Author: openjargon

You've probably heard of Coachella before, but the man behind the festival is far lesser known.

Meet Philip Anschutz, who has been dubbed "America's most reclusive billionaire." His net worth sits at $15.2 billion, according to Forbes.

The 84-year-old owns Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is the parent company of Coachella.

AEG owns several sports teams; runs more than 100 clubs, theaters, and arenas around the world; and produces or manages more than 25 music festivals.

Before getting into entertainment, Anschutz made his money in oil and railroads. He discovered an oil field on the Wyoming-Utah border by 1979, and three years later, Mobil purchased half of it for $500 million.

He went on to buy the Rio Grande Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1980s and sold them in 1995 for $1.4 billion while retaining the right to lay fiber-optic cables on them for telecom services.

In 2019, Forbes said that Anschutz was one of only two men to have been on the magazine's annual ranking of the 400 richest Americans every year since its inception in 1982. (The other was the fellow oil billionaire William Herbert Hunt.)

Despite his regular appearance in the magazine, Anschutz has avoided the public eye and only given two press conferences throughout his career, Bloomberg reported.

"Anschutz is sort of like the Wizard of Oz," the late Los Angeles economist Jack Kyser told the Los Angeles Times in 2006. "He is the man behind the curtain pulling the levers. Nobody sees him, yet he has a huge impact on Los Angeles."

Identical twins Sir David Barclay and Sir Frederick Barclay were commonly referred to as the Barclay brothers. While David died in 2021, Frederick is still alive at 89 years old.

In 2020, before David's death, the brothers were estimated to be worth $4 billion combined by Forbes.

Over the years, the Barclay empire had spanned multiple industries, including online retailer Very, formerly known as Shop Direct, The Daily Telegraph newspaper, and The Ritz hotel in London.

Still, much about the Barclays' origin and empire-building remains unknown, with Forbes calling the brothers "the U.K.'s most infamous reclusive billionaires." The pair were rarely photographed and together owned a private island.

"We are private about everything we do," David once said in a rare public comment. "It stems from our philosophy of not talking about ourselves, or claiming how clever we are, or boasting about how successful we have been. We would, anyway, claim that we have been more fortunate than many others."

"It was a great journey in everything that we did," Frederick said in a statement shortly after his brother died. "We were twins from the beginning until the end. He was the right hand to my left, and I was his left hand to his right. We'll meet again." 

You might not have known it, but something you ate today most likely passed through some aspect of the Cargill-MacMillan family's business.

With an agricultural empire spanning seven generations, the Cargill-MacMillan clan runs Cargill, one of the largest privately held US companies by revenue. It was the 11th-richest family in the world in a 2023 Bloomberg ranking and includes 12 billionaires, Forbes reports.

Pauline MacMillan Keinath is thought to have the largest stake in Cargill and is worth $8.1 billion, while Martha "Muffy" MacMillan, pictured above, is worth $1.5 billion, Forbes estimates.

Founded in 1865 as a grain warehouse in Iowa, Cargill continues to be synonymous with agriculture first and foremost but has expanded to also offer products and services in areas such as pharmaceuticals, risk management, and transportation and logistics.

Once the richest person in China — his net worth is $25 billion, according to Forbes — Jack Ma made his fortune as the founder of the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba and the fintech company Ant Group, which operates the popular payments platform Alipay. 

Though in the past Ma has occupied the limelight — when he marked his retirement with a 60,000-person party at an Olympic stadium, for example — it's his disappearance from public view that's made headlines in recent years.

In January 2021, media outlets reported that he hadn't been publicly seen in two months, prompting speculation he might have gone missing.

His disappearance came as Chinese regulators launched an antitrust investigation into Alibaba and introduced regulations that hit the brakes on Ant Group's IPO. The crackdowns followed critical remarks Ma had made about China's financial regulatory system. 

Ma remained out of sight before returning to the public eye in 2023 when he was spotted in Thailand hours before Ant Group said he was giving up control of the company.

