Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Epix Gen 2 demonstrate two very different interface philosophies. The Apple Watch Ultra thus remains an Apple Watch and gives pride of place to touch. Despite a rotating crown and a reworked main button to be used more easily with gloves, as well as the introduction of a third “Action” button, the Apple watch remains heavily dependent on its touch screen which we must inevitably handle at any given time.
For its part, Garmin remains attached to the buttons and dots five on either side of its Epix Gen 2, despite the introduction of a touch screen which the previous generation was deprived of. If the interface has been revised accordingly to be easily manipulated by touch, it remains designed to be used with buttons and you may very well never touch the screen. A real plus when it comes to using the watch with gloves or wet fingers, but also if only by personal choice, if you prefer to use buttons during or outside a session of sport.
In addition to these very different operating principles, it is also the entire operation of the interface that differs. Apple remains attached to applications and its famous “watch faces” which contain more or less complications to keep an eye on certain parameters that are dear to us, while Garmin opts for a display in the form of widgets. The catalog of applications is very largely in favor of Apple, Garmin offering much less via its Connect IQ store.
The latter’s proposal is nevertheless very complete right out of the box, the Epix Gen 2 integrating a good number of widgets echoing the functions available in the Garmin Connect smartphone application. For its part, the Apple Watch Ultra can not say the same, ultimately proving to be a little less orderly when it comes to taking a quick look at its sleep, heart rate, etc.
If the Epix Gen 2 wins out on the sporty aspect, for its ability to function exclusively with its buttons and the faster access to our activity and health data, the Watch Ultra proves to be much more capable in matter of pure connectivity, authorizing the answer to the messages and even the telephone calls thanks to its 3 microphones, its 2 loudspeakers and its eSim (4G, subject to subscription). Question of uses then.