Why is Apple the better 'smart' watch vs others?

[satchmo]

So I'm reading reviews on the popular wearables from Apple, Fitbit, Garmin etc.
They all pretty much come to the same conclusion...

Get an Apple Watch if you want a smartwatch first, and fitness watch second.
Get a Fitbit or Garmin if you want a fitness watch first, and a smartwatch second.

Okay, but what 'smart' features does Apple have that the others don't? Is it merely Apple ecosystem integration?
Are there that many unique watchOS apps that aren't available on other platforms?
Do people actually use that many apps outside of stock AW apps?

 

[Howard2k]

I don't agree with that.

I think the primary question must be "Which phone are you using". Then you can make a decision on the watch from there.

I don't use many apps. Aside from fitness (which I think the AW does better than Fitbit) I use Spotify and Apple Pay. I believe both of those can be done with a Fitbit smartwatch and I know they can both be done using a Samsung. (Not Apple Pay but the third party equivalent). Fitness+ is a further differentiator.

I used Fitbit for many years prior to Apple and certainly there are some things that Fitbit does better. Sleep tracking I would wager, and I believe the heart beat sensor is more granular. Battery life is also better. Fitbit has an Fitness+ type service too but I don't use either Fitness+ or the Fitbit equivalent so can't really comment but my uneducated understanding is the the Apple version is better.

Where the Apple Watch does excel over Fitbit and Garmin, I believe, is the notifications integration. My Fitbit could view my SMS messages but not send them. Maybe that issue has been cleaned up by now.

 

[pilotpat]

The things that move the Apple Watch above the others are the "smart" things. Phone calls and texts. On other watches you can only view texts. On most other watches you can't make phone calls or answer them on the watch. You accept the call on the watch and it goes to the phone. Those are both issues because apple doesn't allow other apps to replace the functionality of (without going through) the built in phone and messages apps for security reasons. The other watches have equivalents to most of the things the apple watch can do, but not all of them. I think the garmin watches are more rugged and that is a big sell point for them.

 

[satchmo]

The things that move the Apple Watch above the others are the "smart" things. Phone calls and texts. On other watches you can only view texts. On most other watches you can't make phone calls or answer them on the watch. You accept the call on the watch and it goes to the phone. Those are both issues because apple doesn't allow other apps to replace the functionality of (without going through) the built in phone and messages apps for security reasons. The other watches have equivalents to most of the things the apple watch can do, but not all of them. I think the garmin watches are more rugged and that is a big sell point for them.

I think the new Garmin Venu 2 Plus now allows making phone calls.
But yes, the ability to reply to text messages is still limited given Apple's iMessage lock-in.
Actually the selling point is the battery life. It's like 5-10 days. I wish Apple could get there as well.

I don't agree with that.

I think the primary question must be "Which phone are you using". Then you can make a decision on the watch from there.

I don't use many apps. Aside from fitness (which I think the AW does better than Fitbit) I use Spotify and Apple Pay. I believe both of those can be done with a Fitbit smartwatch and I know they can both be done using a Samsung. (Not Apple Pay but the third party equivalent). Fitness+ is a further differentiator.

I used Fitbit for many years prior to Apple and certainly there are some things that Fitbit does better. Sleep tracking I would wager, and I believe the heart beat sensor is more granular. Battery life is also better. Fitbit has an Fitness+ type service too but I don't use either Fitness+ or the Fitbit equivalent so can't really comment but my uneducated understanding is the the Apple version is better.

Where the Apple Watch does excel over Fitbit and Garmin, I believe, is the notifications integration. My Fitbit could view my SMS messages but not send them. Maybe that issue has been cleaned up by now.

What phone you own is becoming less of a deal.

I've been using a Garmin VivoActive and frankly it does 90% of what an Apple Watch probably does. It just has an inferior display, but the Venu 2 line is on par with the AW.

Notifications are less important as I have my iPhone with me pretty much all the time. And unless you really care about texting back messages on a small watch display (I don't), it's not that big a deal.

I use my watch primarily as a sleep tracker and for fitness. I'm not here to bash Apple Watch. I'm just looking at the alternatives in an objective manner. From what I'm finding so far is that, the gap is closing. If Apple doesn't improve on the granular metrics in sleep and running, I might go with that new Venu 2 Plus as my next watch.

