While Samsung has already unveiled the Galaxy Gear alongside its latest Note series installment, the Galaxy Note 3, last month, Apple fans will have to wait for the company's monster phone and smartwatch tandem. It was just early October when rumors surfaced that Apple's next movie is aimed towards developing a 5-inch iPhone and a stylistic smartwatch called "iWatch." Despite the far-off 2014 launching of these new devices, it is undeniable that the hype over the idea of Apple's 5-incher and smartwatch release continues to get bigger and bigger.
Speaking of smartwatches, Apple may have dropped the ball when it launched its Galaxy Gear. But a few days of hitting the market, many have scrutinized and even criticized how the supposed Note 3 companion just doesn't make the cut, adding that the Gear adds extra baggage to the already expensive phablet. Although being sold separately may have its perks, Samsung's smartwatch is just lacking when it comes to functionality and wearability, leading some to question if ditching the Gear for the iWatch is the better option.
As of late, reports and speculations over iWatch's official build and specs are just a pipedream for loyal Apple fans. But even rumors and theories also have their fair share of being half-meant, more so a bigger chance of leaking the real deal. Thus, it's time to compare the Galaxy Gear and the projected final build of the iWatch.
The first thing to take note in comparing the two is the big difference on why and how they are made (or to be made as in the case of the iWatch). While Samsung's Galaxy Gear serves as an extension or, to put it bluntly, "companion" of the Note 3, Apple's iWatch will definitely be more than that in terms of functionality. An informant for BGR and at the same time an Apple supplier leaked recently that the iWatch is much more than an extension of the iPhone 6 since it will come with multi-purpose features that make the device a high-end gadget, in itself. The Apple supplier even said that one confirmed feature of Apple's smartwatch is its ability to control almost all types of appliances for heating, cooling, lighting, video, audio, etc.
The Galaxy Gear comes with this rather stiff build, with a large bezel surrounding the 1.6-inch display. The design of the device appears solid and metal hard with the very conspicuous large screws on the corners of the bezel. Additionally, the strap - in spite of being stylistic and elegant in its own way - has this very stiff feel because of the large camera incorporated in one end.All in all, wearing the Gear is very limiting to the wrist. Meanwhile, Apple may have seen these flaws in Samsung's device and is now in the works of creating a more literally flexible smartwatch that will not hinder the wearability of the device.
South Korean paper "The Chosun Ilbo" reported that Apple is now testing three different designs for its smartwatch, and all of them are flaunting very flexible plastic OLED displays. The paper even leaked that the display resolutions for the three are: 1.5-inc, 1.4-inch, and 1.3-inch, adding that the 1.-5 inch display is so far the only prototype viewed to be competent enough to make the final stage for release. It is important to note however that the company is not gearing for a device that can be twisted and turned like rubber band because of its flexible OLED display, rather Apple is objectively aiming for a smartwatch that will flaunt a flexible curved screen that renders the gadget fit for use on a daily basis in terms of design and wearability.
Aside from the more flexible build of the display, Apple is also reportedly attempting to come up with better straps. According to BGR, the company has already tapped Fitness expert Jay Blahnik, the man behind Nike's successful and quite popular "FuelBand," to take care of the chassis. Blahnik even confirmed this news on his Twitter account, saying that he was handpicked by 9to5Mac.
"Since Apple requires the iWatch be thin and light and still features an elegant design, it has been known that this will pose a great challenge to the device's chassis suppliers as well as related component makers and back-end process service providers," Joseph Tsai of Digitimes wrote this week. And according to him the iWatch is to be launched in the second half of 2014. Inventec and Quanta Computer are the ones tasked with the building of the device. Additionally, Kuala Lumpur-based CIMB Group announced that pricing for the iWatch will be between $149 and $229, a not-so-bad market value as opposed to Samsung's overpriced Gear. Finally, one CIMB Group analyst said that shipments for the iWatch will possibly reach a whopping 63.4 million units despite its yet to be unveiled final packaging.
