Smartwatches: The New Race Between Samsung and Apple

(Dan Tri) - Samsung is investing heavily in the field of digital health, especially focusing on elderly care, to strengthen its position in competition with Apple Watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch (left) and Apple Watch (Photo: ALLSTARSPACE).

Repositioning the wearable

“The growing prevalence of aging and chronic diseases, coupled with escalating healthcare costs, are driving the shift in healthcare to the home,” said Hon Pak, vice president and head of digital health at Samsung Mobile.

Experts believe that the smart home ecosystem is an advantage that helps the Korean technology company connect wearable devices with living spaces, thereby seamlessly integrating daily health monitoring and support features, enhancing competitiveness.

Despite being the leading smartphone maker, Samsung will not dominate the global smartwatch market in Q1 2025. It will only have a 7–11% market share, significantly lower than Apple's nearly 20%.

According to Mr. Jitesh Ubrani, Research Director at IDC, Apple has been more successful in positioning the Apple Watch as an "inseparable object" for users.

But Samsung is taking a different approach by focusing on early prevention and healthy living. Instead of simply recording data, it wants its devices to become personal assistants in eating, sleeping, and exercising, helping users take action before health problems arise.

Still, Samsung also faces competition from niche health tech companies like Oura, which have been tapping into the need for proactive health and sleep tracking.

Samsung's new strategy

According to Mr. Hon Pak, the medical community currently exploits less than 1% of patient health data. “We don’t know how much a patient sleeps, what they eat, whether they exercise,” he said. “That’s the gap that wearable technology can fill.”

In an upcoming software update (applicable to Galaxy Watch 5 and above), Samsung will introduce a series of notable health-focused features, as well as develop an AI-integrated health chatbot.

These features come shortly after Apple launched Workout Buddy, an interactive workout tool.

One significant drawback is that the Galaxy Watch is currently not compatible with the iPhone – which could limit its reach to Apple's loyal user base.

Samsung stopped supporting the watch with iOS a few years ago, possibly to keep users within the Galaxy ecosystem.

However, Hon Pak said the company did not rule out the possibility of reopening its partnership with Apple in the future. “We are having positive discussions, but no specific decision has been made on the timing,” he said.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/dong-ho-thong-minh-cuoc-dua-moi-giua-samsung-va-apple-20250617062938160.htm