They not like us! Galaxy Watch Ultra and Buds 3 Pro is Apple stuff from Temu - but done right?

• It seems like many forget but the Galaxy Watch Ultra ($600) is $150 cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra ($800), and that’s admirable considering the two seem to use identical materials

• Samsung’s Ultra watch is also said to have longer battery life than Apple Watch Ultra - at least in Power saving move (we’ll have to double check that)

• It also features two kinds of gestures that let you control the watch without touching it (instead of one on Apple Watch) - you can pinch your fingers (directly borrowed from Apple), or flick your wrist - that’s new!

• And for what it’s worth, it has “the most powerful chip on a smartwatch”, so… there’s that

No, Samsung didn’t steal the design of the Apple Watch Ultra for the Galaxy Watch Ultra - only the overall “vibe”

Now, to the more interesting part, where I tell you that Samsung didn't quite steal the design of Apple Watch Ultra.

I believe the renders I’ve put together can do the talking but, in a nutshell, you’re looking at the brand new Galaxy Watch Ultra next to the “Galaxy Gear Sport” from 2018.

As you can see, the Gear Sport must’ve been the major inspiration behind the new Galaxy Watch Ultra. The front of the watches looks nearly identical, while even the button layout seems directly brought over from the Gear Sport.

Perhaps this isn’t all that surprising considering the Gear Sport was aimed at adventurous users who choose to stay active by doing more than walking (like me).

Replacing your iconic design with the competition’s: Apple-inspired Galaxy Buds 3 might be uglier, but they seem more practical than AirPods

As for the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro, it was quite surprising that Samsung decided to give up on the unique design of six generations of Galaxy Buds for what looks nearly identical to the original AirPods and AirPods Pro.

That being said, the stem Samsung went with has sharper corners and it sticks out in a very unique, bluetooth earpiece, type of way (which I don’t love).

However, I think the case is what makes the Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro better than AirPods.



The Nothing-inspired transparent case lid also looks cooler (unless you’re into a cleaner aesthetic), and the Buds 3 Pro have actual LED strips, which look gimmicky and cheap (to me), but should make it easier to see the earbuds in the dark - especially if you lose/misplace them.

We get it, Samsung - you can make a good Apple knock-off... But that’s not what leaders do

There’s this YouTube cooking show I watch from time to time, where host Joshua Weissman has a segment called “But better”.

The concept of the videos is that he takes a popular (often fast food) dish and makes it better… at home. And that’s more or less how I see Samsung’s new wearables compared to their Apple counterparts.

Of course, design is subjective, so you don’t have to agree with me on this one, but in the case of the Apple Watch Ultra vs Galaxy Watch Ultra, I do indeed find Samsung’s ticker to look more versatile, which is crucial for a wearable device.

On the other hand, I prefer the cleaner aesthetic of the AirPods Pro over the flashy looks of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. However, Samsung’s done a better job with the case, which seems more practical/cooler.

But when a huge player like Samsung overtly borrows elements of a direct competitor’s product designs and marketing material… Yeah, not a good look.

It’s a cheap move, and a very ironic one considering the South Korean company won’t stop poking fun at Apple for being “slow”...