 

[oeagleo]

I think not only does the Apple Watch have an app for just about everything, so do the watches with WearOS installed. I'm thinking the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, and it is a close rival. However, the thing that keeps me with the Apple Watch, (Apple's arrogance notwithstanding) is it's accuracy. Across the board, the Apple Watch is conceded to have the most accurate Heart Rate, SpO2, and health readings. Period. Take a look at a fully scientific viewpoint, from a Post Doctoral scientist here.

 

[pilotpat]

Fossil watches also have the ability to make calls and receive calls from the watch, but I think this is done by registering as a bluetooth headset in iOS. I think this is great, but it's also something Apple could block. Not sure how Garmin is doing it but I imagine it's the same.

I think not only does the Apple Watch have an app for just about everything, so do the watches with WearOS installed. I'm thinking the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, and it is a close rival. However, the thing that keeps me with the Apple Watch, (Apple's arrogance notwithstanding) is it's accuracy. Across the board, the Apple Watch is conceded to have the most accurate Heart Rate, SpO2, and health readings. Period. Take a look at a fully scientific viewpoint, from a Post Doctoral scientist here.

Galaxy watch 4 doesn't work with iOS, at least not right now. In the future who knows. So it really isn't a simple choice because you would have to get an Android phone for it to work. I have one and it is very close to the Apple Watch in most ways, but still falls short in my opinion. Though I have been wearing it more than my S6 AW lately.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

"...Merely Apple ecosystem integration" grossly understates the level of integration with iPhone in particular and the ecosystem as a whole. You can consider Apple Watch to be an extension of the iPhone - iPhone can stay in a pocket or purse and a quick glance at the Watch may be all you need to stay up to date. Even without a cellular service plan you can make/receive phone calls, text, and email; you can remote control your iPhone camera (remote shutter release when the phone is on a tripod or setup for a group shot), control your smart home devices and the music playing on HomePod (or Watch, of course)... The list is very, very long.

One of the key behaviors regards notifications (including haptics/vibrations on your wrist, so if your phone and Watch are silenced you will get a "nudge") - when the iPhone is locked notifications are automatically routed to the Watch instead. If I'm using turn-by-turn directions in CarPlay my Watch is fully synchronized - haptics when it comes time to turn/make a lane change that coordinate with the spoken instructions....

Then there's Unlock with Apple Watch, which unlocks your Mac (assuming you have one), and your iPhone/iPad at times when a mask prevents Face ID recognition.

Yes, you can always use a different payment system than Apple Pay/Wallet, but for tight integration with ecosystem I'm going to stick with Apple, whether I'm using my Watch to pay at check-out, pass through a subway turnstile, display my boarding pass or theater ticket QR code... all in Apple Wallet on both Watch and iPhone and while making website payments on my Mac or iPad. (And if you think I'm going to hand my financial transaction info/behavior over to Google....)

Any smart device has a long list of features and capabilities, and each user will find a different combination of features useful or not. So some people will undoubtedly opt for "fitness tracker first, smart watch second."

What I wouldn't do, however, is layer on the pile of third-party apps and services that would be necessary to make a Fitbit or Garmin approach the "smartness" of Apple Watch's native capabilities. That's a lot of added complexity just for the sake of having a "better" fitness tracker.

I can appreciate that one can always desire a specific, deep-detail capability/statistic from something like a dedicated fitness tracker, or may desire a higher level of accuracy (whether real or perceived). Whether it's on Watch, iPhone/iPad, or Mac, you'll nearly always find a non-Apple app that provides the statistics not delivered by the built-in Apple apps - the data exists from the sensors, it's solely a matter of how it's sliced and diced. There are loads of fitness-related apps in the Watch App Store to scratch that itch.

