Posts Tagged ‘iwatch’

Samsung Gear S3 Smartwatch vs Apple Watch Series 2

Sunday, September 11th, 2016

With Samsung’s release of the Gear S3 smartwatch coinciding with the release of the Apple Watch Series 2, we once again face the battle of iOS and Android (Samsung’s Tizen OS).

Let’s take a closer look at how these two wearables compare.

1.Design

Both wearables stay true to their brands classic design, with the Gear S3 offering a round and chunky clock face (similar to the previously released S2) with rotating bezel and the iWatch Series 2 replicating the rectangular design of the original iWatch.

apple watch series 2

There are two versions of the Gear S3, the Frontier and the Classic. The Frontier offers a more rugged strap (weighing in at 62g), whilst the Classic is, as the name suggests, slightly more minimalist and lightweight at 57g.

The Apple Watch Series 2 is aesthetically close to the original, but with some new case materials, including a ceramic white model that is ‘four times harder than steel’. The familiar 38mm and 42mm cases are available, with 272 x 340 and 312 x 390 screen resolutions, respectively.

2. Operating Systems and Software

Apple launched the Series 2 Watch with watchOS 3, offering Fitness apps with real-time access to heart rate.

Samsung’s Tizen operating system is the OS of choice on the Gear 2, with up to 10,000 apps available including Uber and Spotify. You’ll even be able to use Spotify directly from the watch if you have an LTE-enabled Gear 3.

samsung gear s3

Both watches offer a similar SOS feature built in to alert someone of your whereabouts if you’re ever in a spot of trouble.

If you’re a big gamer take note; Pokémon Go is also now available on the Apple Watch for gaming on the go.

3. Hardware:

A new dual cored S2 chip is housed inside Apple’s new wearable, promising 50% faster performance.

Samsung’s Gear S3 offers a dual-core 1GHz processor with 768MB of RAM and  4GB of storage inside.

4. Sensors:

Both wearables now benefit from an inbuilt GPS and heart rate sensor, improving their usage whilst running or cycling. You’ll also be able to get an improved distance- and speed-tracking through routed maps.

Samsung’s Gear S3  also provides an accelerometer and a gyroscope for an all-encompassing sporting experience.

5. Waterproofing

This is where the Apple Watch Series 2 wins, since it an be submerged to 50m  making it a more appealing choice for serious swimmers. The Gear S3 is IP68 rated though, allowing it to be submerged in 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes.

Apple Watch Series 2 Specs at a glance:

  • Colours: Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Space Grey Aluminium case and Space Black, Silver Stainless Steel case and Ceramic
  • S2 Dual-core processor
  • GPS
  • Height: 38.6/42.5mm
  • Width: 33.3mm/36.4mm
  • Depth: 11.4mm
  • Case weight: 28.2/34.2g
  • Retina display with Force Touch (2x brighter than original)
  • Digital Crown
  • Heart rate sensor
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Up to 18hrs battery life
  • Water resistant IPX7 (swimming proof – water depth up to 50m)

 Samsung Gear S3 Specs at a glance:

  • OS: Tizen Based Wearable OS 2.3.2
  • Display 1.3” (33 mm), 360 x 360 Fullcolor AOD, Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR+
  • Dimensions: Frontier 46 x 49 x 12.9T (62 g), Classic 46 x 49 x 12.9T (57 g) *Weight without watch bands
  • Chipset: Exynos 7270, Dual 1.0GHz
  • Network: LTE with Embedded SIM (*Applies to LTE models only)
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • Wi-Fi b/g/n,
  • NFC, MST,
  • GPS/Glonass
  • Water and dust resistant
  • Frontier IP68
  • Classic IP68
  • Mic, SPK, Linear Motor

The Apple Watch Series 2 is compatible with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus.

The Samsung Gear S3 is compatible with Android devices running Android 4.4 or later, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.

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What to expect from the iWatch 2

Tuesday, September 6th, 2016

With the Apple launch looming tomorrow, all eyes are on the iPhone 7 (see our coverage here and here) but what can we expect to see from its companion, the iWatch 2?

It’s safe to say that watchOS will benefit from an overhaul alongside the release of iOS 10. We predict a more health focused operating system, with improved medical and health applications.

iwatch2 predictions

Other sports friendly features on the Apple Watch 2 may be a faster 16nm processor, a barometer that will measure atmospheric pressure, waterproofing, a longer lasting battery and built in GPS system. We can see the wearable being marketed to those who wish to use it while swimming, climbing and exploring independent of their iPhone.

However, those of you who are hoping for 4G connectivity may be disappointed, with KGI Securities analyst, Ming-chi Kuo predicting this won’t hit Apple wearables until 2017.

It is also unlikely that the watch will have a major redesign, but we are expecting a thinner model that is compatible with existing band options. Those in the know suggest that the iWatch 2 can’t get much smaller though, thanks to the new functionalities and quicker processor requiring more a larger battery to power the improved device.

Considering the latest rumours, we are expecting to see the Watch 2 hit the shelves towards September 16.

If you are looking for an iPhone at incredible price to pair with an iWatch, check out our latest deals on the iPhone SEiPhone 6S Plus Sim Free today.

apple-invite

Keep your eyes on our blog for the latest news straight from the Apple Launch event tomorrow.

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