He has since assumed a visiting professor role at Tokyo College, which is part of the University of Tokyo, where he is expected to conduct research on sustainable agriculture and food production.

Ma's friend, Chen Wei, told USA Today in 2014 that the billionaire's lifestyle was "very simple and modest."

"His hobbies are still tai chi and kung fu novels," Chen said at the time. "I don't think he has changed much, he is still that old style."

The Mars family is perhaps best known for their candy empire, with brands like M&M's, Snickers, Twix, and Dove. They also own food brands like Ben's Original, as well as pet-care brands Pedigree, Iams, and Cesar. They were listed as the fourth-richest family in the world, with a net worth of $141.9 billion, in an 2023 Bloomberg ranking.

"The Mars company and the family that owns the candy giant have turned secrecy into a way of life," The Washingtonian wrote in 2008.

The former chairman Stephen Badger, who is the great-grandson of the company's founder, Franklin Mars, once addressed the Mars approach to privacy. 

"For 99% of our history, we've chosen not to be in the public eye and we've really wanted our brands to engage consumers. And yet times have changed," he told Business Insider in 2018. "Consumers do want to know more about not only the brands that they're buying, but the company that is behind them."

"The Mars family values the right to privacy and have never courted personal publicity," Amy Weiss, a spokesperson for the Mars family, previously said in a statement to BI. "They are extraordinarily proud of the Mars, Incorporated business and believe that the Mars leadership team and Associates to represent the business in the public eye. They believe that mostly it is the business and its brands that should do the talking."

"Family members are well known inside the business and regularly engage with Associates," she added at the time. They are actively involved in the governance of the company."

Isaac Perlmutter, who goes by Ike, amassed his wealth in action-figure manufacturing, which ultimately led him to Marvel Comics. The 81-year-old became CEO of the company in 2005 and was responsible for its 2009 sale to Disney for $4 billion. His net worth is $4.3 billion, according to Forbes.

Perlmutter is rarely spotted in public. He's said to have worn a disguise of glasses and a mustache at the 2008 "Iron Man" premiere, Forbes reported.

"He relishes his reputation as secretive and frugal," The Hollywood Reporter said in a 2014 story, citing a top executive who'd worked with him.

His friends have chalked up his shy nature partly to his "thick" Israeli accent, the Financial Times reported.

In March 2023, it was reported that Perlmutter was out at Disney as part of the company's cost-cutting measures. Soon after, he said in a rare interview with The Wall Street Journal that he was fired by Disney.

"I have no doubt that my termination was based on fundamental differences in business between my thinking and Disney leadership, because I care about return on investment," Perlmutter said at the time. "All they talk about is box office, box office. I care about the bottom line. I don't care how big the box office is. Only people in Hollywood talk about box office."

One of Germany's wealthiest families, the Reimanns, are behind the conglomerate JAB Holding Company, which now owns brands like Krispy Kreme, Panera, and Peet's Coffee.

Family members include siblings Wolfgang Reimann, Matthias Reimann-Andersen, Renate Reimann-Hass, and Stefan Reimann-Andersen, who each have a net worth of $5.6 billion, according to Forbes.

The family's history in business dates back to the 1800s, when chemist Ludwig Reimann joined Johann A. Benckiser at Benckiser, a German chemical and industrial manufacturing company. Reimann married Benckiser's daughter, and over the years, Reimann's side of the family expanded the business — which is named for Benckiser's initials — to include consumer goods. 

Though they've generally avoided the spotlight, the Reimanns made headlines in 2019 when they donated 10 million Euros to charity after uncovering the extent of their family's Nazi history.

Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. were early supporters of the Nazi party, the German newspaper Bild reported at the time, and the two used Russian civilians and French prisoners of war as forced laborers during World War II.

"There is nothing to gloss over. These crimes are disgusting," Peter Harf, chairman of JAB, told Bild at the time.

The family has so shied away from the public eye that a search for photos of the Reimanns predominantly returned images of Harf — if anyone at all.

