Wearable comparison: Apple Watch vs Huawei watch

It’s safe to say that wearables are looking like a pretty big deal this year, with manufacturers across the world of technology all working on some form of smartwatch. It just so happens that two of these manufacturers have launched their own devices in the last few months – Apple and Huawei. But which one will win our wearable comparison?Which of these two manufacturers can expect its wearable to outgun the other? We take a look at both pieces of tech to let you know which one will be worth your hard earned cash.

Apple vs Huawei Smartwatch Design

First off, when it comes to design, these two smart watches couldn’t look more different. The Apple Watch has opted for a modern, square design, whilst Huawei has opted for a more traditional round shape.

Apple has given its users the ultimate choice when it comes to style, offering three different kinds of wearable (Sport, Standard and Edition), each sporting two different sizes (38mm and 42mm). The three styles essentially meet budget, mid-range and high-end design styles, with the specs for each device staying the same.

The Sport version is made from a smooth aluminium alloy, whilst the standard Apple Watch boasts a glossy steel frame. The version that might set you back a little is the Edition version, which features an 18 karat gold construction, which is strengthened to avoid unwanted scratches.

Huawei meanwhile keeps things simple with one traditional style in three different materials. Each version of the smartwatch differs depending on its price tag, similar to Apple, with internal specs staying put between all three.

Unlike Apple, Huawei’s three versions of its wearable are pretty similar, with stainless steel silver, anodized black and 24 karat gold making the cut.

One similarity between the Huawei and Apple watches is that there are numerous straps available for each wearable, which means you can swap and change depending on your mood!

Spec Comparison

Both smartwatches are obviously looking strong with their brilliant designs, and it’s a similar verdict regarding specs too. Both pieces of kit boast an impressive set of internals – making it even harder to make a decision between the two.

Apple has two different screen sizes to account for, offering a 1.5” and 1.7” screen, both making home to retina display resolution. More expensive Sapphire Crystal is used with the Standard and Edition versions of the watch, whilst a cheaper (but more fragile) Ion-X glass is featured in the Sport’s design.

Apple has kept all other specs the same between the three versions, with an S1 chipset making the cut on all three devices. When it comes to memory, Apple has also packed in 8GB for each smart watch, which isn’t bad for a device so small. The introduction of an 18 hour battery should be good enough to last the day, whilst a built-in heart rate sensor is a great addition for fitness fanatics. So when it comes down to it, with the specs more or less identical between the Sport, Standard and Edition versions of the Apple Watch, you’re simply paying the extra for purely aesthetic choices.

At the other end of the pitch, Huawei opts for one singular screen size of 1.4”, using Sapphire Crystal construction to the resolution of 400×400 with AMOLED technology included. A Qualcomm 1.2GHz processor also joins the show, whilst 512MB RAM and 4GB storage come along for the ride on the Huawei as well; just slightly shy of what Apple is offering. A 300mAh battery also makes sure that the wearable lasts long enough for the day ahead, and should be longer lasting than the Apple Watch.

Just like the Apple Watch, this means that Huawei will be upping its price tag depending on the material it’s built with, rather than paying more for an upgraded set of specs.

iOS Vs Android Wear

Apple, as always, is sticking to its own gated community when it comes down to its operating system, with a wearable version of iOS making the cut. It makes use of the Digital Crown on the side of the watch to zoom in and out of apps, while the screen itself is touch sensitive.

Huawei instead sticks with the most common wearable operating system on the market; Android Wear. This brings a host of features which have already been tested by the likes of the Moto 360 and other wearables, as well as using a solid infrastructure and app store.

It is worth noting however, that the Apple Watch will only link with the iPhone, whilst Android Wear has a much longer list of compatible devices to suit more budget smartphones.

Making a decision between the two is more down to personal preference.

Apple Watch vs Huawei Watch Price Comparison

Depending on which version of each watch you opt for, you could end up paying contrasting amounts for either wearable. Varying from as low as £250 for the Apple Watch Sport all the way up to £13,500 for the Apple Watch Edition – there’s something for every budget.

Similarly, Huawei will be offering different pricing structures for each of its three devices, although it hasn’t given us details of these as yet. We expect to see the base model of the Huawei Watch cost approximately £200-£300, with the gold version pricing up over the £1000 mark.

Apple’s designs are more varied, with prices for each size of its wearable different as well as being affected by which strap you opt for. In fact, just one of Apple’s metallic straps actually costs more than the entire Apple Sport watch with a rubberised strap – upward of £300!

Huawei’s details on the price tags of its straps are much more muted, though it’s unlikely to climb quite as high as Apple’s pricing. This mainly comes down to the fact that Huawei is using a standard watch strap – meaning that you could effectively us a strap from a regular watch with Huawei’s piece of kit if you really wanted to.

Either way, it looks like smartwatches will be building a trend that caters for the ultra-high-end market as well as the regular one, which is great news for those of you willing to splash the cash!

Wearable Comparison: our verdict

Both smartwatches really do look the part – while the Apple Watch is a bit more modern, the Huawei’s classic and elegant look is incredibly desirable as well.

When it comes to specs, the Apple Watch and Huawei Watch aren’t too dissimilar; while Apple offers a larger memory solution, Huawei wins the day with a longer lasting battery life, making the spec comparison too close to call.

Sporting two separate operating systems, the choice between the Huawei and Apple smartwatch will most likely come down to which smartphone you own- iPhone or Android- and just how much you’re willing to spend.

If you have a high credit score, then the Apple Watch Edition will be the priciest device, but heading down the ranks you actually won’t find too much separating the Apple and Huawei. However, one thing is guaranteed if you side with Huawei – you’ll be getting a full metal build, while you might have to plump with a rubber strap for the cheaper Apple option.