Samsung Just Announced Its Answer to the Apple Watch SE
This week’s tech announcements may have started with Apple’s big news at WWDC , but they end with Samsung’s most humble smart product yet: the Galaxy Watch FE .
Starting at $199, the Galaxy Watch FE is the Android smartwatch leader’s first attempt to emulate the success of the basic Apple Watch SE rather than the shinier Apple Watch Ultra 2 or Pixel Watch 2 . This means no rotating bezel, smaller battery, only one size, smaller display and the latest generation Exynos W920 chip. But with almost the same set of sensors (minus temperature tracking) as the standard Galaxy Watch6, plus a $100 discount from the company’s current cheapest option, it finally gives Samsung’s wearable an entry-level choice.
It also has IP68 dust resistance and 5ATM water resistance, as well as the same NFC (for contactless payments), GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as Samsung’s more expensive watches. LTE connectivity can be added for an additional $50, and you’ll boot the watch into the familiar Wear OS 4 environment.
It’s unusual for Samsung to announce this now instead of waiting for one of its Unpacked events, although it does give the company an opportunity to announce something that could be announced during its biggest mobile competitor’s biggest week.
If you’re like me and use your smartwatch very casually , it’s worth waiting until this watch’s June 24 release date, as it looks like it will deliver almost the same instant experience as the Galaxy , which is currently in the mid-range price segment. Watch6 , even with its compromises (though you’ll have to wait until later this year if you want LTE).
Of course, even though there’s a clear comparison to the Apple Watch SE, it looks like Samsung is taking a slightly different approach here. Tradeoffs: Since the FE is based on Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy Watch6 rather than the more premium Galaxy Watch6 Classic, this means the FE doesn’t have a physical watch face, whereas the Apple Watch SE has the same digital crown as the rest of the watch lineup Apple. . At the same time, the FE has an always-on display, something Apple Watch owners can’t get without spending $400. It’s also $50 cheaper than the cheapest Apple Watch.