Apple unveiled its first wearable device, the Apple Watch, on March 9 (local time). The company explained that the watch provides zoom-in, zoom-out, and navigation functions as well as screen enlargement and scrolling. Still, some experts said that the gadget is less innovative than expected, and its design falls short of expectations as well.
The Apple Watch comes in various types, 34 to be specific, including the Apple Watch Sport using aluminum, a stainless steel-based Apple Watch, and an Apple Watch Edition that uses 18 K gold. The prices range from US$349 to US$17,000.
In contrast, Samsung Electronics’ Gear S comes in only one type, although white and black straps are available. Analog watch straps in general can be used in LG Electronics’ Urbane LTE.
LG Electronics’ product, which has a circular shape, is the closest in design to normal watches. The Gear S and Apple Watch have a quadrangular shape with rounded corners. The Gear S has a curved display sitting comfortably on the wrist, whereas the Apple Watch uses a flat display. All three companies adopted self-developed operating systems for the watches.
They have phone calls, text message, and email alarm functions in common. The only difference is that the Apple Watch cannot make a call due to the lack of a communication module. Also, each of the three comes with pulse and GPS sensors.
The Apple Watch and Urbane LTE allow for mobile payments. Samsung Electronics’ new smart watch is expected to provide the Samsung Pay feature. The Urbane LTE stands out when it comes to battery duration. It has a battery capacity of 700 mAh, whereas that of the Gear S is 300 mAh. Apple did not disclose the battery capacity of its product. According to CEO Tim Cook, it can be used for one day after being fully charged, and takes 90 minutes for an 80 percent charge, and 150 minutes for full charging.
The Gear S is available at 337,000 won (US$298). The price of the Urbane LTE is expected to be equal to or slightly higher than that of its previous model G Watch R, which was sold at 350,000 won (US$309).
According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple is forecast to account for 54.8 percent of the global smart watch market this year by shipping out 15.4 million Apple Watches. The combined sales volume of the others including Samsung, LG, and Motorola is estimated at 12.7 million units.