A representative contacted by Business Insider said the Reimann family did not have a comment about its approach to privacy.

Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, both in their 70s, are third-generation owners of Chanel.

Their grandfather, Pierre Wertheimer, made a deal with Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1924 regarding the business' now iconic perfumes, and a new corporate entity, Parfums Chanel, was born. Wertheimer would make the famous No. 5 scent in his factory in exchange for a percentage of the company. In 1954, he took full control of the company.

Alain and Gérard inherited the company when their father, Jacques Wertheimer, died in 1996. Alain is chairman of Chanel, while Gérard leads the company's watch division. The brothers are each worth $37.9 billion, according to Forbes.

The New York Times has called the brothers "fashion's quietest billionaires." In a rare interview, Gérard told the Times in 2002 about their choice to stay under the radar.

"It's about Coco Chanel. It's about Karl. It's about everyone who works and creates at Chanel. It's not about the Wertheimers," he said at the time, referring to Karl Lagerfeld, the fashion house's former creative director.

In that same article, the Times reported that the brothers never attended a Chanel store's opening and that if they went to a Chanel fashion show, they would drive themselves and sit in the third or fourth row.

Chanel, the company, long had a secretive approach to handling its financials, going 108 years before releasing any. When it first did so in 2018, it reported total sales of $9.62 billion for the 2017 calendar year.

Population: ~235,000

A drought is drying up dams and reservoirs on the island Cyprus this year. Near the city of Lissamol, the island's largest dam is dropping to a third of full capacity, The Cyprus Mail reported.

The sunny island is a popular tourist destination. It's also one of the countries most at risk for extreme water stress due to droughts and a limited water supply.

Droughts have caused water shortages before, NBC News reported. In 2018, officials realized the desalination plant that supplies Limassol needed to increase its capacity by 50% to make it through rainless stretches.

With droughts becoming more frequent, the island now relies on these desalination plants for most of its drinking water. However, it's a costly solution that takes a toll on the environment. Finding land on the island to construct new plants is also proving difficult.

Population: ~1.7 million

Most of Oman's drinking water comes from desalination plants. But these plants are susceptible to red tides, an algal bloom that contains harmful toxins.

One desalination plant just outside of Muscat, Oman's capital, had to temporarily stop production in 2023 due to an outbreak, the Muscat Daily reported. The water service asked customers to limit water use and tapped into emergency reserves.

As global temperatures climb, it could lead to more frequent algal blooms, and Oman has been getting warmer over the past couple of decades. One estimate predicted its heat waves could last nine months of the year by 2100. In 1990, they typically lasted less than 15 days.

While the region's rainfall is expected to decrease by 2080, climate change is also causing intensified downpours. A recent deluge killed 19 people in the country and interrupted water and wastewater systems.

Population: ~2.4 million

The 2020 explosion at a Beirut port caused billions in damage and escalated Lebanon's economic crisis. Water facilities faced steep fuel prices to power treatment plants.

As a result, UNICEF warned in 2021 that 4 million people across the country risked losing access to clean water.

While areas with Syrian refugees were the most vulnerable, the situation in Lebanon's capital city, Beirut, was also critical, Al Jazeera reported in 2021.

Currently, many of the country's facilities are old and in need of repair. An estimated 40% of the water they treat is lost to leaks and people illegally tapping into the supply.

In addition to infrastructure issues, the area has a limited source of fresh water. The Bisri Dam was supposed to offer a fix. However, environmental, archaeological, and other concerns made the project controversial, The LA Times reported in 2021.

The World Bank pulled funding from the project in 2020, leaving it in limbo and jeopardizing reliable water access for 1.6 million people in and around Beirut.

Population: ~3.3 million

Most of Kuwait's growing population lives in its capital, Kuwait City.

The country has never had much fresh water. There are no major rivers or lakes, and most of its groundwater is brackish or salty.

To supply drinkable water, the country uses desalination plants to remove salt from seawater. They provide 90% of Kuwait's industrial and residential water.

