The MacRumors Show: Samsung's Latest Challengers to Apple

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss all of the major new device announcements from Samsung's 2024 Galaxy Unpacked event and how they compare to Apple's offerings.


The Galaxy Z Fold6 features a 7.6-inch main screen and a 6.3-inch cover display, both enhanced with a new dual-rail hinge and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for improved durability. It features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and includes AI-powered tools like new camera capabilities and on-device language translation. The Galaxy Z Flip6, with its compact form factor, also sports a more durable display, a new camera system with a 50MP wide sensor, and various AI features.

The Galaxy Buds3 and Buds3 Pro earbuds adopt a stem design reminiscent of Apple's AirPods. The Galaxy Buds3 offer active noise cancellation and maintain an open-ear design, while the Galaxy Buds3 Pro include advanced features like adaptive noise control, built-in lights for visual cues, and real-time audio translation. Both models are designed to provide optimized audio quality through internal and external sound analysis. Just like Samsung, Apple is expected to bring active noise cancellation to its standard AirPods later this year.

Samsung's smartwatch lineup is refreshed with the Galaxy Watch7, available in 40mm and 44mm sizes. The Galaxy Watch7 is powered by a 3nm processor, offering enhanced performance and power efficiency. It includes dual-frequency GPS for improved location accuracy and advanced health tracking capabilities, along with new gesture controls. While Apple is rumored to bring sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch later this year, with the Galaxy Watch7, Samsung has beaten Apple to deliver the feature first.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's new high-end smartwatch, designed for durability and extreme conditions, making it suitable for athletes and adventurers. It features a titanium frame, water resistance up to 100 meters, and the ability to function at a wide range of altitudes. With a battery life of up to 100 hours in power-saving mode, the Watch Ultra includes multi-course workout tracking, advanced heart rate monitoring, and an emergency siren. Its design and feature-set largely mirrors that of the Apple Watch Ultra.

Finally, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Ring, a health-focused wearable designed to track a variety of metrics, including sleep, heart rate, and skin temperature. Made of titanium and available in nine sizes, the Galaxy Ring offers up to seven days of battery life and does not require a subscription for accessing health data. It provides comprehensive health insights with features like sleep scoring and an overall energy score, and it closely integrates with other Samsung devices.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion with Luke Miani about the upcoming Apple Watch "Series X."

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...

Top Rated Comments

Kermit262 Avatar
13 months ago
I wish Apple would release an Apple Ring. I would ditch my Apple Watch in a minute. I wear a mechanical watch so I wind up wearing two watches.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SMH4KIDIOT Avatar
13 months ago

I’m used to Samsung releasing products with elements that mimic Apple products, but the Watch Ultra felt like an April Fool’s product. I’m not sure they could have copied the AW Ultra name, composition, features, etc. any more than they did. The only thing they didn’t blatantly copy is the shape, though it has its own odd form with a rounded rectangle shape, just as the AW Ultra has the strange stacked design with protrusion on one side. I get that you can only do so much with a watch, but they easily could have kept the round form factor, and simply made it more robust, like a Garmin-esque smart watch, imho.
What happens is people have really short-term memory. The design is an original Samsung design, they revamped the Galaxy Gear Sport watch, now called Ultra which matches their Ultra phone. The Gear Sport watch line from 2017 which was made for "extreme" sport activity with 5ATM /50m water resistance depth rating. It's a similar square circle design. Those are standard smart watch features that Samsung pioneered. All people need is to do tiny research into past Samsung product lines, they were producing square smartwatches before they started making circular ones. They were 5 generations in before Apple made the first Apple Watch.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
victorvictoria Avatar
13 months ago
Samsung could make a phone with next gen AI, infinite battery life, and a bullet-proof Nano-LED folding screen. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still Android.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Johns12 Avatar
13 months ago
Looks like a good lineup. I've pre-ordered the Fold 6
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
13 months ago
Samsung really went creative with the Watch Ultra...even down to the watch band and button accent colors. sarcasm off❕
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
9081094 Avatar
13 months ago
It took Samsung years to mimic the Apple look and feel. The packaging of the ring is very Apple like, also their laptops and phones. You can say what you want, but competition has been coming from a long way. The parts Apple set itself apart from the competition in a positive way are over. Innovation has been very stagnant at Apple since Timmy is at the helm of Apple. Big projects like Titan and Vision Pro failed. The one thing that Apple was able to leapfrog the competition (A- and M- series of processors) diminished by the time Qualcomm released their snapdragon xelite processors. Their first iteration is on par with the M3 series. I’ll bet their next iteration of their chips will leapfrog Apple as well.
Oh and another failure of Apple is to compete with 5G modems.

It seems that Timmy is following the famous hockeypuck instead of knowing where it will be going.

Time for a new visionair at Apple who shows more love at tech innovation than Timmy who’s only concerned about money and investors.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)