Wear OS is much better than it used to be, so there’s never been a better time to consider a smartwatch.
ByVictoria Song, a senior reporter focusing on wearables, health tech, and more with 12 years of experience. Before coming to The Verge, she worked for Gizmodo and PC Magazine.
After a long stretch of slim pickings, the last couple of years have been huge for Android smartwatches. Now there are more good options than ever.
But this is still a transitional era. While we’re encouraged by the stronger third-party app options, the market is still fragmented. Wear OS 4 is here for Samsung’s Galaxy Watches and both versions of the Pixel Watch — and now, the OnePlus Watch 2. Wear OS 5 is here.However, the larger ecosystem is still catching up. Some features, like Google Assistant, are not yet available on certain Wear OS 3 smartwatches, and Wear OS 4 still isn’t widely available. Even so, the Android wearable ecosystem is barreling ahead. Samsung just launched the Galaxy Watch FE, Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. Later this month, we’re also expecting to see a new Pixel Watch 3.
*:last-child>*:last-child]:mb-0″>
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>What we’re looking for
Android smartwatches have long been foiled by outdated processors. Is the chip under the hood powerful enough to run Wear OS / proprietary RTOS smoothly?
Does a watch work better within one company’s product ecosystem versus another? Will you have to buy a new watch if you switch phones?
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>Smart features
These days, most wearables are capable fitness trackers. However, they’re not all capable of controlling your smart home, contactless payments, or interacting with digital assistants.
Is this device likely to last you a while, or will you need to upgrade sooner than you’d like? How communicative is the OEM about forthcoming changes?
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>Battery life
Can you get through the day without reaching for a charger? If not, does it support quick charging?
If you’d rather wait until Wear OS settles down a bit, there are platform-agnostic smartwatches and fitness watches you can buy in the meantime. Otherwise, you’ll want to be aware of the chip and Wear OS version powering your watch. Mobvoi, for instance, only just started rolling out Wear OS 3 to its eligible Wear OS 2 watches. Speaking of Mobvoi, its TicWatch Pro 5 was the first to sport the new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus in the US, and while it’s a great watch, you may want to wait until there are more W5 Plus watches to choose from. That said, the base W5 chip is also pretty good. The Pixel Watch 2 and OnePlus Watch 2 both sport the W5 and have notably better performance and battery life.
So long as you keep the aforementioned caveats in mind, Android users have more smartwatch options than ever before. I’ve rounded up my top picks, but if none of these is the right fit, you can always check out our fitness tracker guide.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>Best smartwatch for Samsung phones
The rotating bezel returns on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. While the updates are iterative, you now get Wear OS 4, One UI 5 Watch, larger batteries, and a larger display thanks to the 15 percent thinner bezel.
Sizes: 43mm, 47mm / Weight: 77g, 85g / Battery life: Up to 30 hours with AOD, 40 without AOD / Display type: Always-on OLED / GPS: Built-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: Up to 50 meters, IP68 / Music storage: 16GB
If you have a Samsung phone, you’ll get the most mileage out of a Samsung smartwatch. And of the four watches Samsung has in its current lineup, I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Although Samsung just released the Galaxy Watch 7, there wasn’t a refresh for the Classic. That means you ought to be seeing some good deals for the Classic soon, if not already. It’s not often that I recommend a last-gen device, but such is my deep love for the physical rotating bezel.
But, if you want the latest and greatest, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers an upgraded 3nm Exynos W1000 chip and a new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor. It’s a marginal improvement over last year’s models, but I don’t feel like Samsung introduced anything this year that requires having them. It also has Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch, but that’ll eventually make its way back to the older watches, too. Mostly, I recommend the 7 if you prefer a smaller size, don’t care about the rotating bezel, and want something a smidge more futureproof.
The Classic’s rotating bezel is 15 percent thinner than the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The updated design is sleeker than its predecessor, and the larger display is easier on the eyes and is only slightly bigger at 43mm and 47mm. I have small wrists, but the 47mm was still quite comfortable for everyday wear. It’s launching with Wear OS 4, which adds extended battery life, and — finally — cloud backups. One UI 5 Watch also adds some minor health and sleep tracking improvements, but this will eventually make its way to older models. While I prefer the Classic, the base Watch 6 model may be the better option if you want a smaller, lighter, sleeker, and cheaper smartwatch.
a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>The 40mm Galaxy Watch 6 and the 47mm Watch 6 Classic are iterative updates, but deliver a familiar yet elevated experience.a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
For more outdoorsy folks, the $649.99 Galaxy Watch Ultra might be the more sensible choice. Of all Samsung’s watches, it has the best battery life, lasting around three days in our testing. (Though, we never got the full 100-hour estimated battery life.) It’s got dual-frequency GPS, a new multisport activity, an emergency siren, increased durability, 10ATM of water resistance, and a Quick Button, which acts as a customizable shortcut button. It’s basically an Apple Watch Ultra for Android.
Meanwhile, if you’re on a budget, there’s the new $199.99 Galaxy Watch FE, which is essentially a rebadged Galaxy Watch 4.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is targeted at more outdoorsy folks with dual-frequency GPS, a new multisport activity, an emergency siren, and increased durability.
The Samsung Health app also delivers a good overall fitness tracking experience, especially since you can enable turn-by-turn navigation for hiking andcycling activities. We weren’t too impressed with nightly SpO2 readings, but Samsung’s overall sleep tracking continues to improve. You also get built-in GPS, body composition analysis, irregular heart rate notifications, fall detection, emergency SOS features, and EKGs. Most recently, Samsung’s added a new Energy score, AI-powered wellness insights, FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, and a confusing AGEs Index metric for metabolic health. While the Energy score is broadly accurate, I found the AI-generated features to be hit or miss and the AGEs Index to be more gimmicky than useful. The latter feature is also limited to the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra.
