Which of the two top smartwatches is the most capable? Here’s my verdict after trying both wearables.
Apple unveiled its Watch Series 11 during this week’s iPhone event, alongside two other smartwatch models. The Series 11 gets Sleep Scores (crowd roars), a longer battery life, and all of Apple’s WatchOS 26 software, which is expected to be released to the public soon.
But how does it compare to its closest Android rival, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8? I’m comparing two smartwatch icons and their specs. So, who wins? Keep reading to find out. Specifications You should buy the Apple Watch Series 11 if.
Are you buying a smartwatch for its health features? Apple announced at its September iPhone event that the Apple Watch Series 11 offers hypertension detection and will receive FDA clearance by the end of the month. It can’t perform blood pressure readings, but it does monitor your blood vessels‘ reaction to heartbeats during sleep. It monitors your blood pressure for 30 days using the watch’s optical heart sensor to deliver an average rating that is either within range or above the threshold.
If the 30-day rating is above the threshold, Apple advises users to take the data collected to a doctor for medical review. Neither Samsung nor Google has developed this feature into their recent lineup of smartwatches, and it addresses a major health condition that is often underdiagnosed.
Apple infuses AI into several aspects of its smartwatch — but you wouldn’t really notice if you weren’t paying attention. Thanks to an advanced prediction algorithm, you’ll get more relevant Smart Stack suggestions that take your historical location and watch activity into account.
