Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
With the Apple Watch finally appearing on people's wrists, and the smartwatch finally appearing in Apple stores, interest in wearables has once again risen.
However, despite Apple's claims that it's "the first company to make a smart smartwatch", it's worth noting the Californian firm is actually a late comer to the market.
Before Apple even began thinking about making a smart wrist companion, numerous companies had already brought smartwatches to market.
Here to help any buyer considering purchasing a smartwatch we've created a cohesive list of the 10 best alternatives to the Apple Watch.
10. The Asus Zenwatch 2
The ZenWatch 2 was unveiled at Computex and is one of a select few Android Wear smartwatches to feature a physical watch crown like the one seen on the Apple Watch.
Again taking a page out of the Apple Watch design book, the ZenWatch 2 will also feature two 49x41mm and 45x37mm size options, both of which will be built of stainless steel and feature Gorilla Glass 3 2.5D Amoled screens.
The ZenWatch 2 will run using "the latest" version of Google's Android Wear mobile operating system overlaid with Asus' custom ZenUI software.
The software adds a number of features, including a Remote Camera and Watch Face Land apps.
Remote Camera lets users control their smartphone's front and rear camera using the ZenWatch 2 while, the Face Land app lets users create custom watch faces for the ZenWatch 2.
The combination of design and software features make the Zenwatch 2 a compelling, is similar, alternative to the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
9. Google, Intel and TAG Heuer partnership
Google, Intel and luxury Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer announced in March that they had formed a partnership to create a smartwatch.
Little details or specifications of the planned watch have been revealed, although it will be powered by Intel chips and run on Google’s Android Wear operating system (shown above).
The tie-up marks a clear attempt by Intel and Google to take on Apple in the wearables market after the Apple Watch was unveiled earlier this month ahead of an April release. Apple even poached a TAG Heuer executive last year.
It shows that Intel and Google recognise that they need to match the Apple Watch for elegance as well as technological capabilities, and need a brand with the cachet of TAG Heuer to help them.
It will be interesting to see what the partnership produces, as the combined technical chops of Google and Android, alongside TAG Heuer's brand allure and styling, should produce an interesting Apple Watch rival.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
8. The Huawei Watch Unveiled at MWC, the Huawei Watch faims to combine the best of Android Wear and WatchOS to create the perfect smart wrist companion.
Specifically the Huawei Watch has robust IP67-certified, cold-forged steel design that houses a 1.4in, 400x400, 286ppi, 10,000:1 high contrast ratio Amoled display, Apple Watch-like physical crown.
Putting aside the wearable's premium look, Huawei's made some pretty bold claims about its durability and performance, attesting that the metal used is "40 percent more durable" than the aluminium used in competing smartwatches.
Add to this its use of the latest version of Android Wear and, for a smartwatch, impressive Qualcomm 1.2GHz processor and we can't help but view the Huawei Watch as a key rival for Apple.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
7. LG Urbane
The LG G Watch Urbane is the first smartwatch to ship with Google's major Android Wear update, equipping it with features such as always-on apps, WiFi support and the ability to doodle emoji on the display.
It's also arguably the first smartwatch that might manage to rival the Apple Watch in the wearables stakes.
The G Watch Urbane has been designed for the "sophisticated and cosmopolitan wearer", according to LG, and has a brushed metal face in silver or gold. This comes with a real leather strap, mimicking the leather-clad body of the LG G4 smartphone.
The LG G Watch Urbane is also IP67 certified, making it resistant to water and dust.
Beyond that, LG's smartwatch has a 1.3in P-OLED 320x320 245ppi display, quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and a 410mAh battery.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
6. Pebble Time Steel
Pebble was perhaps the first company to release a smartwatch, having gained support through the Kickstarter website.
The firm showed off its newest model, the Pebble Time Steel, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The device is interesting as it works with Android and iOS.
The device is the higher end version of the Pebble Time, which is plastic in construction, unlike the Steel, which is made of metal as the name suggests, and designed to offer a more alluring look and feel.
"Where Pebble Time is more sporty and playful, Time Steel emphasises different design cues and brings a refined and elegant aesthetic to the same Pebble you know and love," said the firm in a Kickstarter update.
"At its core, the Time Steel is powered by the same system as the Pebble Time, with a few tweaks."
