The Early Days: Galaxy Gear (2013)
Samsung beat Apple to market by nearly two years. The original Galaxy Gear, announced in September 2013, was Samsung's bold bet on wearable technology. It was also, by most accounts, a commercial disappointment.
The Gear was clunky, with a camera awkwardly embedded in the strap and a user interface that felt rushed. Battery life was measured in hours rather than days. Compatibility was limited to a handful of Samsung phones. Critics were brutal.
But Samsung did something that would define their wearables strategy: they kept iterating. While other Android manufacturers dabbled and retreated, Samsung committed to the category with a relentless pace of improvement.
The Tizen Era (2014-2020)
After experimenting with Android Wear, Samsung made a controversial decision in 2014: they would build their own operating system. Tizen OS gave Samsung complete control over the user experience, allowing for optimizations that generic Android Wear couldn't match.
The results were impressive. Tizen watches consistently delivered better battery life, smoother performance, and faster updates than their Android Wear competitors. The trade-off was a smaller app ecosystem, but Samsung bet that most users cared more about core functionality than third-party apps.
The Rotating Bezel: A Design Icon
In 2015, Samsung introduced what would become their signature feature: the rotating bezel. The Gear S2 and later Gear S3 featured a physical ring around the display that users could rotate to navigate menus, scroll through notifications, and control apps.
It was brilliant. In a sea of touchscreen-only smartwatches, Samsung offered a tactile, intuitive interface that felt genuinely watch-like. The rotating bezel became so beloved that its removal in later models sparked user outcry—and its return in the "Classic" variants was celebrated.
The Bezel Effect: Samsung's rotating bezel proved that smart watches didn't have to abandon traditional watch interactions. It influenced competitors and reminded the industry that physical controls still had value in a touchscreen world.
Becoming "Galaxy Watch" (2018)
In August 2018, Samsung rebranded their wearables from "Gear" to "Galaxy Watch," aligning them with the company's flagship smartphone brand. The first Galaxy Watch refined everything Samsung had learned over five years of development.
More importantly, it looked like a real watch. With its circular display, classic styling, and premium materials, the Galaxy Watch could pass for a traditional timepiece in most settings. Samsung had solved the "nerd watch" problem that plagued early smartwatches.
The Google Partnership (2021-Present)
In 2021, Samsung made a surprise announcement: the Galaxy Watch 4 would run on Wear OS 3, developed in partnership with Google. After years of going it alone with Tizen, Samsung was joining forces with the Android ecosystem.
The partnership combined Samsung's hardware expertise and health sensors with Google's vast app ecosystem and AI capabilities. Users gained access to Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Pay, and the full Play Store—features Tizen watches had lacked.
The collaboration also benefited Google. Samsung's market presence and manufacturing scale helped revitalize Wear OS, which had been losing ground to Apple Watch and even Tizen.
Health Innovation
Samsung has consistently pushed health features forward. The Galaxy Watch 4 introduced body composition analysis—measuring body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, and water weight through the watch's sensors. It was the first smartwatch to offer such comprehensive health metrics.
Blood pressure monitoring, available in select markets, further differentiated Samsung from competitors. While Apple focused on ECG, Samsung pursued complementary health metrics that appealed to fitness enthusiasts.
Key Milestones
Galaxy Watch Ultra: The Adventure Statement (2024)
With the Galaxy Watch Ultra in 2024, Samsung made its most ambitious statement yet. The titanium-cased Ultra directly challenged Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin's high-end offerings in the adventure and sports segment.
At $649, it undercut Apple Watch Ultra while offering comparable durability and battery life. The Ultra represented Samsung's confidence that they could compete at any price point and in any category.
Samsung vs. Apple: The Eternal Rivalry
The Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch represent fundamentally different philosophies:
Samsung offers choice. Multiple sizes, styles (standard and Classic), and compatibility with any Android phone. The rotating bezel provides unique interaction. Body composition analysis offers health features Apple doesn't.
Apple offers integration. Deeper iPhone integration, larger app ecosystem, longer software support, and the prestige of the Apple brand.
For Android users, the choice is clear: Galaxy Watch is the premium option that actually works with their phone. Samsung has earned that position through a decade of persistence and improvement.
The Android Default: While other manufacturers have come and gone, Samsung has remained committed to Android wearables. That consistency has made Galaxy Watch the de facto standard for anyone not in Apple's ecosystem.
What's Next for Galaxy Watch
Samsung continues to push forward. Rumors suggest future models may include advanced blood glucose monitoring, improved solar charging, and even more sophisticated AI-powered health insights through integration with Samsung's Galaxy AI.
The company's close partnership with Google ensures access to the latest Wear OS features, while Samsung's own hardware innovation—like the rotating bezel and body composition sensors—keeps Galaxy Watch distinctive.
After a decade of development, Samsung has proven that great smartwatches don't require an Apple logo. For the billions of Android users worldwide, Galaxy Watch is the premium choice.
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