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Revealed a decade ago in 2014, the original Apple Watch kicked off Apple’s new product category, arguably marking the company’s first major innovation since the introduction of the iPhone. The Apple Watch has since seen several improvements, both in the form of hardware refinements and software additions. Features like Apple Pay, fitness tracking, and water resistance make it a great substitute for the times and places you can’t be bothered to carry your phone around.
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WatchOS is a cornerstone of the experience, as we’ve discussed in our review of the Apple Watch Series 9. Access to the App Store means you can enjoy a slew of great Apple Watch apps. Additionally, by using third-party watch straps or playing around with the watch face, you can customize your Apple Watch as you please.
All of these make the Apple Watch a great and, in some cases, the default choice for a smartwatch — as long as you own an iPhone. Though you can jump through hoops to use an Apple Watch with an Android phone, you lose quite a bit of functionality and most of the experience. Whether you’re on team Android or just don’t find the Apple Watch alluring enough — the vastness of the smartwatch market brings good news. Here are some of the best Apple Watch alternatives that you should look into buying in 2024.
Google Pixel Watch 2
Taking a total 180 from the Apple Watch lands you at Google’s offering — the Pixel Watch 2. Despite looking nothing like its contender, it shares similarities when it comes to the feature set and, unfortunately enough, its incompatibility with the rival’s operating system. On the flip side, you get a watch with a beautifully round design and one that is surprisingly durable, as explored in our review of the Pixel Watch 2. The front is shielded with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, and the body is protected with an IP68 certification for water resistance.
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The watch has a 1.2-inch circular AMOLED display with Always On Display functionality. Just like the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch 2 sports a rotating crown that can be used to interact with the interface. The device has a plethora of sensors, including a barometer, altimeter, compass, and heart rate sensor — plus infrared and electrical sensors to measure blood oxygen levels and an electrocardiogram, respectively.
Samsung Galaxy Watch6
Thanks to its sheer popularity globally, comparisons between Apple and Samsung products are irresistible. The Galaxy Watch6 continues to build upon Samsung’s wearable technology and is a great alternative to the Apple Watch in terms of features and a premium build. The 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display is protected by sapphire crystal glass and an aluminum frame around. Like most smartwatches at this price point, the Galaxy Watch6 is IP68 water-resistant up to 50 meters. Though Samsung doesn’t guarantee the watch’s ruggedness in extreme conditions, the Galaxy Watch6 is MIL-STD-810H compliant.
Google’s acquisition of Fitbit was tipped to improve Wear OS, and it looks like it definitely paid off. Buyers enjoy a free Fitbit premium membership for 6 months that unlocks exclusive workout modes and other features. The Google Pixel Watch 2 is available at a comparable price point of $350 for the Wi-Fi model. For $400, you unlock LTE support, which gives the watch added independence when you’re on the go.
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Apart from the usual detectors, the wearable is also equipped with a temperature sensor that can be used as a thermometer for quick and effective body temperature scans. Safety features like automatic fall detection are an added bonus, too, and you can contact emergency services by quickly pressing the power button five times.
Thanks to the 16 gigabytes of internal storage, you can transfer your favorite tracks to your Galaxy Watch6 for offline music playback as well. When it comes to interactivity and features, the Wear OS powered by Samsung is friendly yet powerful. Despite Samsung Wallet being the default payment method, you can still use Google Wallet on your Samsung Galaxy Watch for a more familiar experience. The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 starts at $299, with an extra $50 for LTE connectivity.
OnePlus Watch 2
One of the biggest reasons the first-generation OnePlus Watch failed was its lackluster operating system. The OnePlus Watch 2 has fortunately fixed this annoyance by incorporating a fully functional Wear OS interface. Reasons to pick this as your next wearable include a bright display, sleek design, and great battery life
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The watch has a 1.4-inch AMOLED display with a more scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass. It is also IP68-certified for dust and water resistance. Compared to the Galaxy Watch6, the OnePlus Watch 2 doubles the storage to 32 GB, meaning you can download even more music from your streaming app of choice.
This wearable has a standout feature — an incredibly long-lasting battery. Where most smartwatches die in a day or two, the OnePlus Watch 2 advertises up to 12 days of use. This is all thanks to its dual-processor approach, which runs Wear OS when you interact with the device and switches to the more efficient RTOS for most of the lighter tasks. The OnePlus Watch 2 is available for $299 but sadly doesn’t come in an LTE variant.
Amazfit GTS 4
If you love the Apple Watch’s design but don’t want to spend over $400 on it, the Amazfit GT
S 4 is an eerily similar-looking option for half the price. It sports a large 1.75-inch AMOLED display and promises up to eight days of battery life in the power-saving mode.
Unfortunately, the affordable price point doesn’t come without a big catch, which is the fact that the Amazfit GTS 4 doesn’t run on Wear OS. This considerably reduces the list of things you can do on the device compared to the Apple Watch or Wear OS-compatible smartwatches. However, the mini app ecosystem you get with Zepp OS covers major features you would expect in a smartwatch. There is built-in support for Amazon Alexa to perform basic actions as well.
The watch has over 150 sports modes and can automatically recognize when you start common workouts like running, swimming, or cycling. The device also has a speaker that can broadcast notifications out loud. You can purchase an Amazfit GTS 4 for $199 in colorways similar to the Apple Watch.
Fitbit Sense 2
The Fitbit Sense 2 is a rather unconventional alternative but one that’s perfect if you’re looking for a reliable activity tracker. While the Pixel Watch 2 has a similar suite of sensors, you benefit from the considerably longer battery life that the Fitbit Sense 2 provides. This is also true when comparing the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Apple Watch. The wearable integrates well within Fitbit’s expansive health ecosystem, with the option to upgrade to a premium monthly subscription for added functionality like guided exercise routines.
The Fitbit Sense 2 sports a 1.58-inch AMOLED display and is water-resistant up to 50 meters. In the classic Fitbit style, you can expect a bucketload of sensors that make fitness tracking a key selling point. In addition to the SpO2, ECG, and heart rate sensors, the Sense 2 has a cEDA skin conductance sensor that can more accurately measure stress levels. For a price of $299, the Fitbit Sense 2 offers a few distinctive features that may very well be worth it if you fit its target audience.
