Which Android Watch Lasts Longer?

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

In general, a smartwatch can last five years, though the battery may start to struggle after three. Samsung may also have a slight edge in this regard, especially its newer models like the Galaxy Watch 8, which is built to withstand everything from shock and vibrations to rapid temperature shifts. This isn’t to say that Google’s offerings are bad per se (the Pixel Watch 4 is effectively waterproof and dust-resistant), but Samsung’s ratings indicate the company’s devices may be more robust.

Smart devices have a finite lifespan in terms of the software, so you should also add that into the grand “longevity” conundrum. Here, Samsung is a clear winner too. Apart from Samsung-only smartwatch features that make the ecosystem attractive, you’ll also get one extra year of software updates. Case in point: the Galaxy Watch 4 (released in 2021) received the UI 8 update in December 2025 (rounding out the support to four years). Google promises only three years of support for its Pixel watches — a bit of a bummer when you consider that Pixel phones typically lead the pack when it comes to OS support.

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

That’s where the similarities end, because beyond these ratings, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 sports durability bells and whistles that, figuratively speaking, can end the Pixel Watch 4’s career. More precisely, the former sports a military-grade MIL-STD-810H rating. In plain terms, the Galaxy Watch 8 adheres to the U.S. Department of Defense Guidelines for durability in extreme environments. Extreme temperatures? Check. Vibration, salt fog, dust, sand, Florida humidity? The watch is well-equipped to go unscathed.

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

Being old enough to join the legacy tier (i.e., reaching the end of its software lifespan) is one of the clearest signs you should replace your smartwatch. Sure, if the battery is holding on, you could theoretically run it for a while longer, but you’ll also lose out on the latest health features. What’s the point then, really? After all, you got the watch for its functionality.

So when you pick an Android watch like the ones from Google and Samsung, know that the latter will help you squeeze an extra year on the software end. Google promises “at least” three years of updates, which may lead you to believe that the manufacturer left things open-ended. Unfortunately, this is likely not the case, as the original Pixel Watch (released in 2022) received its last update in 2025, as promised.

Samsung, on the other hand, bestowed the Galaxy Watch 4 with its One UI 8 update in December 2025. After the 2021 smartwatch struggled to run the latest version of the OS, the company was gracious enough to sort out the bugs with a massive fix a month later. When a manufacturer shows that level of care for a device at the end of its lifespan, you know you’re in good hands, and the wearable you’re rocking was built to last (at least for an extra year).