Some people ask whether Watch counts steps... yes, although Apple has not put the emphasis on that particular statistic. It's just one of many ways to track activity. Steps translate into miles/KM, after all, and altitude gain/loss, pace, stride length, and heart rate all combine to give a better picture of physical exertion than step count alone, and integration with an active mapping system delivers a far more accurate measure of distance traveled over time. Step count is a holdover from mechanical pedometers, which essentially measure bounces/foot strikes - one had to calibrate the things with the length of ones stride in order to get something approximating a measure of distance. But of course there are trainers and fitness programs that place an emphasis on that stat, and if you've been using a tracker that does place an emphasis on that stat, you may want Apple to provide that same emphasis. Going in the other direction, I might want a Garmin to give me the same Move, Exercise, and Stand rings that Apple provides. In the end, that's part of the art of product differentiation.

 

[Howard2k]

What phone you own is becoming less of a deal.

With Garmin you are correct. My understanding though is that you cannot use the AW with Android, nor the Samsung watch with iOS. Well, not with the same level of functionality. I might be mistaken.

 

[1CaesaR1]

With Garmin you are correct. My understanding though is that you cannot use the AW with Android, nor the Samsung watch with iOS. Well, not with the same level of functionality. I might be mistaken.

Yes that is the key. When I was using Samsung Galaxy phones, I just couldn't use an Apple Watch (not compatible). I had several Samsung watches (Gear S3 frontier, Gear and Active 2). All worked wonderfully with the Samsung phone - notifications, calls, text, etc. Then I moved back to iPhone and could use the Galaxy watches, but they weren't as reliable. You had to connect the watch through the app, but also a separate BT connection for calls that wasn't reliable.

So Samsung watches do try to work with iPhones, but aren't very smoothly integrated. I was forced to move to Apple watch. Now my experience with iPhone+ AW is the same as Samsung Galaxy+Galaxy Watch. Same level of integration as before so not sure if Apple Watch is a better smart watch and I actually miss the more watch like look of the galaxy watches. With that said, what I do like is the ability to switch between different watches seemlessly. I was using multiple galaxy watches at the same time and could only set up Samsung Pay on one (not sure if that has been fixed now). I have similar setup with Apple now using multiple watches and I can just switch from one to the other during the day without missing a beat.

I don't have experience with others (FitBit, Garmin, etc.), but I fail to see Apple watch being a significantly better smart watch than a Samsung one as long as you have the right pairing (Samsung phone with Samsung watch or iPhone with Apple Watch).

 

[PaladinGuy]

I definitely find the new Garmin Venu 2 Plus intriguing. I've used Garmin watches in the past, and they definitely have some advantages when it comes to activity/fitness/sports tracking. There's also the enormous advantage of battery life, which is not even in the same stratosphere as the Apple Watch.

In my opinion, the previous poster has it correct. It mostly comes down to what phone ecosystem you are in.

If you're in Android's ecosystem, I personally think that most Garmin or Fitbit watches can be a perfectly capable smartwatch. Most people don't seem to be super interested in using third-party apps that involve lengthy interactions with a smartwatch. People mostly want health, fitness, notification, and quick communication functionality from a smartwatch. Android with Garmin or Fitbit can do all of that easily. Almost every single third-party app that I have is in the fitness category to try to fill in a feature that the Apple Watch doesn't have on it. I'd give the edge to Garmin though.

Garmin and Fitbit don't work nearly as smoothly with the iPhone/iOS. You cannot use the quick replies to messages on a Garmin/Fitbit watch with your iPhone. You cannot use Apple Music with either of them. You cannot act on notifications with a them, other than to simply dismiss them. That means you cannot snooze a notification or reminder, for example. These are some of the main features people want on a smartwatch.

Now that the Venu 2 Plus can access Siri, the gap is a little bit more closed but nowhere near all the way.

 

[LeeW]

The Apple Watch isn't the better smartwatch unless you think it is or you prefer it.

Get an Apple Watch if you want a smartwatch first, and fitness watch second.

I don't agree with that, I use it as a fitness watch first. When you consider all the options it has including Apple fitness I don't think other smartwatches equals Apples complete offering on the fitness side and there is more and better coming in 2022.

 

[Itinj24]

I think the more Apple products you have, the more the Apple Watch shines with the eco system. It’s the little things you don’t notice the convenience of until you have the opportunity to use them. For example, I leave my phone on the charger in my bedroom, I can completely control my living room Apple TV and volume (with audio default to HomePod) with my watch. Another one is, I take the trash out late while leaving my phone inside. It’s dark as the driveway lights go out at a certain time. Forgot to turn them on on my way out. Raise my watch and ask Siri to turn on my HomeKit enabled driveway lights or use the Home app on my watch. Just a couple of the many examples with an extensive Apple eco system.

