Samsung Gear S2 vs Moto 360 (2015) vs Apple Watch

Samsung and Motorola have recently launched their all new smartwatch, the Gear S2 and Moto 360 second generation (2015) model. The heated argument with the launch of these new smartwatches is which smartwatch performs better, but apart from that, the app eco system too matters a lot. For example, Samsung Gear S2 runs on the Tizen operating system, the Moto 360 2nd generation runs on Android Wear, while Apple Watch runs on iOS. For consumers, this only means more options to choose from which is a good thing.

OS and compatibility

For some, OS used is a big factor. Some are comfortable with Android Wear, while some with iOS, and Tizen. But apart from the OS used on the smartwatch, the watch connects with your smartphone to send important notifications, emails, text messages, and do much more. This means that your smartphone too needs to be compatible with the smartwatch.

The Moto 360 second gen can run on all Android devices with Android 4.3 and up. It can also run on iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus running on iOS 8.2 and above.

The Samsung Gear S2 is compatible with all Android devices with Android 4.4 and up and more than 1.56GB of RAM. It however, doesn’t runs on iOS. The Apple Watch on the other side, as you may have already guessed, only runs on iOS.

Other special features

Now, every watch tries to be unique and offer something that others don’t. So let’s talk about those special features.

Samsung’s Gear S2 offers a circular Super AMOLED display and a rotating bezel that controls the UI. This rotating bezel is surely something innovative that promises to offer good control on the watch. There’s also an optional 3G network connectivity model of the Gear S2 with e-SIM and voice capability.

Moto 360 2nd generation too offers a circular display, but the good thing is that there’s also a model specially for women. The compatibility with both popular platforms, namely Android and iOS is surely a plus point of the Moto 360.

Apple Watch, on the other side requires an iPhone which means if you don’t have one, then there’s no point in buying it. Also a new second generation of Apple Watch is rumored to be announced later this year, or in 2016, so if the first generation doesn’t attracts you, then you might want to wait for the second generation.

In this chart below, we compare all three smartwatches running on different platforms, the Samsung Gear S2, new Moto 360 and Apple Watch.

Smartwatch	Samsung Gear S2	Moto 360 (2015)	Apple Watch
OS	Tizen	Android Wear	iOS
Shape	Round	Round	Rectangular
Processor	Exynos 3250	Snapdragon 400	Apple S1
RAM	512MB	512MB	512MB
Resolution	360 x 360 (302 ppi)	360 X 325 (263 ppi) / 360 X 330 (233 ppi)	270 x 340 (290 ppi)
Storage (in-built)	4GB	4GB	8GB (but only 2GB usable)
Thickness	11.4mm	11.4mm	38mm
Battery	250 mAh	300/400 mAh	205 mAh
3G enabled	Yes	No	No
NFC	Yes	No	Yes
Display	1.2-inch AMOLED	1.37-inch/1.56-inch	1.32-inch
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Compatibility	Android 4.4 & up	Android 4.3 & up, and selected iPhone models	Only iPhone
Water resistant	Yes	Yes	Yes

Other things to consider

Apart from the specs, there are many other things to consider too. For example, the design (which depends on your personal preference), straps and customization options, mobile payment support, where Apple Watch and Gear S2 supports mobile payment but Moto 360 doesn’t, and lastly, price too. Talking about the battery life, then they usually offer one or two days of battery life in normal conditions, but don’t expect more than that.

The cheapest Apple Watch starts at $349, while Moto 360 starts from $299. Samsung, at this stage has not revealed the pricing of their watch.

So what’s your opinion? Are you thinking to get a smartwatch, and if so, then which one of these interests you? Let us know in the comments below.