Apple watch converts, what is your impression?

[tech_fan]

I currently have the Apple Watch and iPhone 7 plus. i really like the S8. Before my stint with Apple, I had the LG Urbane and Samsung Gear series watches along with the Moto 360.

Anyone convert to the S3 from the Apple Watch? What were and are your impressions?

thanks

 

[clerk]

Short answer from my perspective is that it's not as refined as the Apple Watch in terms of OS and operations. A lot of little things add up. Bluetooth connection issues, no ability to offline streaming music services, HR monitor takes a long time to lock, S Health is not as good as Apple Health. On the plus side, battery life is much better and I feel like it looks better (subjective). It's an adequate replacement if you are using Android but it's a notch below the Apple Watch overall having used both extensively.

 

[bed269]

I converted over to the s8 and gear 3 this last weekend.
I was able to sell my Apple Watch to buy the Bluetooth gear 3.
Really like this watch better for me. These are just my opinions and in no way knocking anyone else's views on either watch.
1. I really like the look of this watch. It looks like a watch to me.
2. Ease of use for me. Being a Cnc machinist my hands being dirty being able to turn the dial is a plus. Wet fingers and swiping doesn't go together.
3. The band that comes with it I like loads better.
4. S health and Apple health are a push for me. I just keep up with basic data. I could see apples health app being better if you want to use a lot of the features.
5. Notifications come through just like my Apple Watch did. I will say this it was easier to dismiss on Apple Watch.
6. Battery life is crazy good. I've had my watch on for 24 hours for it to track my sleep. The battery is at 48% right now.

Something you might want to research before you buy. If you are someone that downloads a lot of apps to your watch there just aren't that many worthwhile ones for the gear. Also the same for Watch faces.
I mainly use my watch for is keeping time, notifications and basic health stuff like steps and basic weather.

 

[tech_fan]

I converted over to the s8 and gear 3 this last weekend.
I was able to sell my Apple Watch to buy the Bluetooth gear 3.
Really like this watch better for me. These are just my opinions and in no way knocking anyone else's views on either watch.
1. I really like the look of this watch. It looks like a watch to me.
2. Ease of use for me. Being a Cnc machinist my hands being dirty being able to turn the dial is a plus. Wet fingers and swiping doesn't go together.
3. The band that comes with it I like loads better.
4. S health and Apple health are a push for me. I just keep up with basic data. I could see apples health app being better if you want to use a lot of the features.
5. Notifications come through just like my Apple Watch did. I will say this it was easier to dismiss on Apple Watch.
6. Battery life is crazy good. I've had my watch on for 24 hours for it to track my sleep. The battery is at 48% right now.

Something you might want to research before you buy. If you are someone that downloads a lot of apps to your watch there just aren't that many worthwhile ones for the gear. Also the same for Watch faces.
I mainly use my watch for is keeping time, notifications and basic health stuff like steps and basic weather.

I have pretty much given up on watch apps. They are too small so, I use mine for notifications, time and tracking my walking. I had the first Samsung Gear watch all the way through the Gear S but found the UI hard to follow.

Thanks for the info. When you get a text, how are the canned responses you can choose from? Are they as good as Apple's?

 

[Blumini06]

I like the fact that Gear S3 is LTE compatible and I do like the look of this watch over Apple watch. Having LTE watch is another level of experience.

 

[bed269]

The canned responses aren't as good. You have the basic ones to choose from.
There is also the option to add your own canned responses but the best I can tell you can only use them with Samsung texting app on the phone.
I use android message and my personal canned responses aren't available on the watch.

 

[jjinal]

I had 2 Apple Watch Series 1 and an iPhone 7+. When I decide to get the S8+ I sold the 2 Apple Watches and bought a S3 Frontier to use with the iPhone until the S8+ became available. From my perspective the S3 is much better than the AW, whether you're using an iPhone or Android.

 

[Highrisedrifter]

I'm using a first gen Apple Watch with my iPhone 7plus and now my iPhone has been relegated to my drawer, i'm looking for a replacement to use with my S8+. I far prefer the look of the Gear S3 Classic to the Apple Watch but then i've always hated rectangular watches.

