Logan Strain February 27th, 2017
With the release of Android Wear 2.0, you may already be enjoying the updated features and improved design if you have an Android smartwatch. But the true test of Android Wear 2.0 will fall upon watches designed specifically to take advantage of everything the open source OS has to offer.
If you want to see how companies stretch Android Wear 2.0 to its limit, keep your eye on two watches in particular: the LG Watch Sport and the Huawei Watch 2.
LG Watch Sport vs. Huawei Watch 2: What To Expect
The LG Watch Sport boasts that it is “Android Wear’s most powerful watch.” The watch certainly has some cool features, such as dedicated buttons for Google Fit and Android Pay. These buttons are designed to make the most of the updates to Google Fit and the brand-new Android Pay for Android Wear.
It also has a P-OLED display with 480x480 pixels. With its 1.38-inch screen, that calculates to a 348 pixels per inch (PPI) pixel density. Believe it not, the LG Sport’s screen is more dense with pixels than even an iPhone 7, which has 326 PPI.
The LG Watch is also fast, powered by a cutting-edge Snapdragon Wear 2100 quad core 1.1 Ghz processor and 768MB RAM — which is good because it needs that sheer processing speed to handle its full range of sensors, including an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, GPS sensor, NPC, and LTE radio.
The whole package is packed into a pretty bulky watch, measuring 45.4 x 51.21 x 14.2mm. The watch weighs a hefty 89.4g, so just wearing it might be a workout in itself.
LG Watch Sport vs. Huawei Watch 2: Is Huawei A True Contender?
The reveal of the Huawei Watch 2 at Mobile World Congress confirmed speculation that it is more focused on sports and fitness than its predecessor. The built-in sensors are focused on collecting health and exercise data, including distance, speed, steps, heart rate, heart rate range, calories, gait, and route. Even the design, which features a black ceramic bezel, is a departure from the chic, brass-colored original Huawei watch.
If you were hoping for a different design and also get excited by corporate synergy, Huawei has you covered. The company also announced the Porsche Design Huawei Smartwatch, which was designed by the German luxury car-inspired brand. It is anticipated to be “released in the upcoming months.” If other Porsche Design products are any indication, this alternative design will be priced higher than the standard Huawei Watch 2.
LG Watch Sport vs. Huawei Watch 2: Hardware
Interestingly, the Huawei Watch 2 uses the exact same processor as the LG Sport: the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100. The processor has become the go-to choice for several wearable makers, including ASUS and Fossil.
Other companies, such as Intel and Samsung, also make processors designed for small electronics like wearables, but they haven’t been showing up in the most anticipated new devices. That absence probably indicates that companies and customers are impressed with the fluid performance they get when a 2100 is under the hood.
The display of the Huawei Watch 2 is smaller than the LG Watch Sport. It’s 1.2 inches and features a 390x390 resolution. While the LG Watch’s display takes up most of the watch face, the Huawei Watch 2 is inset into a large bezel. So, that smaller display size doesn’t translate to a small watch.
The LG watch also offers one more interaction option over the Huawei Watch 2. The LG Watch Sport lets you move through menus via buttons, a touchscreen, and a digital crown you can twist. The Huawei Watch 2 only offers the touchscreen and buttons.
LG Watch Sport vs. Huawei Watch 2: Battery Life
Battery life is par for the course. Huawei claims that the battery lasts for up to two days with regular use, up to 10 hours in “training mode,” and up to three weeks in “watch mode.” In “watch mode,” the Huawei Watch 2 only tells time and tracks your steps.
The Huawei Watch 2 is expected to go on sale in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and China next month. Huawei fans in the US, the UK, Russia, and Australia will be able to pick it up in April.
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