How Apple Watch 10 Differs From Competitors
We’ve seen Apple unveil a slew of new devices today, including the flagship iPhone 16 series, but here I’m going to dive deeper into the Apple Watch 10: a significant step forward for Apple’s smartwatches.
But is it important enough to challenge the Google Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7? All three smartwatches released this year are competing for space on your wrist. Read on for a guide to their key differences and similarities.
What’s new in Apple Watch 10
There’s a lot new to the Apple Watch 10 (or Apple Watch Series X) that features a sleek design. Screens are bigger than ever and brighter (especially at an angle). There’s also an improved built-in speaker for listening without headphones, and it’s the thinnest Apple Watch ever, measuring 9.7mm (0.38 inches) front to back—nearly 10% thinner than Apple Watch 9.
There’s also a new S10 processor inside and new finishes on the outside: a glossy black aluminum finish, as well as a new lighter (and more expensive) titanium finish give you more case styles to choose from, and there are also new straps and bands on offer.
A new health feature is sleep apnea detection, which will help you determine whether your breathing starts or stops while you sleep. It often goes undiagnosed and can have serious health consequences, but Apple Watch 10 will be able to alert you if it thinks you may have sleep apnea so you can get tested. The feature has not yet received FDA approval, but Apple says it expects it to arrive soon.
This year, Apple Watch 10 includes a depth gauge and water temperature sensor, making it more useful for all your water activities, and the built-in Tides app includes data on shorelines around the world. Water resistance at a depth of 50 meters is still the same.
Add to that Apple Watch’s fastest charging speed to date—going from 0 to 80% battery in just 30 minutes—and it’s one of the most significant Apple Watch updates we’ve seen in a while. What hasn’t changed is the price: it starts at $399 for the cheapest model, but can get expensive quickly.
Apple Watch 10 vs Pixel Watch 3
The Pixel Watch 3 is the first Pixel Watch to come in two sizes (41mm and 45mm), so it’s roughly equivalent to the 42mm and 46mm variants of the Apple Watch 10. However, at 12.3mm (0.48 inches) thick, it can’t match Apple in this regard, and the Apple Watch 10 weighs 29.3 grams or more.
The Pixel Watch 3 also uses a round bezel rather than a rectangular one, and it doesn’t have as many case finishes as the new Apple Watch 10: All case options on Google’s wearable are made of aluminum, and there are four different options. colors to choose from in two sizes, and a variety of strap options.
Google says the Pixel Watch 3 can charge from 0 to 80 percent in just 35 minutes, so it’s not quite as fast as the Apple Watch, but it’s pretty close. As for battery life, you can expect 24 hours between charges with Always-On Display enabled, which actually beats the Apple Watch 10’s estimated 18 hours.
The Pixel Watch 3 doesn’t have sleep apnea detection, but it still offers plenty of sleep tracking features through the Fitbit app. Google’s wearable also offers something unique that the Apple Watch doesn’t: pulse loss detection, which can alert emergency services if it appears you’re in cardiac arrest.
As for pricing, the Pixel Watch 3 starts at $349.99, which is slightly less than the $399 price for the Apple Watch 10. However, prices can vary significantly depending on the case and band option, and whether you want to include 4G LTE or not.
Apple Watch 10 vs Galaxy Watch 7
Two Galaxy Watch 7 sizes are slightly smaller than the Apple Watch 10: 40mm and 44mm, rather than 42mm and 46mm. The Galaxy Watch 7 measures 9.7mm (0.38 inches) thick from front to back, matching the thickness of the Apple Watch 10. Samsung’s wearable is also lighter: 28.8 grams versus 29.3 grams.
In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 has a round body rather than a rectangular one like the Apple Watch 10. You also have fewer finish options for your Samsung watch, with green, cream and silver being your color choices. options, and aluminum is the only material offered.
From a health and fitness perspective, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 offers FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, just like the Apple Watch 10. Otherwise, it’s hard to differentiate wearables in this particular category, at least on paper. The Galaxy Watch 7 offers blood pressure monitoring, which the Apple Watch 10 doesn’t have.
Unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t provide battery life or charging data for the Galaxy Watch 7, so it’s hard to compare it to the Apple Watch 10, at least not officially. The general consensus I’ve seen is that you won’t be able to get more than a day out of a Samsung watch with normal use, so overall it’s comparable to what Apple is promising with the Apple Watch 10.
On both watches, you can choose Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-only models or add 4G LTE, but Samsung has more affordable options, with prices for the Galaxy Watch 7 starting at $299.99 for the smallest non-4G model. LTE versus $399 for the Apple Watch 10. Ultimately, the price depends on which case color, size, and band option you choose.