I know there's a ton of watch faces available for the S3, and as I collect high end watches back in the UK (a Breitling Navitimer, two Rolexes (Oyster Perpetual and Submariner), two Tags (Indy500 and Formula 1) and an Omega Seamaster), I can get a watch face that emulates one of my real watches nicely.

Like others have said, I only really used my Apple Watch for time, weather, notifications and fitness tracking. The screen is too small to muck about with apps.

 

[jjinal]

I'm using a first gen Apple Watch with my iPhone 7plus and now my iPhone has been relegated to my drawer, i'm looking for a replacement to use with my S8+. I far prefer the look of the Gear S3 Classic to the Apple Watch but then i've always hated rectangular watches.

I know there's a ton of watch faces available for the S3, and as I collect high end watches back in the UK (a Breitling Navitimer, two Rolexes (Oyster Perpetual and Submariner), two Tags (Indy500 and Formula 1) and an Omega Seamaster), I can get a watch face that emulates one of my real watches nicely.

Like others have said, I only really used my Apple Watch for time, weather, notifications and fitness tracking. The screen is too small to muck about with apps.

I have the S3 Frontier and love it.

 

[Highrisedrifter]

I have the S3 Frontier and love it.

One of the main reasons why I haven't bought an S3 yet is that I keep flip-flopping between preferring the Frontier and then the Classic. I can't choose...

First world problems, I know. ><

 

[bed269]

Both styles of the watch look good to me.
I went with the frontier due to my job and the extra shock rating it has.
What surprised me was how much by just changing the watch face it changed the look of the watch. And the bands change out fairly easy.

 

[tech_fan]

I had 2 Apple Watch Series 1 and an iPhone 7+. When I decide to get the S8+ I sold the 2 Apple Watches and bought a S3 Frontier to use with the iPhone until the S8+ became available. From my perspective the S3 is much better than the AW, whether you're using an iPhone or Android.

My initial dip back into the Android pool was to buy the S3 and use it with my 7+ before I invest back into the Android world again. If I choose to do this, won't I lose the text functionality because I am running IOS with the S3?

 

[Highrisedrifter]

I have the S3 Frontier and love it.

I saw a picture of a Frontier with a light/mid brown leather band and it looks absolutely gorgeous. So much so that my decision to get the Classic was challenged.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M2Y88I...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU5791307

I saw them both side-by-side at Best Buy the other day and I changed the watch faces to look the same on both to see how they looked. I think my decision to go for the Classic is still the right one for me.

 

[mjstowe1]

I agree with what Clerk said. Not as refined as my Apple Watch Series 2. I do like the S3 looks better. The two biggest things I miss from my Apple Watch Series 2 are the ability to use a 3rd party heart rate monitor (You can set up a BT HRM to use instead of the built in watch monitor. I use the Rhythm+ on my forearm and it worked great. No idea why Samsung doesn't have this set up since wrist HRM's are iffy at best and only having green led's makes it even worse for anyone with darker skin). The second item is the ability to have a streaming music service automatically populate the watch so you can use it without the phone. I know there are ways to load music on to the Gear S3, but it is nowhere near the same. I can pick my own custom playlist on the Apple Watch and if I add or change any music to it within the Apple Music streaming App, it syncs to the watch when I put the charger on. I am really debating going back to Apple purely due to the HRM on this watch. I cannot find a way to use a 3rd part HRM with the watch even if only showing a fitness app running on the phone. It always uses its own unreliable HRM.

 

[Ca_lvn]

Never had a apple watch but never liked the square look just didn't appeal to me, S3 good battery life, like being able to read notifications driving by briefly turning my wrist, S health OK find my self exercising more, Samsung Pay great.
With My iPhone never used Apple pay wasn't user friendly at stores

 

[11B1P]

Something you might want to research before you buy. If you are someone that downloads a lot of apps to your watch there just aren't that many worthwhile ones for the gear. Also the same for Watch faces.

While I have never used an Apple watch, I do agree on the availability of apps, I disagree on availability of watch faces. Granted I don't know how many faces Apple offers, but my gosh, there are faces after faces for the S3.