However, Derek Vollmer, director of Waterscapes at WWF, said desalination isn't a long-term solution to chronic water shortages.

Kuwait's desalination is enormously expensive and emits planet-warming greenhouse gases. Trying to supply more and more water to a growing population without conservation efforts is "unsustainable," according to a recent research article in the Water and Environment Journal.

Population: ~5.5 million

It's not just Mexico City's taps that are running dry. Earlier this year in Johannesburg, residents protested against a water shortage that's left roughly half of the 5.5 million residents without running water or suffering water shortages for weeks, NPR reported.

South Africa's largest city gets most of its fresh water from the Vaal Dam, which holds more than 680 billion gallons of freshwater. In March, at the time of these protests, authorities said that South Africa's dams were full, CNN reported. And yet, the water supply to Johannesburg residents has been intermittent at best, with some homes going without water for five to seven days at a time, a resident told CNN.

The crisis stems not from a dwindling water supply, but from crumbling infrastructure, lack of maintenance, government corruption, and a growing population, CNN reported. Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda has mostly denied a water crisis exists, and blames shortages on surging demand due to record-breaking heat and freak events like a lightning strike at a water pump station in early March, NPR reported.

Population: ~7.1 million

Last month, Vollmer visited Bogotà, where he's worked on water projects for several years. One reservoir was lower than he'd ever seen it.

Despite the lush forests surrounding the area, the city is in the midst of a water crisis. "There are occasional droughts, and there wasn't enough long-term planning for their water supply," Vollmer said.

In April, the city began rationing water usage in response.

While the current problem is El Niño-driven, AP News reported, the ecosystem that supplies 80% of the city's freshwater is in trouble. Called the páramos ecosystem, "it's made up of plants that kind of act like sponges," Vollmer said. The water the plants pull into the root system then trickles into reservoirs.

However, this ecosystem seems particularly vulnerable to rising worldwide temperatures, according to recent Penn State research. The páramos are in danger of shrinking by as much as half within the next 50 years.

Population: ~9.5 million

Cairo's population has more than doubled in the last 40 years, straining its water supplies.

The government has had trouble providing poorer and rural communities access to drinkable water and has asked people to have fewer children to prevent further stress on its resources. But that won't solve the current water crisis.

During the summer, Cairo frequently faces water shortages. While upscale areas often have their water quickly restored, poorer neighborhoods sometimes lose access for weeks, one researcher found.

Most of the city's freshwater for irrigation and drinking comes from the Nile — the lifeblood of Egypt. But it's also full of heavy metals and microplastics.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia is building a hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile — a river that feeds into the Nile, delivering over half of Egypt's water. Egyptians are worried blocking the Blue Nile's flow could further reduce their water supply.

By 2030, Egypt may need to import more water than it takes from the Nile, something the country has never faced before, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Population: ~10.6 million

Jakarta faces the Java Sea and experiences drenching monsoons. "But they also have water shortages," Vollmer said. That's because of pollution and contamination.

In 2021, seven out of 10 households in Indonesia had E.coli-contaminated water, according to the World Health Organization.

With over 10 million people living in an area only a little larger than Tucson, Arizona, it's difficult to keep Jakarta's rivers clean.

Nearly 20% of the island city's garbage finds its way to the waterways, The New York Times reported in 2016.

Meanwhile, Java, the island where Jakarta sits, is facing rising sea levels, which causes more floods. In turn, more debris ends up in the rivers and canals, worsening contamination.

Population: ~14 million

In late May, hundreds of people in Lahore, Pakistan were treated for heatstroke as temperatures topping 120 degrees Fahrenheit scorched the city, Euronews reported.

Lahore's chronic water shortage makes heatwaves like this one all the more deadly. Pakistan's second-largest city, home to over 14 million people, gets fresh water from its groundwater supply. But over the last 50 years, groundwater levels have been dropping by roughly 1.6 to 2.6 feet per year.

