Apple has been basking in the limelight with the release of the iPhone 15 series this month. Still, the company has more tricks up its sleeve, including the new Apple Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra 2. Apple has a history of changing the dynamics of the industry, from removing the headphone jack from iPhones (which other brands followed) to introducing the Dynamic Island notch with the iPhone 14 Pros (inspiring similar features in Android phones).
The latest offering from Apple, the Apple Watch Series 9, introduces a new double-tap gesture, which the company claims is a refreshing addition to its smartwatch lineup, set to benefit millions. However, here’s the catch—Apple is not the pioneer of this feature, and the Apple Watch Series 9 isn’t the first device to support it. The credit for that goes to Apple’s closest competitor, Samsung, which has offered tap gesture support on the Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 5, and the latest Watch 6 series.
This feature is made possible through the One UI 5 Watch version, based on the Wear OS 4 platform jointly developed by Google and Samsung. Samsung has equipped its Galaxy smartwatches launched in the past two years with this gesture support, allowing users to control various settings with simple gestures, such as making a fist or tapping the thumb with the index finger. Samsung aptly calls this feature “Universal Gestures.”
It’s worth noting that these gestures are not enabled by default. To activate them, users can navigate to the Settings page on their Galaxy Watch 4, 5, or 6 and locate the feature in the Accessibility section. Once activated, Samsung provides multiple gesture modes like ‘shake,’ ‘nod,’ and ‘knock-knock’ for the smartwatch, enhancing the user experience.
Now, let’s talk about pricing. The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at Rs 41,900 for the base model, while the Watch Ultra 2’s starting price in India is Rs 89,900. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series is also available for upwards of Rs 40,000 in the country. Pricing is a crucial factor for many consumers, and these figures could sway their decisions when choosing between these smartwatches.