return to Google on its terms if it wanted to be successful.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 4, the first product of their collaboration in smartwatches, following an announcement made at Google I/O. The new watch, which is available in the Classic and standard versions, runs Wear OS powered by Samsung. This means that Samsung and Google worked together to create a custom version of Wear OS that looks, swims, and quacks just like Tizen.
It's an attempt to move to a strong, but struggling, wearable OS ecosystem without losing the familiar experience Samsung spent many years creating. I'm here for it. The Samsung/Google team has done an excellent job of identifying what works in their respective ecosystems, and creating an experience that combines the best of both. This is a great situation for Google. It would be a good opportunity to recruit other large hardware companies, even though they don't have the same momentum as Samsung.
This is paired with many generations of hardware improvement and health improvements that make the Galaxy Watch 4 one smartwatch that can compete with Apple. The new Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is tied to the Samsung ecosystem, just like Apple's other week.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds are undoubtedly the best earbuds, and so is the new smartwatch. While the company is now opening up its services to third parties through Wear OS (less than Apple but a step in a positive direction), this Samsung smartwatch works best with Samsung's first-party apps. This is the kind of risk you should take when you're the No. The world's No. 1 smartphone manufacturer. Let Garmins, Huaweis, and Fitbits compete for the non-iOS market.
The Galaxy Watch line isn't the easiest to use. Although the company has experimented with various models and SKUs over time, I believe it finally found a system that works. The Galaxy Watch Active, which is the lower-end, haptic-bezeled Galaxy Watch Active, is now the Galaxy Watch Classic.
Now that I've written that, I realize that it wasn't as simple as I thought. It basically boils down to: Galaxy Watch 4 = slimmer, lighter, and sportier. Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has a more elegant look, and trades the digital bezel to Samsung's iconic rotating hardware bezel.
It's been said before, and it will be repeated again: Samsung's ace is the spinning bezel. This is the spot where Apple has undisputedly beaten in the smartwatch category. While Apple's crown is great, the bezel is the best way to navigate smartwatch interfaces. It was a surprise to me that the company decided to ditch it for the Galaxy Watch 2, in favor of a digital version. It was clearly a mistake by the company, who brought it back for the 3.
You can read my previous review to see my main complaint with older Samsung watches. These watches were huge. They were huge. I am not small nor have a very small wrist. But I found it difficult to walk around with them on. Many people love big, bulky watches. However, only offering them in one size will severely limit your audience.
There are many options available. You can get the Galaxy Watch in four sizes: 40mm, 44mm, and $300. The Classic is available in 46mm and 42mm (both $380 and $355). You're already paying a significant premium for what mainly amounts to design differences. LTE is available on the classic for $379 to $429. This is still a good deal compared to the Apple Watch Series 6, starting at $399.
The 42mm Galaxy Watch Classic was the choice for me. I feel pretty happy with the decision after having the watch for several days. The design is so small that I think 46mm would have been too big for my daily use. It would have been impossible to sleep in it.
I'm still curious about how the 44mm standard Watch would fit. However, if you have the option of rotating bezel, choose rotating bezel. For users with smaller wrists, a 40mm Classic version would be an option. However, Samsung is moving in the right direction with four sizes.
Samsung, like many of its competitors, is leading the way in health offerings. The watch is great at detecting workouts. I've been trying to improve my exercise routine for over a year. In terms of running and walking detection, it is comparable to the Apple Watch. It does a great job at rowing, which I have done recently at the gym. It is much more difficult than my morning HIIT and yoga routines. If you don't have a company-provided routine, it might be easier.
An ECG is available onboard to detect irregularities in the heart. This is a standardizing tool that medical professionals recommend to detect early signs of heart problems. The new Body Composition feature is an outstanding addition to this device. It provides key health metrics such as skeletal muscle, body weight, metabolic rate, and body fat percentage. Simply place two fingers on it.
The sleep tracking app provides solid insight including blood oxygen, light/deep/rem, and total sleep score (hint: mine is low). The app can also tell you how often you snore during the night if you are able/willing. The numbers together can provide valuable insight into your sleep patterns and offer you some actionable information.
Wearing a watch to go to sleep is more than just comfort. It's also about battery life. I was able go for a day and a quarter of normal to light usage with the Watch Classic. It's sufficient to track sleep and do some fitness, provided you have time to charge it again. It's fine for most purposes, but nothing to be proud of.
These elements all add up to a solid smartwatch user experience. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is the best Android-compatible smartwatch.