 

[mk313]

Really just chiming in to agree with others here. There are a lot of great smartwatches out there, but the integration of Apple Watch with iPhone/ iCloud/ Macs, etc is fantastic. I can use my watch as a stripped down phone & not really miss anything.

For instance, I go running on Sunday mornings, then head over to the grocery store. If I feel like taking my phone, I can, but usually I just take my watch & AirPods. I can listen to a podcast in the car, track my workout, grocery shop using the Reminders app to make sure I get everything, show my store card using StoCard app, pay using Apple Pay, take any phone calls I get, or reply to texts, etc, I have my calendar with me in case I need to see what's next or what time I have to be home, I can grab something to eat if I want & pay using Apple Pay again, and when I get home, everything is synced back to my phone/computer. Sure some of those things are easier on the phone, but it works pretty well overall. I don't think you get as much breadth of usability from a Garmin or Samsung watch (at least not if you are using an iPhone). You definitely take a hit on the battery life side of things, but it's a tradeoff I'm more than willing to take.

 

[Bandaman]

Now that the Galaxy Watch 4 has WearOS, it's actually become quite amazing, with more health features than even the Apple Watch and longer battery life. The Apple Watch has not really had competition in ... ever. I think the tides are finally starting to turn. But it's irrelevant which is better because which watch you get is entirely dependent upon the phone you have. There is literally no reason to get an Android watch for iPhone and vice versa. Android users have not had a compelling competitor to the Apple Watch until recently. And Google is now finally working on their own watch. The Galaxy Watch 4 is the first WearOS watch and was a collaboration between Google and Samsung. And the S22 series in general is looking to be pretty amazing, with a screen that is 550 nits brighter than the iPhone 13 Pro Max at its brightest. Samsung's integration (phone, watch, Windows, DeX, Galaxy buds) is the only real competitor to Apple's ecosystem and it's getting better all the time.

 

[dk001]

I have two smart watches / fitness devices.
AW7 GPS (Xmas gift)
OnePlus Watch

Between them the AW does have more features however ...
- For fitness tracking the AW comes in second. The 1+ has more options.
- For sleep tracking, the 1+ does it stock.
- For battery life, the 1+ lasts 2 weeks.
- For Messages they both are great.
- For phone calls the AW is best.
- The AW has better faces.
- The AW does more with apps.
- You can pay with the AW.

End of the day I use the 1+ as my day to day.
It does what I am looking for most: Fitness, Sleep, and Battery.

So no, I do not agree the AW is best.

 

[Night Spring]

For sleep tracking, the 1+ does it stock.

Apple Watch does it now, too, I think from watchOS 7. The function is pretty rudimentary, though, and I'm sure other fitness trackers do it better.

 

[dk001]

Apple Watch does it now, too, I think from watchOS 7. The function is pretty rudimentary, though, and I'm sure other fitness trackers do it better.

Biggest issue on the AW is that if I do sleep also it is close to a dead battery by morn.
On the AW you need to create sleep schedules for it do really do anything (AFAIK). The 1+ and others it is not required.
Surprised the AW doesn't monitor your vitals to determine when you are resting.

 

[satchmo]

Really just chiming in to agree with others here. There are a lot of great smartwatches out there, but the integration of Apple Watch with iPhone/ iCloud/ Macs, etc is fantastic. I can use my watch as a stripped down phone & not really miss anything.

For instance, I go running on Sunday mornings, then head over to the grocery store. If I feel like taking my phone, I can, but usually I just take my watch & AirPods. I can listen to a podcast in the car, track my workout, grocery shop using the Reminders app to make sure I get everything, show my store card using StoCard app, pay using Apple Pay, take any phone calls I get, or reply to texts, etc, I have my calendar with me in case I need to see what's next or what time I have to be home, I can grab something to eat if I want & pay using Apple Pay again, and when I get home, everything is synced back to my phone/computer. Sure some of those things are easier on the phone, but it works pretty well overall. I don't think you get as much breadth of usability from a Garmin or Samsung watch (at least not if you are using an iPhone). You definitely take a hit on the battery life side of things, but it's a tradeoff I'm more than willing to take.

