In the world that had gotten use to the standard digital or analog watch, the smartwatch option was a breath of fresh air. And while still considerably an infant industry, there is a good list of participating players. Arguably, however, the most popular choices have been within the Apple Watch and Samsung Gear lineups.
But for those that are still hesitant to jump on the smartwatch wagon, Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to start an experiment. Because several options will be on sale, it becomes the perfect time to see whether or not the piece of technology is compatible to an individual without spending as much as one would without the Black Friday deals. As Forbes notes, the Apple Watch Series 1 and the Samsung Gear S3 are part of it.
The Apple Watch Series 1 is available in Target for just US$198, which is a US$71.99 discount from the standard retail price. On the other hand, the much newer Samsung Gear S3 is available for US$299, which is US$50 less than retail. The deal is available from the Samsung store and Amazon.
The original Apple Watch has been on the market for quite some time now. As noted by Tech Crunch, the device has a 42mm display that measures 42mm x 35.9mm x 10.5mm all around and weighs just 50 grams. It is powered by an S1 processor and has 8GB of internal storage. On a single full charge, the wearable will last for about 18 hours.
The publication praises the design of the wearable, particularly because of the detail that the Cupertino-based company undoubtedly placed on the unit. The digital crown and strap connector are aesthetically pleasing. More importantly, however, is that the Apple Watch feels comfortable on the wrist as is not dragging to wear throughout the day.
The digital crown in particular is a great piece to take from the standard mechanical watch. It provides a level of comfort that could have easily been disregarded. However, the crown allows the wearer to scroll up and down the screen, as opposed to alter the time and date.
The Apple Watch Series 1 also boasts of accurately monitoring its wearer's heart rate. The device also acts as an accelerometer and gyroscope. It also sports ambient light sensors.
On the other hand, the Samsung Gear S3 is a relatively new player in the market. As such, there is hardly information about it. Nevertheless, C|Net notes that the 46mm case is bigger than its predecessor and therefore will appeal more to men than women. It does, however, still sport the same circular face as Samsung's other smartwatches.
With the Samsung Gear S3, the Korean tech giant promises at least 3 days of full wear. But, more importantly, the company incorporated Samsung Pay into the device. As such, wearers can simply tap to pay in participating stores. Furthermore, the wearable is capable of making speakerphone calls.
Black Friday deals, of course, include other smartwatches. The Samsung Gear Fit 2, for example, is available at Amazon and the Samsung store for just US$149. Meanwhile, FitBit Alpha is on sale for US$99 at Walmart and Huawei's smartwatch is down by US$100 to just US$199 at Best Buy.
