Huawei is no stranger to smartwatches, having released its first wrist-worn wearable way back in 2015. However, the Chinese tech brand has recently stepped up its line with a new smartwatch designed to compete with the Apple Watch Ultra.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate is Huawei’s new adventure-fueled smartwatch. Both the Watch Ultimate and the Apple Watch Ultra are packed with fitness-tracking tools, health-monitoring features and water-resistance levels that allow them to plunge up to 100m.
So what are the biggest differences between the two watches? We’ve broken this comparison down to the main points to help you decide which smartwatch is worth your time.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate has a more classic appearance
The clearest visual difference between the Huawei Watch Ultimate and the Apple Watch Ultra are their designs.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate has a more traditional-looking, circular design, while the Apple Watch Ultra looks very much like a smartwatch with its square shape and more obvious touch display.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate is built from a tougher material
Both smartwatches have sturdy, sapphire glass touchscreens. However, the front casing is made from different materials. The Apple Watch Ultra is built from a rugged, corrosion-resistant titanium material, while the Huawei Watch Ultimate has a zirconium-based liquid metal front case.
In its FAQ, Huawei claims this material offers “better durability, more corrosion and wear resistance, better durability and inflexibility, more bacteria resistance, and is more hypoallergenic” compared to titanium.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate works with Android
Another major difference between the Huawei Watch Ultimate is that the smartwatch is compatible with both the iOS and Android operating systems.
While you might be able to pair your Apple Watch with an Android phone, you’ll lose out on much of the key functionality of the watch. For this reason, the Apple Watch Ultra is best used alongside an iOS device.
The Apple Watch Ultra is integrated with the Apple ecosystem
While the Huawei Watch Ultimate is compatible with iPhones, it isn’t built into the Apple ecosystem the way Apple’s own rugged smartwatch is.
That means you might not be able to take advantage of key features available with the Apple Watch Ultra, including access to the wide range of apps and services available through the Apple App Store and exclusive subscription services like Apple Fitness Plus.
The Apple Watch Ultra is packed with safety features
During the iPhone 14 announcement last year, Apple announced a number of new safety features, including car crash detection.
Not only does the Apple Watch Ultra include crash detection, but it also benefits from fall detection, emergency SOS, international emergency calling and an 86-decibel siren to attract attention when you need help.
Huawei has included emergency SOS and fall detection features on smartwatches like the Huawei Watch 3 and the Huawei Watch 3 Pro, but it isn’t clear whether these are present on the Huawei Watch Ultimate looking at the spec sheet.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate is slightly cheaper
The Huawei Watch Ultimate is cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra at £699 compared to the Apple Watch Ultra’s £849 price. That’s a £150 difference in cost.
Both smartwatches come with straps included in the box.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