I think the more Apple products you have, the more the Apple Watch shines with the eco system. It’s the little things you don’t notice the convenience of until you have the opportunity to use them. For example, I leave my phone on the charger in my bedroom, I can completely control my living room Apple TV and volume (with audio default to HomePod) with my watch. Another one is, I take the trash out late while leaving my phone inside. It’s dark as the driveway lights go out at a certain time. Forgot to turn them on on my way out. Raise my watch and ask Siri to turn on my HomeKit enabled driveway lights or use the Home app on my watch. Just a couple of the many examples with an extensive Apple eco system.

"...Merely Apple ecosystem integration" grossly understates the level of integration with iPhone in particular and the ecosystem as a whole. You can consider Apple Watch to be an extension of the iPhone - iPhone can stay in a pocket or purse and a quick glance at the Watch may be all you need to stay up to date. Even without a cellular service plan you can make/receive phone calls, text, and email; you can remote control your iPhone camera (remote shutter release when the phone is on a tripod or setup for a group shot), control your smart home devices and the music playing on HomePod (or Watch, of course)... The list is very, very long.

One of the key behaviors regards notifications (including haptics/vibrations on your wrist, so if your phone and Watch are silenced you will get a "nudge") - when the iPhone is locked notifications are automatically routed to the Watch instead. If I'm using turn-by-turn directions in CarPlay my Watch is fully synchronized - haptics when it comes time to turn/make a lane change that coordinate with the spoken instructions....

Then there's Unlock with Apple Watch, which unlocks your Mac (assuming you have one), and your iPhone/iPad at times when a mask prevents Face ID recognition.

Yes, you can always use a different payment system than Apple Pay/Wallet, but for tight integration with ecosystem I'm going to stick with Apple, whether I'm using my Watch to pay at check-out, pass through a subway turnstile, display my boarding pass or theater ticket QR code... all in Apple Wallet on both Watch and iPhone and while making website payments on my Mac or iPad. (And if you think I'm going to hand my financial transaction info/behavior over to Google....)

These are the use cases I was interested in hearing about. They clearly demonstrates the smart features versus fitness. I admit I wouldn’t use my watch in most of these situations, but that doesn’t discount the watch’s capabilities.

But the responses in this thread have been great. It’s clear to me that there’s no perfect watch at the moment. And maybe 2 watches are required to cover all the bases.

The Apple Watch is a natural option, if you’re in the ecosystem which most of us here are. Now, if they could improve battery life and perhaps more detailed metrics on sleep, it would be a slam dunk for me. It also has an advantage over other watches without a cellular option. Being untethered to a phone is liberating. Although for me, I suspect would be a bit scary at first.

But it’s clear other watch manufacturers have upped their game (despite continued Apple’s dominance in this space). With Google buying FitBit and committing to WearOS 3.0, it can only get more competitive. And just as the AW thrives in an Apple ecosystem, perhaps the same could be said about Android.

 

[Foilguy]

I guess every situation is different.

My only fitness/smart watch experience so far has been a basic Garmin Instinct the wife and I each bought for $160 on sale. I just upgraded from my IPhone 8+ to a 13PM (awesome phone!) and I‘m thinking it’s time to upgrade the watch as well. I have two not-so-common sports activities beyond the typical ones; open water swimming and kite/wing foiling. One thing that ticked me off a bit was that Garmin did not include open-water-swimming in the Venu2 or Venu2+. Seems odd seeing as I have it in my lowly Instinct. According to Desfit and DCRainmaker the AW-SE is actually pretty decent at both pool and open water swimming. AW even gets OK results for the wrist heart rate monitor during water use. So Garmin isn’t always go-to fitness winner.

When we kite/wing foil it’s not just tracking that’s great to have but emergency rescue contact can be critical if your gear breaks down, even if your just a 1/2 mile offshore. Some people will upgrade to an AW-LTE for that one reason alone. I’ve stuffed my IPhone in a waterproof case and stuffed that inside my wetsuit while out foiling but you can only imagine trying to pull it out and use it, even in a relatively mellow 20 mph winds and 3 ft seas. A basic AW-gps would at least allow me to keep the iPhone stuffed away in the wetsuit or water-backpack while I “phone home”.

