The Apple Watch and the LG G Watch R are a big shot in the smartwatch field. Before any orders for either item are placed, it is better to weigh them up to know which one should end up around a user's wrist.
Square timepieces have been thronging the smartwatch category for quite awhile now, but the LG G Watch R catches eyes with its traditional round-shape P-OLED screen at 1.3-inches. CNET was keen to mention how Android focused on design in crafting the new wearable to make it look more like an actual watch rather than 'a disc with a strap', which is more appealing to the fashion conscious. However, the site also made note on the black shard under it, which may be a big of a bother.
The Apple Watch, on the other hand, is of a square face and is bigger and smaller at the same time than its rival. It will sport two sizes: 38mm (1.49in) and 42mm (1.6inch), both with the ever popular Retina display. The detail on screen resolution seems to be absent for the Apple wearable at the moment but the Retina display should give it a 'high-quality display' as Apple promised. The LG G Watch R will deliver crisp detail with its 320 x 320 pixel resolution.
The Apple wearable will also be available in three variants namely the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The tech titan had its wearable made in custom alloys of stainless steel (for Apple Watch), aluminum and Ion-X glass (for Apple Watch Sport) and 18-karat gold in yellow and rose (for Apple Watch Edition). The LG smartwatch will be available in metal casing and stainless steel.
The LG wearable will also sport a leather strap, but the Apple Watch comes in whopping 18 models which boast various bands such as a link bracelet, sport band, classic and modern buckle and Milanese loop.
The traditional crown from old school watches was also reinvented to add to the novelty of the timepieces. Apple made use of it as the Digital Crown, which serves as the major navigating tool for the smartwatch used in zooming and scrolling. The crown for the LG wearable is simply the home button.
The LG timepiece houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 that clocks in at 1.2GHz, complemented by 512MB of RAM. The Apple Watch packs a custom-designed chip called the S1, which will be its source of durability as the Cupertino giant stated.
There are loads of features too. The Apple Watch shows off a reliable GPS, which measures the distance a user reaches, the heart-rate sensor for calorie monitoring partnered with the accelerometer for gauging the calories burned as well as the number of steps the wearer makes.
The LG G Watch R also sports some fitness-related features. It has a step counter and the same heart-rate sensor, although it may be imprecise during the first attempts as some tech reviews described. More downside is that you have to navigate through the apps to activate it. Commanding the watch by saying "Okay Google, show me my steps/heart rate" eases and complicates the process at the same time, as it may fail at first. Yet, the Apple Watch makes it obviously easier by just having users press two fingers on the screen to launch it.
The Apple Watch will integrate Messages, Mail, Music, Calendar, Maps, Apple TV and iTunes. It will even act as a remote camera to help you display the photo displayed on your iPhone to the smartwatch screen. It also allows perks like sketching and the Taptic Engine that connects users with friends wearing the same device with a mere tap. As a major bonus, the newest Apple payment service, Apple Pay, is inbuilt too.
The LG watch will allow the basic apps from Google as well, like Gmail, Hangouts, Weather and Maps. It will also allow playing music. The biggest plus incorporated in the LG smartwatch is its resistance to water and dust, making it the more durable wearable in this match-up. Voice command is also present in the two wearables. The Apple though, has inbuilt speakers, something the challenger is short of.
Battery life sets them apart ultimately. The Apple Watch, as CEO Tim Cook recently revealed, needs to be charged everyday, which only means that its usage stretches to 24 hours maximum. The LG G Watch R impressively doubles this, according to Tech Radar.
The Apple Watch is priced at $350. However, this may change depending on the model purchased. The LG G Watch R will not be less than $230.
