Which smartwatch works with your phone

iPhone: Apple Watch Series 12

Apple Watch pairs with an iPhone. Apple's notes list iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26 for its current watchOS features, and Apple lists no Android phones.

Apple rates the Series 12 at up to 24 hours of normal use, or 38 hours in Low Power Mode, and 15 minutes of charging gives up to 12 hours.

Sources: [1] Apple

Android: Pixel Watch 5

Google's Pixel Watch 5 works with most phones on Android 12 or newer, with a Google Account and the Pixel Watch app. Google lists Android phones only.

Google rates it at up to 40 hours, with 15 hours from a 15-minute charge, and you raise your wrist to talk to Gemini.

Sources: [2] Google

Samsung phones: Galaxy Watch9

Galaxy Watch9 is an Android watch too, but it works best with a Samsung phone: some features need a compatible Galaxy phone, and Bedtime Guidance needs Android 13 or later.

Samsung's page doesn't give battery hours, so we can't compare it on battery yet.

Sources: [3] Samsung

Leaving your phone at home

All three come in cellular versions that keep working without your phone nearby: Apple Watch Series 12 with 5G and LTE, Pixel Watch 5 LTE with two years of data included and satellite SOS, and Galaxy Watch9 LTE with GPS that works without a paired phone.

Apart from Google's included data, check with your carrier what a watch line costs before you pick the cellular version.

Sources: [1] Apple, [2] Google, [3] Samsung

If you might switch phones

A watch follows your phone. Each maker lists only phones from its own side, so if there's a chance you'll move between iPhone and Android in the next few years, plan for the watch to change too, and factor that into how much you spend.

Sources: [1] Apple, [2] Google