I compared the best smartwatches from Google and Apple – and there’s a clear winner

A brand new Pixel Watch is hitting the cabinets proper in time for marathon season. Google unveiled the Pixel Watch 4 at its annual Made By Google occasion in New York earlier this week. 

The watch comes filled with a number of upgrades that rival its predecessor, like a revamped Fitbit expertise, updates to Gemini, and a brighter show. Retailing at $350 for the 41mm and $400 for the 45mm, the smartwatch is offered for preorder now and ships October 9. 

Additionally: All the things introduced at Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10 Professional, Fold, Watch 4, and extra

The large query is: How does it fare in opposition to its iOS competitors? I evaluated the Pixel Watch 4 and Apple Watch Collection 10’s spec sheets, examined out their new options, and took under consideration my preferences reviewing smartwatches to match the 2 tech giants’ wearables. 

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Specs

You can purchase the Pixel Watch 4 if…

1. You need a punchier AI expertise 

The Pixel Watch 4 is getting a recent improve with Gemini infused into a number of components of the smartwatch. Gemini arrived on earlier Pixel Watches again in July, however the brand new Pixel Watch 4, with a chip constructed for AI processing, affords up extra clever capabilities. The AI on the Pixel Watch is extra forward-facing than Apple’s method to AI, which tends to be subtler. 

Additionally: I attempted Pixel Watch 4 – and these are my 7 favourite upgrades in Google’s new watch

Customers can select from a number of AI-powered good replies in Messages for faster responses on the go, and also you not must say “Hey Google” to activate Gemini — all that is wanted is elevating your watch arm to your mouth to talk. 

2. You need an upgraded well being and health monitoring expertise 

When you’re all in favour of shopping for a smartwatch for fitness-tracking capabilities, Google’s Fitbit revamp that arrives in October is perhaps one more reason to go for the Pixel Watch 4. 

Fitbit Premium, a paid membership a part of the Google health-tracking ecosystem, is evolving to not simply observe your exercises and sleep, but additionally turn out to be a wearer’s private AI well being coach. The well being coach takes under consideration your train objectives, sleep, and exercise patterns to create a routine that works for you. 

Customers also can ask the well being coach questions or make changes to plans based mostly on their situations — for instance, in the event that they pulled a muscle throughout an train and wish to discover decrease depth alternate options for the subsequent exercise. 

Additionally: The 5 tech devices that acquired me by marathons and impediment programs (and the way they work)

Fitbit’s sleep staging algorithm will get a refresh with a brand new algorithm centered on capturing exact sleep length and levels throughout a wearer’s evening’s relaxation. That is supplemented by the sleep-tracking and pores and skin temperature sensors on the Pixel Watch 4 that Google says have elevated in accuracy. 

The watch suggests desired bedtimes that account on your sleep length historical past and exercise stage. When you accomplished a grueling, high-intensity exercise one afternoon, it’d counsel an earlier bedtime to prime you for restoration that evening. 

3. You need a replaceable battery 

For the primary time, Google is making its Pixel Watch 4’s serviceable for battery substitute. This can be a nice improvement that can lengthen the life of those smartwatches by a number of years and hopefully tackle problems with e-waste. It additionally might imply that, if you purchase the Watch 4, you will not have to purchase one other look ahead to some time. 

4. You need a standalone satellite tv for pc SOS 

Outside fanatics are in for a deal with. Sure Apple Watch fashions, just like the Extremely Watch 2, have satellite tv for pc features for navigation in locations with out mobile connectivity, however the Pixel Watch 4 has a novel satellite tv for pc function of its personal, powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor. Not like smartwatches that require a cellphone’s mobile connectivity to provoke satellite tv for pc communication, the Pixel Watch 4 affords standalone satellite tv for pc communications — the primary of its type. The function is offered on the Pixel Watch 4 LTE. 

Additionally: The most effective satellite tv for pc telephones: Skilled examined and reviewed

Which means it does not should be linked to a smartphone to be linked to satellites, and the function works by connecting its processor to geostationary satellites within the sky for off-grid help. There are rumors that the subsequent Apple Watch will get this performance, however it’s presently unavailable on any Apple Watch. 

You can purchase the Apple Watch Collection 10 if…

1. You need a extra comfy watch 

Apple has its sights set on making its watches slim, gentle, and comfy. I really like my Collection 10 for that very cause — I can put on it as I train, work, and sleep, and it is unobtrusive. The Pixel Watch 4, however, is a chunky gadget. Final 12 months, Apple introduced that it made the Collection 10 its thinnest watch ever to be straightforward to put on whereas sleeping, exercising, or on the go. 

When you suppose the discomfort stage of a smartwatch will inhibit steady put on, I might advocate the Apple Watch Collection 10 over the Google Pixel Watch 4. 

2. You need subtler AI performance 

It is extensively recognized that Apple is cautiously dipping its toes into AI options — and taking its time to take action. The AI options on the Apple Watch are useful however refined. 

Additionally: I am a longtime iPhone person, however Google simply bought me on the Pixel 10 with these options

A fantastic instance of that is Apple’s updates to the Good Stack, which offer useful strategies and app activations based mostly on contextual information and routines. When it notices you are on the fitness center, it’d provoke a power coaching session by the Health app. However these are small, refined strategies. 

The identical factor applies to Exercise Buddy, which gently offers encouragement, stats, and notifications throughout and after a exercise. It is not providing up AI-powered coaching plans or factoring in your day by day readiness — no less than not but. 

Options to think about