I’ve spent a short time with the Galaxy Watch Ultra,and I’m convinced that Samsung has a controversial hit on its hands.

　　Why Controversial?

　　There are two main reasons the Galaxy Watch Ultra will drive significant conversation upon its release:its unusual design and its apparent inspiration from another well-known Ultra watch.

　　The Design:

　　The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s bold blend of a nearly square body with a round screen is bound to spark debates.This unconventional design breaks away from the typical all-round watches or square-ish designs like the Apple Watch.It initially looks contradictory but draws inspiration from iconic designs such as Bell&Ross’s“round dial,square body”and the Tag Heuer Monaco.These examples show that round and square elements can harmonize beautifully on a wristwatch,though it might take time for the design to grow on people.

　　Wearing the Watch:

　　The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in a substantial 47mm case size,making it a large smartwatch.Interestingly,its 12.1mm thickness is more noticeable than its width.The thick new rubber strap,which sits high on the wrist,adds to the watch’s perceived size.The new lug design exits the case at a right angle rather than curving toward the wrist,contributing to its noticeable profile under a cuff.Straps can be detached by pressing a button on the case’s underside,differing from the more familiar Apple Watch Ultra 2’s curved lugs.

　　Comparison with the Apple Watch Ultra:

　　Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro was a modest attempt to compete with the Apple Watch Ultra,but the Galaxy Watch Ultra clearly positions itself as Samsung’s definitive competitor.From its similar name to design elements like the orange Quick Button and the all-red Night mode watch face,the Galaxy Watch Ultra echoes features of the Apple Watch Ultra 2.However,the similarities stop there.Samsung’s model lacks a depth gauge,specialized sports partnerships,and certain safety features like a siren,which are prominent in Apple’s offering.

　　Potential Success:

　　The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro,despite being quite good,was never seen as a serious contender against the Apple Watch Ultra.The Galaxy Watch Ultra,however,has a more defined identity.Although I couldn’t test it fully since it wasn’t connected to a smartphone,the software felt responsive and smooth,and it’s the first smartwatch with Google’s Wear OS 5.

　　The design of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is impressive and distinct,and it certainly stands out.It’s expected to be durable and packed with upgraded technology over previous versions.However,whether this will be enough to attract iPhone and Apple Watch users to switch to Samsung remains uncertain.Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series doesn’t work with iPhones,so convincing potential customers to switch entirely to Samsung might be challenging.

　　We’ll know more once we have the opportunity to use it extensively,but for now,the Galaxy Watch Ultra stands out as one of the most controversial smartwatch releases of the year,and that alone makes it fascinating.