Samsung Vs. Google: which Android watch lasts the longest?

Although Apple devices remain the dominant force in the smartwatch industry, there is nothing wrong with using an Android device like those offered by Google or Samsung. In fact, if you’re already a proud Android fan, it seems logical to stick with the wearable running the same operating system (well technically it’s Wear OS, but still). However, one of the main reasons people abandon their smartwatches is concern about their overall lifespan. So, will a Samsung wearable grace your wrist longer than a Pixel Watch?

Typically, a smartwatch can last five years, although the battery may start to struggle after three years. Samsung may also have a slight advantage in this regard, especially its newer models like the Galaxy Watch 8, which is built to withstand everything from shock and vibration to rapid temperature changes. That’s not to say that Google’s offerings are bad per se (the Pixel Watch 4 is indeed waterproof and dust-resistant), but Samsung’s notes indicate that the company’s devices could be more rugged.

Smart devices have a limited lifespan in terms of software, so you also have to add that to the big conundrum of “longevity”. Here too, Samsung is clearly a winner. Aside from the Samsung-exclusive smartwatch features that make the ecosystem attractive, you’ll also get an extra year of software updates. Case in point: the Galaxy Watch 4 (released in 2021) received the UI 8 update in December 2025 (bringing support to four years). Google only promises three years of support for its Pixel watches, which is a bit disappointing considering Pixel phones typically lead the pack when it comes to operating system support.

When you pit two roughly equivalent watches against each other (the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Pixel Watch 4), there’s a clear winner. At a glance, you wouldn’t be wrong if you thought they were equal, as both have an IP68 rating. This means they are dust resistant and can be submerged in water to a depth of at least 1 meter for 30 minutes. For added peace of mind, both are rated at 5ATM, ensuring the devices are pressure-resistant to a depth of 164 feet.

That’s where the similarities end, because beyond those ratings, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 sports some durability bells and whistles that, figuratively speaking, may end the career of the Pixel Watch 4. Specifically, the former sports a military-grade MIL-STD-810H rating. Simply put, the Galaxy Watch 8 adheres to the US Department of Defense guidelines for durability in extreme environments. Extreme temperatures? Check. Vibrations, salt spray, dust, sand, Florida humidity? The watch is well equipped to remain unscathed.

But it’s not like Pixel smartwatches are fragile. While some reviewers are rightly concerned about the Pixel Watch 4’s curved screen breaking (and users have reported that it scratches easily), there’s one area where it takes the cake: repairability. It may not have the military-grade level of the Samsung Watch, but you can replace both the battery and the screen if something bad happens. Being repairable is a huge advantage – but still, in terms of pure durability, it doesn’t change the fact that the Galaxy Watch 8 is unquestionably more equipped to survive a beating.

Being old enough to join the existing tier (i.e. reaching the end of its software lifespan) is one of the clearest signs that you should replace your smartwatch. Of course, if the battery holds up, you could theoretically run it for a while longer, but you’ll also lose the latest health features. So what’s the point, really? After all, you bought the watch for its functionality.

So, when you choose an Android watch like those from Google and Samsung, know that the latter will help you gain an extra year on the software side. Google promises “at least” three years of updates, which may suggest that the manufacturer has left things open. Unfortunately, that’s probably not the case, as the original Pixel Watch (released in 2022) received its last update in 2025, as promised.

Samsung, for its part, gave the Galaxy Watch 4 its One UI 8 update in December 2025. After the 2021 smartwatch struggled to run the latest version of the operating system, the company was kind enough to iron out the bugs with a massive patch a month later. When a manufacturer shows this level of care for a device at the end of its lifespan, you know you’re in good hands and that the laptop you’re carrying was built to last (at least for another year).