Meanwhile, increased rainfall driven by climate change has contaminated water supplies, putting even more strain on the country's freshwater resources, according to WWF.

As a possible solution to its water shortage, the city of Lahore is attempting to divert excess rainwater into the groundwater supply with managed aquifer recharge, which helps rainwater seep down to the water table. It's too soon to tell whether, or not, this will be effective.

Population: ~21.5 million

China's northern, capital city of Beijing has faced severe water shortages for years. The BBC reported in 2018 that city residents received about 38,000 gallons of fresh water per year — far less than the 132,000 gallons per year that the UN defines as severe water scarcity.

Climate change is partly to blame. Warming temperatures have led to fewer summer monsoons in China's northern and inland areas and more unreliable rainfall. In turn, this has created long-lasting dry spells like the city's 116-day drought from October 2017 to February 2018.

On top of that much of China's available freshwater is polluted. As of 2024, nearly half of the country's population does not have access to water that's safe to consume, and roughly 90% of the country's groundwater is contaminated by human and industrial waste, Earth.org reported.

Population: ~33 million

In May, Delhi suffered record-breaking heat, with temperatures climbing as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the Hindustan Times reported.

This heat wave is pushing the city's water resources to the brink, and the Delhi government stated that they'll issue a fine of 2,000 rupees (roughly $24 USD) to anyone found using water for construction, washing their car, or overflowing water tanks.

A 2023 report from Harvard University found that 18% to 26% of Delhi's residents don't have access to piped water, and an estimated 29% don't have water in their households. People living in "unplanned colonies" — informal settlements built on land that isn't zoned for housing — are most impacted by these trends, the report stated.

India is among the most water-stressed countries in the world. Although it has 18% of the world's population, it only has 4% of its water resources. Estimates vary but anywhere from tens of millions to over 100 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water.

The country relies on the summer monsoon to replenish their water supply, but climate change is making it unpredictable, putting more stress on an already strapped system. Additionally, lack of regulation, over-privatization, general neglect, and government corruption have created a dire water shortage throughout the country, SIWI reported in 2018.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch lineup has been among the best Android smartwatches for years, and its latest release, the Watch 5 Pro, places it right at the top of the industry. With multi-day battery life, accurate activity tracking, and unique insights such as body composition data and sleep analysis, it's the perfect combination of both a smartwatch and a health and fitness tracker for the Android user. 

Design-wise, the Watch 5 Pro has a round watch face and a 1.36-inch touchscreen display that offers tons of viewable data. With the right watch face, you could have everything from the week's upcoming weather forecast and the sunrise/sunset schedule to your daily steps, burned calories, and workout shortcuts displayed. It's also compatible with a variety of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch bands.

As a smartwatch, the Watch 5 Pro is excellent. It uses Google's WearOS operating system which functions seamlessly. It gets app notifications, text alerts, emails, and phone calls, and is easy to navigate. 

Fitness-focused folks will appreciate the variety of activities it tracks, including common things like running and cycling, as well as advanced sports like snowboarding, hiking, or trail running. It even has a useful track-back option that works like a digital breadcrumb feature that shows your exact route through, say, a forested area. However, this only works with hiking and cycling, which is disappointing as it'd be great for runners, too. 

One of the Watch 5 Pro's best features is its health tracking. It has everything from in-depth sleep tracking, which monitors sleep patterns and habits, to a body composition app that charts things like body fat percentage and muscle mass. 

There is one minor caveat, however: the watch's overall experience is far better on a Samsung phone than on something like the Google Pixel. It's not a dealbreaker but some features, like the ECG app that tracks heart rhythms, aren't compatible with anything other than a Samsung phone.

Despite those issues, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the best Android smartwatch for almost any user (and our pick as one of the best smartwatches, too). It excels as a smartwatch, has robust fitness-tracking capability, and offers unique health insights. This is as good as it gets on Android.  

Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

Fitbit's Sense 2 is everything you want in a dependable fitness tracker. It's compatible with several trackable activities, provides unique insights into your fitness habits, monitors your sleep, stress, and menstrual cycles, and has a built-in GPS. It even has a battery that lasts upward of five to six days.

We found it to be one of the most accurate fitness trackers we've worn, specifically how quickly it synced its GPS before an activity. Within seconds, the watch found a GPS signal and we were ready to start tracking our activity. It also has an interface that's easy to navigate, which is especially helpful for first-time Fitbit wearers or those new to fitness trackers.

The Sense 2 has several helpful health and wellness tools, too. This includes a skin temperature sensor, heart rhythm (ECG) readings, and Fitbit's new real-time stress tracker. Stress tracking was especially interesting during our tests as we liked how well it charted our stress levels while offering useful feedback on ways to lower them. 

One area where the Sense 2 doesn't impress is its smartwatch capability. It's technically one of Fitbit's "smartwatches" but it doesn't exactly live up to that billing. For instance, there's no third-party app support available, which is a frustrating decision by Fitbit, nor does it allow access to tools like Google Assistant (despite Google being the parent company). It also won't store or play music. 

Although some may consider these drawbacks, we don't see them as a reason not to buy the Sense 2. It's an adequate smartwatch that still gets notifications like calls, texts, and emails, but its strengths lie in its health and fitness tracking. For those looking for a fitness-first smartwatch, the Sense 2 is the best Android smartwatch to buy (and one of the best Fitbits overall, too).  

Read our full review of the Fitbit Sense 2.

The Google Pixel Watch experience is an interesting one. On the one hand, it's the best pure smartwatch for Android users with an easy-to-navigate interface, wide app compatibility, and the ability to answer texts, emails, and phone calls.

But as a fitness tracker, it's awful. This is especially disappointing since Google is now the parent company of the fitness wearable brand, Fitbit. Despite that, the Pixel Watch is bogged down by connectivity issues, syncing problems, and poor GPS tracking.

And while those may be deal breakers for fitness-focused folks, there's no denying it's still an impressive smartwatch. Its operating system, WearOS, delivers a seamless experience between the available apps you can access, whatever notifications you might receive, and its smart features like Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Wallet.

These features allow it to satisfy the one major requirement of a smartwatch: to be an effective extension of your smartphone. With the Google Pixel Watch, anything you want to do on your phone, you can do on your wrist. Plus, it's compatible with a variety of the best Google Pixel Watch bands, so it can fit anyone's personal style.

Not everyone shopping for a wearable needs something capable of tracking their workouts and instead just wants it to serve as their phone away from their phone. The Google Pixel Watch is exactly that, and for Android users, it's the best pure smartwatch they can buy.

Read our full review of the Google Pixel Watch.

Samsung's latest Galaxy Watch, the Watch 6 Classic, retains the high bar set by previous generations, even if it doesn't push the line forward in any major way. But despite its minimal new additions, the experience of using the Watch 6 Classic is still a highly premium one, making it not just one of the best Android smartwatches you can buy but one of the best smartwatches, too.

The most notable update on the Watch 6 Classic is the return of the rotating bezel, a feature last seen on the Watch 4. Instead of relying on the watch's touchscreen to scroll its interface, the rotating bezel allows easy navigation. I found it to be especially useful while working out where spinning the dial was more manageable, and quicker, than trying to swipe the screen.

The Watch 6 Classic also has impressive battery life that I consistently got almost two days out of, depending on how often I used the built-in GPS. I always got a full day and night of battery, though sometimes I needed to recharge the watch the following afternoon. This is a welcome upgrade over the Watch 5, though it is still a bit shorter than the multi-day battery life of the Watch 5 Pro.

Beyond those upgrades, the Watch 6 Classic is highly similar to the Watch 5 generation before it. It has a deep offering of health and wellness features, including sleep tracking, a body composition analyzer, and stress level monitoring.

