Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Apple's latest lineup of Apple Watches drummed up quite the hype when they were announced during its annual iPhone event. Apple unveiled several new features, like emergency SOS communications via satellite connectivity and FDA-cleared hypertension detection.
I was physically present in Steve Jobs Theater, and as I watched Apple unveil these features, I couldn't help but compare the new watch to Google's Pixel Watch 4. Apple's new satellite SOS feature bears some striking similarities to Google's standalone satellite connectivity, for example.
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It made me wonder, what other similarities (and differences) do the two competing smartwatches have? And which of the latest models should you buy?
First: a bit about privacy
The Apple Watch SE 3 (left), Apple Watch Ultra 3 (middle), Apple Watch Series 11 (right). Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Before I delve into the actual specs, I wanted to mention a big difference between the two brands: privacy. Smartwatches collect lots of health data, including heart rate data, menstrual cycle data, blood oxygen, sleep, and more. That's some of the most valuable data you can give up.
A recent report published by VPN Mentor rated Apple's data-sharing practices as "excellent" while Google's were rated as "good." Apple shares data only with user permission, and claims to never sell data.
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