Adam Kos When it comes to the smartwatch market, Apple is still out of step with its Apple Watch. According to the analytical company Counterpoint Research, they still rule the market even after the first quarter of this year, when they recorded 14% year-on-year growth. But other brands are already catching up. So they still have a long way to go, which is not now, but could come relatively soon.
The smartwatch market is growing by 13% year-on-year. Although Apple's market share was 36,1%, and Samsung is second with only 10,1%, the difference here is growth. Samsung grew by 46% year-on-year. The third place belongs to Huawei, the fourth is Xiaomi (which grew by 69%), and the top five is rounded off by Garmin. It is this company that has now introduced two new models of its watches from the Forerunner series, and its effort to attract users is really sympathetic compared to Apple.
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Pavel Jelic It's not about the price
If you look at the Apple Watch offer, you will find the current Series 7, the lightweight SE and the old Series 3. With each new series, the year-old one is dropped. You can also choose between Cellular versions and different materials of the case, its colors and, of course, the style and design of the strap. This is where Apple bets on variability. He himself does not want you to be bored with the same watch all the time, after all, just change the strap and they are completely different.
Apple Watch Series 7
But the competition offers more models because it makes more sense. E.g. Samsung currently has its Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic, where both models differ in size, features and appearance (the Classic model has, for example, a rotating bezel). Although the Apple Watch slightly enlarges its cases and display, it is still the same visually.
Garmin has now introduced the Forerunner 255 and 955 series. At the same time, the company's products are among the most popular with any athlete, whether recreational or active or professional (Garmin can also give recommendations for training and recovery). The advantage of the brand is not in the variability of looks, although those are also blessed (through blue, black and white to pink cases, fast changing of straps, etc.), but in options. It is clear that Apple will not have ten different series, it could have at least two. At Garmin, apart from Forerunners, you will also find the popular fénix, epix, Instinct, Enduro or vívoactive series and others.
Various requirements
Consider that Garmin is the fifth largest in the world, and even they keep their prices quite high. The novelty in the form of the Forerunner 255 model costs CZK 8, the novelty Forerunner 690 even CZK 955. You don't pay for the size of the case, but you do for the possibility of listening to music or solar charging. Such Fénixes 14 start at 990 CZK, while their maximum configuration will easily cost you almost 7. And people buy them.
Garmin itself justifies its comprehensive offer as follows: “Men and women runners can have many different requirements. That's why we have a wide range of devices, from simple running watches, to more equipped models with a built-in music player, to triathlon models with advanced performance measurement and evaluation. So everyone can choose what suits them best." You have one Apple Watch, or three, if we count the SE and Series 3 models, which we would rather not see in the menu anymore.
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So what's the problem? That there is practically only one Apple Watch, and that you have nothing to choose from. I would like to see it if we had another model with a durable plastic case that would provide significantly longer durability at the expense of many possibly unnecessary functions. Or let them simply be configurable, like MacBooks. Throw away the unnecessary, and keep only what you will actually use.
Sila, comparing the Apple Watch to the Garmin, is a bit thick. I have been working with Apple for some X decades, but I think that even the author of the article understands the difference between a "smartwatch" and a sports tester. Garmin Tactix 7 has a titanium body, durability certification, navigation directly in itself, solar charging, metrics to calculate the progress of physical performance, analytics that Apple can only dream of. There is no point in talking about the advantages here, you need a solo article for that, not such a biased view, Mr. Editor. If I work in the office, I have a smartwatch. If I go to the forest, I have a Garmin. In expedition mode (with reception from the three satellite GPS options they support), the watch actually lasts me about 90 days thanks to solar charging. Need a comment on that, Mr. Editor?
Personally, I think this view is no longer valid either. That is, whoever is in the office has a smartwatch, etc. Garmin (depending on the model) offers a combination of both and, for me, even better than what the Apple Watch offers….
I've been using Apple Watch since series 3, but I've come across a lot of cons, oi. I also broke two during sports activities. I agree, Garmin Tactix 7 suits me much more than AW, among other things, the fact that they work independently without a mobile phone, they have a huge battery life, the LED light is also an incredible helper. But especially when it comes to sports metrics, Garmin really has no competition there (as far as top models are concerned). Everyone can choose what they want from features, design, etc. When I see that one single AW design, I really don't know, especially since everyone already has them on their hands. Tactix 7 costs about 31000 CZK, which is a good deal, and I'm not even talking about the luxurious Marq series, which is about twice as much. But we are talking about premium materials, titanium and not aluminum, which wears out really brutally. AW series 3 was the last one legally available in steel, which is probably really marketing, because I don't know otherwise... AWs are really an extension of the iPhone. Garmin also has smartwatch features, but it's weak compared to AW, which can be justified because their primary focus is different. After all the experiences with both for what I use and need, I wouldn't go back to AW. I really don't need to spend a month on expedition tourism and take care of technology that is supposed to serve you and not you.
The editor wanted to make a sensation. But he is just a writer without knowledge of journalism and does not know what to compare with what.