Those tweaks include increased battery life of up to 10 days, waterproofing, an extra 1mm in thickness, and colour options of gunmetal black, silver stainless and gold.
Punters can Kickstart one now for $249 before the price increases to $299, and should expect delivery in July.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
5. Microsoft Band
Microsoft managed to beat Apple to the wearables market with its Band fitness device, which sells for around £169 and offers fitness tracking, email, voice communications using Cortana, and messaging capabilities.
Microsoft Band focuses on fitness and can track and assess movement and sleep patterns, and link with a smartphone or computer to analyse and display the data. It can be synced with the relevant apps on Windows Phone, Android and iOS.
Microsoft’s device faces plenty of competition, as there are numerous fitness-centric wearable devices in the market, but the device certainly manages to balance end-user benefits with visual aesthetics, a vital blend for any wearable device.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
4. Witness the fitness bands
Less obviously functional, but still very capable, are fitness bracelets. There is a range of options, such as Intel's Basis Peak fitness band for £170 (pictured above), the Razer Nabu smartband for around £50, and the Fitbit Flex for around £79.
The Intel model is the sturdiest and most expensive, and comes with a Gorilla Glass 3 touchscreen and a battery said to last 96 hours. The Fitbit Flex boasts 120 hours, and the screenless Nabu offers a reported 168 hours.
Each of these will track fitness and personal goals and offer sleep-tracking tools for a more rounded health experience.
The latter is offering a two-for-one deal through the spring to encourage competitive engagement, but the lack of a display limits its functions to fitness, calorie and sleep tracking.
Fitbit (below) offers a range of devices, of which the Flex is just one. Like the Nabu it uses LED lights for notification and tracking, but it has a wider range of capabilities. Your partner may appreciate its silent alarm wake up feature, while you may enjoy real-time smartphone dashboard information access.
Intel’s device is the closest to the Apple Watch and its screen offers text, email, calls and calendar information.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
3. The Sony SmartBand Talk
Battery life has been a constant issue for most smartwatches. While there are a multitude of reasons for this, one of the biggest is the heavy power drain their IPS or Amoled displays put on the wearables battery.
As a result, for smartwatch users regularly away from a power supply the Sony SmartBand Talk is a fairly compelling device. Featuring a 1.4in 296x126 e-ink display Sony claims the SmartBand Talk' 70mAh battery offers users three days of battery life off one charge.
As a result, while the SmartBand Talk uses a bespoke operating system that doesn't have all the features of the Apple Watch, for users looking for a timepiece that can double as a fitness tracker the Sony wearable is a solid choice.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
2. Samsung Gear S
The Gear S runs Samsung's Tizen operating system and was one of 2014's most interesting wearables. Many buyers have all but forgotten Samsung's Tizen operating system, but it does have a number of perks and positives for Samsung Galaxy smartphone users.
For example, Tizen has a menu and application system which is more like that of a mobile operating system than a wearable as it requires users to swipe left or right to switch between applications and services.
This is a radical departure from Android Wear. Tizen applications' individual interfaces are also far more varied than those seen on Android Wear, which have a uniform card-like design similar to that seen on Google Now.
Add to this the stylish and powerful curved Amoled screen and metal design, and we can't help but think that the Gear S is a great choice for Galaxy smartphone owners in the market for a wearable.
However, with a retail price of £329 it's definitely one of the more expensive wearables on the market.
Apple Watch rivals: Top 10 smartwatch alternatives from Asus, Microsoft and Samsung
V3 considers the options if you're looking for a wearable device that isn't made by Apple
1. Moto 360
Still setting the bar in the wearable world is the Moto 360. In fact, many commented that Apple should have mimicked the Moto 360 more closely when designing the Apple Watch.
Its circular display, shunning the square screens found on the majority of wearables, has caught the attention of many buyers.
Motorola has kitted the Moto 360 with a 1.5in 320x290 round display, toughened with Gorilla Glass which should protect it from shattering. Adding to the watch's rugged smarts, the Moto 360 comes with IP67 certification making it resistant to water and dust.
The Moto 360 runs Google's Android Wear operating system, equipping it with the likes of voice control and Google Maps, and has a heart rate monitor, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 320mAh battery which promises a full day of use.
At £199 it's not the cheapest device on offer, but it's not the most expensive either. Overall, for a mix of function, form and cost, the Moto 360 is definitely one of the main contenders to the Apple Watch at present.