We don’t necessarily recommend the Galaxy Watches if you don’t have a Samsung phone. EKGs and sleep apnea detectionrequire the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is limited to Samsung phones. You can work around it, but all Samsung watches work best with other Samsung devices.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>Best Android smartwatch for non-Samsung users
The Google Pixel Watch 2 now achieves a reliable 24 hours on a single charge with the always-on display enabled compared to its predecessor. It sports a new processor, multipath health sensor, Wear OS 4, and new safety features, all around a substantial update.
Sizes: 41mm / Weight: 31g / Battery life: Roughly 24 hours with AOD enabled / Display type: Always-on OLED / GPS: Built-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Safety Signal with Fitbit Premium / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB
The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch 2 is a significant improvement over the original. The Galaxy Watch 6 lineup will still get you a more polished overall experience, but the Pixel Watch 2 is the better choice for Android users who aren’t on a Samsung smartphone.
That’s because of ecosystems. Some features of Samsung’s watches only work with Samsung phones. Broadly speaking, the Pixel Watch doesn’t care what Android phone you have; you’ll get the same experience regardless. That said, its call screening feature will only work if you pair it with a Tensor-equipped Pixel phone. It’s a little disappointing, but compared to Samsung, the Pixel Watch 2 doesn’t gatekeep health features based on what phone you have. It’s also always going to have the latest updates to Google services like Google Maps, Google Wallet, YouTube Music, and Google Assistant because, well, it’s Google’s smartwatch. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google also added Calendar and Gmail to its list of supported apps. Speaking of which, buying the Pixel Watch 2 will also get you a six-month trial of Fitbit Premium and a one-month trial of YouTube Music.
a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>The Pixel Watch 2 can now last a full 24 hours without needing battery-saving settings. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The most important upgrade from last year is that the battery reliably lasts 24 hours with the always-on display enabled. Some of this is due to the more power-efficient Wear OS 4 and a new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor. (It also means zippier performance overall.) It’s also switched to a pin-charging system, which translates to much faster charging. You can get about 50 percent in 30 minutes, and a full charge takes about 75 minutes. Because of a firmware update, the original Pixel Watch now charges more slowly — so the difference is extra noticeable.
Compared to last year, Google has also done a better job this year of integrating Fitbit’s health and fitness features. The Pixel Watch 2 now has a multipath sensor that enables 40 percent more accurate heart rate tracking for vigorous exercises. Plus, you can utilize heart rate zone and pace training — features other fitness smartwatches have had for a long time. The exercise views are also easier to read. It also now has a skin temperature sensor and the Fitbit Sense 2’s continuous electrodermal activity sensor (cEDA). This means the Pixel Watch 2 is now capable of proactive stress tracking. When signs of physiological stress are detected, you’ll be prompted to reflect on your mood, take a walk, or do a breathing exercise. It’s imperfect, but it’s one of the best implementations of mindfulness features we’ve seen thus far.
a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Safety check is a proactive timer that notifies your loved ones of your location if you fail to check in.a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Google has also introduced new personal safety features. Safety Check is a proactive timer that will send your location to loved ones if you’re in a pickle. You set an activity (i.e., taking public transportation or walking alone) and a timer duration. If you don’t check in when the timer goes off, your location will automatically be shared with your emergency contacts. Another neat feature is Safety Signal. If you get an LTE watch and have a Fitbit Premium subscription, you don’t need an active LTE plan in order to utilize emergency services. Speaking of safety, Google also added crash detection in a recent update and improved fall detection for bicycles.
One thing to be mindful of is durability. While the domed display is beautiful, we cracked the screen on the original Pixel Watch and got deep scratches on the Pixel Watch 2. Google doesn’t offer any repair options, but with the Pixel Watch 2, it has started offering its Preferred Care extended warranty, so you have more replacement options should something happen. It’s not ideal since it’s limited to the US and Canada, but it’s a step in the right direction.
We’re expecting to see a new Pixel Watch 3 announced on August 13th at the Made by Google event. That means you might start seeing Pixel Watch 2 discounts in the next few weeks. If you’re hoping for a bigger size, you may want to hold off, as rumor has it we could be seeing a Pixel Watch 3 XL.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>Best alternative to Google and Samsung smartwatches
The OnePlus Watch 2 has Wear OS 4, multiday battery life, dual-frequency GPS, and helps fill the void left by Fossil exiting the Android smartwatch space.
Sizes: 47mm w/22mm straps / Weight: 49g case, 80g w/ strap / Battery life: Up to 100 hours in smart mode, 48 with AOD on, and 12 days in power-saving mode / Display type: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Dual-frequency GPS, Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB
The $299.99 OnePlus Watch 2 is what a glow-up looks like. While the original OnePlus Watch was horrible, this watch helps fill the void that Fossil left when it said it was pulling out of Android smartwatches — namely, a viable alternative to Google and Samsung.
The 47mm case is big for petite wrists, and unfortunately, it only comes in one size, but it’s made of durable stainless steel and sapphire crystal. Plus, it houses a 500mAh battery. That, plus a dual-chip architecture and novel dual OS system, results in super long battery life. How long a smartwatch lasts will of course depend on your individual usage, but I got nearly four days with normal use. That’s incredible for a flagship.
Scientists discovered ‘dark oxygen’ in the ocean’s abyss, where companies want to mine battery metals.Share this storya:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 ...