Part of me is leaning towards a 40mm SE-gps I can pick up from Walmart for $229. I suspect battery life would be the big let down for me compared to my Instinct. Or I could spend $450 on a Venu2+ and a separate open-water swim ap?

 

[dk001]

I guess every situation is different.

My only fitness/smart watch experience so far has been a basic Garmin Instinct the wife and I each bought for $160 on sale. I just upgraded from my IPhone 8+ to a 13PM (awesome phone!) and I‘m thinking it’s time to upgrade the watch as well. I have two not-so-common sports activities beyond the typical ones; open water swimming and kite/wing foiling. One thing that ticked me off a bit was that Garmin did not include open-water-swimming in the Venu2 or Venu2+. Seems odd seeing as I have it in my lowly Instinct. According to Desfit and DCRainmaker the AW-SE is actually pretty decent at both pool and open water swimming. AW even gets OK results for the wrist heart rate monitor during water use. So Garmin isn’t always go-to fitness winner.

When we kite/wing foil it’s not just tracking that’s great to have but emergency rescue contact can be critical if your gear breaks down, even if your just a 1/2 mile offshore. Some people will upgrade to an AW-LTE for that one reason alone. I’ve stuffed my IPhone in a waterproof case and stuffed that inside my wetsuit while out foiling but you can only imagine trying to pull it out and use it, even in a relatively mellow 20 mph winds and 3 ft seas. A basic AW-gps would at least allow me to keep the iPhone stuffed away in the wetsuit or water-backpack while I “phone home”.

Part of me is leaning towards a 40mm SE-gps I can pick up from Walmart for $229. I suspect battery life would be the big let down for me compared to my Instinct. Or I could spend $450 on a Venu2+ and a separate open-water swim ap?

That’s the challenge; choosing what works best for your specific needs.
For some of the rougher hiking I have done, a watch just don’t cut it.

 

[Moakesy]

Pretty much agree with all the above. If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, then AW is the obvious answer. If not, you have wider choice. FWIW I’m big into fitness and find the AW is great for all I do.

However, if you can wait until September, there are the rumours of the ‘sports edition’ AW. Basically more rugged and activity focussed. Rumours are sketchy still, but might be worth holding out to see if sleep tracking and other health features are improved.

 

[Farrellcollie]

I don't think it is necessarily the best. It would depend on the criteria and if you already were into apple products. I would doubt it is the best if you have an android phone. I like the apple watch but I doubt I would if I didn't have an iphone, ipad, and macbook

 

[NoBoMac]

I like the apple watch but I doubt I would if I didn't have an iphone, ipad, and macbook

I've been in the ecosystem for quite while now, and even that did not get me to initially go AW. Phone with fitness apps, GPS trackers did fine for my fitness regime. It wasn't until the 3 became the "cheap" watch did I bite the bullet. Gave heart rate monitor (wanted that) and second screen for phone, but VO2 and ECG not important, so have not seen need to go higher than SE (destroyed the 3 canyoneering).

 

[Foilguy]

All apple needs to do to dramatically improve AW sales is improve battery life for 2022! Forget all the new why-do-I-need-this sensors and new “cool” designer screen faces/color options (really?!). All they have to do is look at the popularity of the IPhone 13 Pro Max. It’s big and heavy but people love it for one overriding reason,…….battery life. (I’m not a heavy user but my 13PM just hit 48 hrs with 63% battery left. Game changer ?)

 

[dk001]

All apple needs to do to dramatically improve AW sales is improve battery life for 2022! Forget all the new why-do-I-need-this sensors and new “cool” designer screen faces/color options (really?!). All they have to do is look at the popularity of the IPhone 13 Pro Max. It’s big and heavy but people love it for one overriding reason,…….battery life. (I’m not a heavy user but my 13PM just hit 48 hrs with 63% battery left. Game changer ?)

But they need to have at least a week of battery of more. My OP Watch has two weeks and it was amazing how nice that was it have.
One thing that surprised me, once I got away from daily use of the AW I was surprised at how well other devices work.