Apple Watch 2, Samsung Gear S3 release date, specs & price news: Which next-gen smartwatch is better?

Aside from being rivals in the smartphone market, tech giants Samsung and Apple continuously compete against each other in terms of next generation wearables. Both companies already revealed their new smartwatches, and many tech-savvy users agree that it's a fierce competition between the two devices.

The South Korea-based tech company launched the Samsung Gear S3 in Berlin, Germany on Aug. 31, just before the annual IFA trade show. The Cupertino-based electronic manufacturer followed suit a week later, announcing the new Apple Watch 2 during the company's Keynote event held last Sept. 7.

According to New Atlas, Apple Watch 2 has an advantage in terms of app selection due to its operating system's (OS) smooth iOS integration along with an Apple-friendly approach. The Samsung Gear S3, however, runs on Tizen OS which becomes disjointed at times.

The Apple Watch 2 will offer two options for its watch face display: 38 mm 1.3-inch OLED with 38 mm: 340x272 pixels resolution or 42 mm 1.5-inch OLED with 42 mm: 390x312 pixels resolution. Other built-in features in the device include the heart-rate sensor, GPS, LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity, the accelerometer, 2 GB of music storage, plus a 5ATM water resistance.It has a battery life of up to 18 hours without being recharged and it will be run by Apple's WatchOS 3 operating system.

Samsung, on the other hand, developed the Gear S3 with a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED watch face display with 360x360 pixels resolution, functioning with the previously mentioned Tizen operating system. The smartwatch also shares similar built-in features with the Apple Watch 2 including the accelerometer, GPS, a heart-rate sensor and LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, it offers an altimeter, built-in compass and IP68 water resistance. With regards to battery life and storage, Samsung Gear S3 seems to have an edge over its rival with its 4 GB of music storage space plus its 4-day battery life.

The Apple Watch 2 is priced at $399, but a $369 option will also be available. Meanwhile, the Samsung Gear S3 Classic and Frontier prices have yet to be revealed.

Apple is set to release the Apple Watch 2 sometime in September, while Samsung will begin shipping units of Samsung Gear S3 later this year.