INQUISITR.COM / Science & Tech

Apple Watch Series 3 To Get Competition From Samsung Gear S4

By Daryl Deino
Published on: 10:54 PST, Mar 31, 2018

Since the release of the Apple Watch Series 3, Apple’s smartwatch has been the go-to wrist device. Things have certainly improved for Apple since 2015, when the first Apple Watch flopped (relatively speaking). Three years later, it looks like Apple has proven the skeptics wrong.

David Phelan of Forbes notes that the Watch sold 8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017. According to Mac Rumors, the Watch outsold all competing smartwatch devices together last year.

“The research firm says one in every five wearables shipped last quarter was an Apple Watch, on the strength of new Series 3 models launched in September.”

Even though Apple doesn’t release specific sales numbers for the Apple Watch, Tim Cook noted that the Series 3 model sold more than twice as much as the Series 2 model in the final quarter of the year of their releases. But while Apple can celebrate right now, it may have some competition on its hands with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 smartwatch.

TechRadar says the new watch may include sleep tracking. In another article, the website claims that the Gear S4 could possibly have a camera (with optical zoom), a different type of strap, a display built into the bezel, and a built-in blood pressure monitor. This would certainly make the Gear S4 the futuristic watch that Dick Tracy fans have been dreaming about for years, but nothing has been confirmed.

The Samsung Gear S3 was a hit with critics but not so much with consumers.

Samsung released the Gear S3 two years ago, and it received mostly good reviews. Tom’s Guide praised the durable design, the built-in LTE (which the Apple Watch Series 3 now offers), and the great voice control. However, the website didn’t like the fact that the watch was too heavy. Like other reviews, Tom’s Guide said that there is a lack of useful apps for Samsung’s smartwatch.

“With its slick and durable design, GPS and optional LTE, the Gear S3 Frontier has all the makings of the best smartwatch ever — if only it had more apps,” reads their final verdict on the watch.

Wearable also gave the Gear S3 three-and-a-half stars.

“The Gear S3 is destined to divide. After delivering us its best-ever smartwatch with the Gear S2, Samsung has sacrificed that sleek design to cram in more features. That bigger body has delivered better battery life, GPS and a screen where Tizen can really shine.”

The review added that even though more apps have strengthened the Tizen operating system, the S3 felt it was behind its rivals. Still, the Gear S3 has a lot of fans on Twitter.

Apple is set to announce the update to the Apple Watch this fall, so it’s possible that the Cupertino company will one-up the Gear S4. Still, nobody can deny what a great year 2018 will be for smartwatches.

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