I Tested The Two Best Smartwatches By Apple And Google - Here's Who Wins

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Apple's latest lineup of Apple Watches drummed up rather nan hype erstwhile they were announced during its annual iPhone event. Apple unveiled respective caller features, for illustration emergency SOS communications via outer connectivity and FDA-cleared hypertension detection. 

I was physically coming successful Steve Jobs Theater, and arsenic I watched Apple unveil these features, I couldn't thief but comparison nan caller watch to Google's Pixel Watch 4. Apple's caller outer SOS characteristic bears immoderate striking similarities to Google's standalone outer connectivity, for example. 

Also: The Apple Watch Series 11 is 1 characteristic distant from making maine ditch my Oura Ring

It made maine wonder, what different similarities (and differences) do nan 2 competing smartwatches have? And which of nan latest models should you buy? 

First: a spot astir privacy

The Apple Watch SE 3 (left), Apple Watch Ultra 3 (middle), Apple Watch Series 11 (right).

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Before I delve into nan existent specs, I wanted to mention a large quality betwixt nan 2 brands: privacy. Smartwatches cod tons of wellness data, including bosom complaint data, menstrual rhythm data, humor oxygen, sleep, and more. That's immoderate of nan astir valuable information you tin springiness up. 

A recent report published by VPN Mentor rated Apple's data-sharing practices arsenic "excellent" while Google's were rated arsenic "good." Apple shares information only pinch personification permission, and claims to ne'er waste data.

Also: New study will way 40,000 Garmin smartwatch users to amended understand gestation outcomes

Google shares your information wrong its ecosystem, and performs opt-in third-party sharing, but nary advertisement targeting. Also statement that a "Good" standing is amended than different brands' products, for illustration Samsung aliases Meta, some of which person received "poor" ratings for their data-sharing to make personalized ads aliases biometric information sharing pinch constricted opt-outs. 

Still, if information privateness is of nan highest value to you, it's basal to support these things successful mind earlier putting a wellness locator connected your wrist. Now that that's retired of nan way, let's compare. 

Specifications

You should bargain nan Apple Watch Series 11 if...

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1. You for illustration a thinner, lighter watch 

I've gone hands connected pinch some nan Apple Watch Series 11 and nan Pixel Watch 4. While I was excited by immoderate of Pixel's characteristic updates -- for illustration its brighter show -- 1 hardware hurdle I couldn't jump complete was its sheer thickness. 

The Series 11 is bladed and feels ray to wear. The Pixel… does not. While I haven't gotten to trial retired nan Pixel Watch 4 for much than a fewer minutes (during demos of nan product) I slept pinch nan Pixel Watch 3, which is akin successful build. The thicker lawsuit and information build of nan Watch 3 made it much challenging to slumber pinch compared to nan Apple Watch Series 11. 

2. You want precocious wellness capabilities 

Apple has made investments successful its wellness initiatives successful caller years, gathering FDA clearance for respective features, including proceeding nonaccomplishment successful its AirPods Pro, slumber apnea detection, and nan precocious unveiled hypertension detection.

As a wellness device, I'd urge Apple's Series 11, which I'd picture arsenic a wellness locator first and foremost, arsenic opposed to nan Pixel Watch 4, which I'd picture arsenic an AI smartwatch that conscionable truthful happens to person precocious health-tracking capabilities. 

Also: Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Watch SE 2: I compared nan 2 models, and there's a clear winner

There's nary amended illustration of this than Apple's hypertension discovery feature. Over 30 days, nan smartwatch tracks your humor unit and notifies you if you're supra nan threshold. It's a unsocial characteristic to Apple, and I don't spot immoderate different wearable offering a precocious humor unit discovery rather for illustration it. 

Pair it pinch slumber apnea detection, aliases Apple's precocious re-implemented humor oxygen monitoring, and nan consequence is an precocious suite of certified features. Competing wellness wearables, for illustration Samsung aliases Google, ray successful comparison to Apple's wellness wearable investigation and development.   

You should bargain nan Pixel Watch 4 if...

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

1. You want a longer artillery life 

What bully is simply a smartwatch astir your wrist if it's dead? The Apple Watch Series 11 received six much hours of artillery life successful this upgrade, from 18 to now a afloat day's worth, but nan Pixel Watch 4 still thumps it, pinch 30 hours of artillery life total. 

2. You don't want to salary other for outer communications 

Both Apple and Google unveiled outer connectivity features connected their smartwatches, allowing users to nonstop messages and get thief without a telephone nearby. The only quality is its exclusivity to Apple's higher-end Ultra 3. The Pixel Watch 4, connected nan different hand, gets this characteristic astatine nary other costs aliases Ultra upgrade. 

Also: The 10 Apple Watch features that convinced maine to move to nan wearable full-time

3. You want a brighter display

Apple's Series 11 has a highest brightness of 2,000 nits, while nan Pixel Watch 4 offers 1,000 nits more. Both watches are still plentifulness agleam contempt their nit difference, and unless you were comparing nan 2 connected a peculiarly agleam day, you mightiness not moreover notice. Out of each nan specs to nitpick (pun intended), this mightiness beryllium nan slightest instantly noticeable.

4. You want to salary little for an arsenic tin device

The Pixel Watch's starting value originates astatine $350, while nan Apple Watch Series 11 starts astatine $400.

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