Apple Watch 7 continues to be a much sought after smartwatch of 2021. In terms of posturing, the Apple Watch 7 continues to be treated as a premium smartwatch at the end of 2021. We compare Apple Watch 7 with Samsung’s watch 4. Both watches have a rich set of features. Apple watch 7 carries the best features of Apple’s watch OS version 7. Samsung watch 4 inherits significant features from Google’s Wear OS version 3. It is essentially a battle between the two watch operating systems.
For the purpose of our study, we focus on Apple watch 7 45 mm model and Samsung watch 4 LTE 44 mm model. Apple watch 7 comes in multiple variants:
- Apple watch 7 45 mm Stainless Steeel
- Apple watch 7 45 mm Titanium
- Apple watch 7 45 mm GPS
- Apple watch 7 41 mm Titanium
- Apple watch 7 41 mm GPS

Screen and Display – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4 LTE 44 mm
Screen and display specifications for both watches are competitive.
- An Apple watch 7 has a bigger screen size than a Samsung watch 4. Apple watch 7 has a new design. The size of bezel has been reduced and overall screen size has increased. An Apple watch has a 1.9″ screen; Samsung watch 4 has a screen size of 1.4″
- Apple watch 7 has a screen resolution of 398 x484 pixels; Samsung watch has a screen resolution of 450 x 450 pixels.
- Pixel density of a Samsung watch is 455 ppi, and Apple watch has a pixel density of 329 ppi. Better pixel density adds to better image quality.
- Samsung watch 4 is lighter than an Apple watch 7. A Samsung watch 4 is 9.8 mm thick, and an Apple watch is 10.7 mm. Samsung watch 4 weighs 30.3 gm and an Apple watch 7 weighs 38.8 gm.
Samsung watch 4 is sleeker than an Apple watch 7.
Operating system compatibility – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4
Samsung watch 4 works on Google’s wear OS 3. Apple watch 7 works on watch OS 7, a proprietary watch operating system that has been developed by Apple. A Samsung watch 4 is incompatible with iOS devices. You cannot make an iPhone work with a Samsung watch 4. Samsung watch 4 is an exclusive Android mobile operating system watch. It works only with Android based mobile phones.
On a similar note, an Apple watch 7 can only work with iOS devices. It cannot work with any Android based mobile phone. iPhone owners ought to get an Apple watch 7, and Android based phone owners would need to get a Samsung watch 4.
This essentially means that the Samsung watch 4 and the Apple watch 7 are mutually exclusive in terms of mobile operating system support between iOS and Android.
Heart monitoring – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4
Both watches – Apple watch 7 and Samsung watch 4 support monitoring of heart health. Both can take on-demand ECGs to perform a spot check on the condition of the heart. But, an Apple Watch 7 gets the better of the Samsung watch 4 as it can also send warning notifications for irregular heartbeat. Apple watch 7 can also find instances of irregular heart rhythm.
Heart sensors on Apple watch 7 measure your heart beat on a perpetual basis. It helps in preparing a baseline benchmark of the heartbeats per minute. Automated alert notifications will be displayed by the Apple Watch 7 if it finds the heartbeats exceeding or going below the average band of heartbeats of the wearer. A Samsung watch 4 does not have continuous monitoring of the heart. So, it can help to take an ECG. But, it cannot monitor the heart’s condition as closely as an Apple watch 7 does.
If heart monitoring is of concern to you, an Apple Watch 7 is one of the best watches in the market. It will give you a full baseline of the heartbeat data. And, it will also help you in uncovering instances of fluctuations in the heartbeat. ECG on-demand completes the full suite of features you would expect of any smartwatch.

Overheating – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4
Samsung watch 4 seems to have a random issue of overheating. This issue has been reported by a few Samsung mobile phone users as well. And, a few Samsung watch 4 users have also mentioned about the watch shutting off when the ambient temperature goes high. It is not clear if this is a software issue because Samsung watch 4 runs Google’s wear OS 3. It is not clear if this issue affects a particular batch of Samsung watch 4 models or if this is a predominant issue with the watch. You may check the feedback about overheating of the Samsung watch 4 on this page.