The two health features I used most were the body composition analyzer and the stress tracker. With the body composition analyzer, the watch provided real-time readings of my body fat percentage, BMI, and muscle mass which I used to chart my overall fitness progress. The Watch 5 Pro also offered this, so I had a baseline of knowledge (and existing data) to compare to and it functioned the same.

I found the stress tracker to be a helpful feature, too, mainly because it's interesting to see when the watch would say I had higher stress levels and when I didn't. This had a positive impact on my day-to-day as I would implement some of the recommendations for lowering my stress and found them to work.

The Watch 6 Classic does severely lack as a fitness tracker, though, and its inaccurate GPS makes it difficult to recommend to more active users. Not only would it take upwards of a minute to sync a GPS connection but its distance- and pace-tracking were off by significant margins. Those looking for a quality fitness tracker experience should instead opt for the Watch 5 Pro.

Design-wise, the Watch 6 Classic is a stylish smartwatch that I thoroughly enjoy wearing. Its big watch face might be too large for folks with smaller wrists but I liked how much data I could display on it. Its bright watch face makes it easy to quickly reference the screen or tell the time.

Overall, it looks, feels, and functions like a premium wearable and while it may not satisfy those looking for a reliable fitness tracker, it's one of the best smartwatches on the market. Its compatibility with a variety of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch bands is a nice feature, too.

Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

When we first reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, we couldn't help but notice that it was the closest thing to an Apple Watch for Android users. A year later, that sentiment goes to the next generation Watch 5 Pro but the Watch 4 is still an impressive wearable — only now, it costs far less than when it was released. 

The release of the Galaxy Watch 4 was Samsung's first go with utilizing WearOS as the watch's operating system, as it decided to go away from the in-house interface, Tizen OS. The switch paid off in spades as WearOS pairs perfectly with the Watch 4. Navigation is fluid, notifications can be fully customized, and there's a wide selection of downloadable apps (thanks to Google Play Store access). 

Other highlights of the watch include its extensive health and fitness capability. It tracks activities, like running, cycling, and hiking, and we found the syncing and tracking capability to be on par with some of the best fitness trackers. 

We especially like its in-depth sleep tracking which monitors sleep patterns and can help turn bad habits into good ones. Its body measurement features are also unique as it analyzes your body weight, muscle mass, and water weight to give you an idea of your overall body composition. 

All of this equates to the Watch 4 being one of the best Android smartwatches. Of course, there are still a few drawbacks, most notable of which is its watered-down experience on anything other than a Samsung phone as some features, like the ECG app, aren't available. We don't see this as a total deal breaker but users of other phones, like the Google Pixel, should consider this before purchasing. 

At less than $170 via Amazon, the Watch 4 isn't just at its lowest price since it was released, but it's the cheapest we've seen a smartwatch of this quality. You're rarely able to find a premium full-featured wearable like this for $200. The fact that it's less than that easily makes it the best budget Android smartwatch on the market. 

Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

Fitbit's Inspire 3 is one of the brand's most basic wearables but it's still an impressive activity tracker for Android users (and one of the best Fitbits you can buy). It offers a range of health and fitness tracking insights, a no-frills interface, and advanced features like skin temperature sensing and in-depth sleep tracking. 

But what makes the Inspire 3 such a great tracker is how anyone from beginners to expert users will be satisfied using it. Navigating the watch is intuitive enough for first-time wearers while the wide variety of trackable activities and useful health metrics give it appeal to those familiar with fitness trackers. It's compatible with a range of the best Fitbit Inspire 3 bands, too, so users have even more ways to customize their wearable.

At less than $100, it's a hell of a bargain, too. What's especially great about its low price is that the Inspire 3 is the latest generation of the Inspire line, meaning it's the most current and updated version yet.

The watch does come with a few drawbacks, though. Absent is built-in GPS, as well as the ability to download additional apps. Although the lack of apps isn't a huge downside, not having GPS is, especially for hardcore athletes who want exact timing and tracking for activities. During our tests, we did find that when you sync GPS via a companion phone, the tracking worked well. But that means you do have to tote your phone along.

