Smartwatch Showdown: Apple Watch vs. Samsung Gear S

With the Apple Watch and Samsung's Galaxy Gear S on the horizon, the tech industry is rapidly entering the age of the smartwatch. The only problem is that while the new devices are getting people talking, many consumers and analysts feel that no company has truly nailed what it takes to make the perfectly efficient watch for the modern age.

Still, Apple and Samsung are taking active steps toward that promised goal of wrist-top relevance, and, more importantly, their racing to reach it before each other.

Appearance

In traditional Apple style, the company has decided that customization is the name of the game with this device. To that end, not only will the company offer two different sizes for the face of the device, but also three different models known as Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

The Apple Watch is the standard model that features a stainless steel case and comes with a range of interchangeable wristbands. The Sport variant is meant for those involved in athletics and other strenuous activities. The Edition Watch is a more sophisticated option and comes with an 18-karat gold case.  Each of these models comes with its own band variations for further customization.

Samsung took more of a one-size-fits-all approach to their design, but to be fair, it is a pretty great design. the curved display really gives it a unique look amongst the square and round surfaces of its contemporaries.

Still, it is clear that Apple was definitely going for the sense of making this the users' watch, meaning that no two would look the same when seen side-by-side in the wild. Give the edge to them on this one for recognizing that this device can be as much about fashion as it is about functionality.

Interface

Samsung was among the first to enter the smartwatch space with the Galaxy Gear series, so they have had some time to figure out what worked and what did not from previous models. Because of this, the touch screen face is considerably longer than what the competition is offering, working to the strengths of the wrap around look Samsung was going for.

Apple, on the other hand, actually came up with something pretty clever. The Digital Crown (the dial on the side of the device) allows for manipulation of the touchscreen without constantly impeding the user's vision. The ability to zoom in and out using the crown is actually pretty intuitive, and Apple also included a "taptic engine" that provides vibration feedback and alerts.

It is not really certain which of these is truly superior, but give Apple points for at least trying something different. Time will tell if either model succeeds in the long run.

Internal Specifications

This has to go to Samsung, if only for default purposes. Apple has revealed that their watch comes with a brand new S1 chip, but not much else is known as far how much power this little device puts out. It is expected to at least be on par with the Galaxy Gear S, which has 512 MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory, though that is not known for certain yet. And for an asking price that is at $150 more than what the Galaxy Gear S is priced at, the Apple Watch better be impressive. Give the advantage to Samsung until Apple makes some further announcements.

Bells and Whistles

The smart watch in general has had a difficult time climbing out of the gimmick category of technology, but that does not mean that manufacturers are not supplying it with some gimmicks of its own. Apple is making a big push for the health and wellness space with its HealthKit app; but so is Samsung with the S Health app. Neither has really done all that much to break new ground with this sort of technology, which is disappointing, but give them time to work it out.

Both also come equipped with the standard accelerometer, gyroscope,compass and heart rate monitor, with Apple including a few more like heart rate sharing and sketch sharing (which should be useful only if you are at the most boring party ever). Samsung was also smart enough to include a 3G radio in their watch to make calls without the phone, a handy feature for a product thats biggest detraction is that it needs a phone in range to function.

The one thing that Apple has over Samsung at the moment however is Apple Pay. Consumers have anticipated this for a while and it is refreshing to finally see a company take a bold step in attempting to finally see mobile payments catch on.

Call this one a tie, but note that once consumers get their hands on these products, there should be a clear cut winner. Until then all anyone can do is hope that smartwatches have finally arrived as valuable in tech in todays world.

The Apple Watch and Galaxy Gear S arrive in stores in early 2015 for $349 and $199, respectively.