An Apple Watch 7 has a stable, robust, and proven watch operating system. There have been no user complaints about overheating of an Apple watch 7. It is a given thing though that Apple Watch 7 is a new watch and shipments have accelerated lately.
Other Health Tracking Features – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4 LTE 44 mm
Health tracking features are available across the Apple Watch 7 and Samsung watch 4. Both watches are able to measure blood oxygenation levels. Both watches can also track sleep cycles very efficiently. Sleep data is presented as part of sleep reports. Exercise programs and total calories usage is standard feature of both watches. However, there are a few subtle differences that you must be aware of:
- Apple watch 7 can track your cycling activity. It has an in-built cadence sensor. A Samsung watch does not have this feature. If you are into cycling, you may want to check out an Apple watch 7 over a Samsung watch 4.
- Calorie intake and water intake features are the in-thing. These features are useful for fitness tracking and in creating customized diet plans for goal-oriented weight management. Weight tracking and an ability to input your weight on the watch is another useful weight management feature. Weight tracking and calorie intake features are a part of the Samsung watch 4. Apple watch 7 does not have these features. Water intake feature is available on both these watches.
Battery life – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4 LTE 44 mm
The battery has been a weak link in the Apple watches for quite some time. An Apple Watch 7 comes with a promised battery life of 18 hours, effectively implying that you will need to charge your Apple watch 7 every day. The 18 hour battery life will drop when you enable GPS tracking or use the watch for any other activity.
The good thing about Apple Watch 7 is the introduction of fast charging. The full battery charge cycle will last two and a half hours. However, you can go from zero to 80 percent battery charge in 45 minutes. Fast charging on an Apple watch 7 seeks to circumvent the problems of poor battery life of an Apple watch. Things have definitely become more manageable in terms of fast charging an Apple watch 7. It is a matter of a habit to charge your Apple watch 7 for 45-60 minutes a day. Additionally, Apple Watch 7 supports wireless charging. You can use a charging dock or a charging station to charge the Apple Watch 7 in a wireless way.
Samsung watch 4 comes with a battery life of 2 days. It takes close to 2 hours to fully charge the Samsung watch 4. The battery life of a Samsung watch 4 is higher than an Apple watch 7.
Fall detection – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4
An Apple watch has been, traditionally, the best watch in terms of the fall detection feature. There are no two ways about it. For folks looking at fall detection as a must-have feature, an Apple Watch 7 is the best bet in 2021. Upon detecting a fall, an Apple Watch 7 will send emergency notifications to designated emergency contacts. If your country supports emergency number calling, like 911, an Apple watch will also call the emergency number to share your geo-location with the emergency services.
Samsung watch 4 does have a fall detection feature. It will share your geo-location with designated emergency contacts. However, Samsung watch 4 does not support emergency numbers calling to seek emergency help. That is one step short of the fall detection feature on an Apple watch 7.
The fall detection algorithm of an Apple watch has been tested and put to practical use in the past. There have been success stories of how an Apple watch helped people with the fall detection feature. If you need a watch for your elders and need fall detection, please look no further than an Apple watch 7.
Extended Warranty – Apple watch 7 Vs Samsung watch 4 LTE 44 mm
Apple watch 7’s warranty can be extended by a year. You can buy AppleCare+ package to extend the warranty on your Apple watch 7 by one year. You will need to buy AppleCare+ at the time of buying an Apple watch 7, or within 60 days of purchase of the watch. AppleCare+ plans can be extended for another year. You may want to check the latest guidelines about the AppleCare+ coverage and warranty in your country, as these policies will vary from country to country.
Samsung watch 4 also offers warranty of a year that can be extended by buying the extended warranty package or the Samsung Care plans.
Conclusion
There are a fair bit of assumptions and conclusions that can be drawn with this study. An Apple watch 7 offers a premium smartwatch, that has a variety of features. It has a bigger display, and offers good period of hassle free ownership. A Samsung watch 4 is more cost-friendly. It offers a good set of features that you would be happy about. The only thing one needs to check is the issue of overheating of a Samsung watch 4.
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Helen Kurt is a geeky nerd who loves to cover the wearables space. She has over 5 years of experience in the smartwatch domain. You can reach her on email at [email protected].