Those cons aside, the Inspire 3 is still a powerful activity tracker in a small, budget-friendly form factor. For Android users looking for something basic, trying out a fitness tracker for the first time, or who just want something straightforward and easy to use, the Inspire 3 is the best Android smartwatch on the market. 

Read our full review of the Fitbit Inspire 3.

The Garmin Forerunner 745 isn't just the best running watch for Android users, it also happens to be one of the best running watches, period. It's that good. Garmin's made its name on manufacturing powerful sports wearables, and the 745 is the latest in a long line of triumphs from the brand. 

What makes the 745 so good is not just its accurate tracking capabilities and easy-to-navigate interface (but, those are excellent). What makes it stand out from the competition is its unique approach to workout recommendations and focus on rest and recovery, two vital aspects of an effective workout routine. 

For the workout recommendations, the watch requires a 10-day monitoring period to assess your day-to-day activity and performance. Once those 10 days are up, it adapts its recommendations to your specific activity needs. One day it might have you pump up the mileage and go for a several-mile long run while another may see that you need more rest and dial the day's workout down to a recovery jog. 

Whatever it recommends, it does so in lockstep with its rest and recovery insights. In other words, the watch isn't just going to run you into the ground but rather, it takes a thoughtful approach to giving your body the time to properly recover between strenuous workouts. 

The 745 feels like having a personal trainer right on your wrist with all these features active. Of course, you don't have to do the daily workouts but they do prove worthwhile for anyone stumped about what to do on a certain day, or those who want to take the guesswork out of how to train for a race or event. 

Other highlights of the 745 include a comfortable, lightweight design that won't weigh heavy on your wrist, even during long runs, as well as a large, colorful display. The big display does tend to look rather large on folks with smaller wrists, but it's especially useful in the middle of a run to easily see your training stats without having to squint or stop running. 

Then there's the battery life, which Garmin claims lasts up to six days on a single charge. We found this to be mostly true during our tests, as it would last both a little longer and a little shorter than that estimation depending on how heavily we used it each day. 

For consistent runners, the Garmin Forerunner 745 is the best Android smartwatch to buy. 

Read our full review of the Garmin Forerunner 745.

Like the Forerunner 745 above, the Forerunner 935 is one of Garmin's best wearables. And for the outdoorsy Android user, it's the best.

The 935 is compatible with a wide range of trackable outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, skiing, and snowboarding, to name a few, and can even track your trips via its built-in GPS (which is a must-have for those venturing into the backcountry). It's also highly accurate, both in terms of tracking and GPS syncing.

Although the watch itself is on the medium to large end of the wearable spectrum, it's incredibly lightweight and comes with a comfortable rubber band that feels good against the skin. The watch's face features tempered, scratch-resistant glass, as well as a durable, stainless steel bezel. 

But where the watch truly shines is how Garmin's interface functions with the activities it tracks. The tracking screens show everything from heart rate and distance traveled, to training status, heart rate variability, and total training load. In other words, you have everything you'd ever need right there on your wrist. 

We did have one nitpick with the watch: its battery doesn't last much longer than a single day, especially if you're relying on GPS and heart rate tracking for long periods. This isn't an issue for those who return home each night but this could pose a problem for anyone out on a backpacking trip or who forgot their charger. 

Still, the Forerunner 935 is a full-featured watch that's the best Android smartwatch for outdoor enthusiasts. 

Read our full review of the Garmin Forerunner 935.

To compile this guide, we compared the best Android smartwatches across a variety of categories including things like fit & comfort, features, battery life, ease of use, accuracy, and compatibility. Here's how each category factored into which watches made the guide:

Fit & comfort: Testing this was a straightforward assessment of how well the watch felt on-wrist while wearing it normally throughout the day, as well as during workouts. We also looked at how easy it was to dial in the right fit with whatever the clasp system was.

Features: Simply put, what are all the features native to a certain Android smartwatch? We looked at what kinds of apps were natively available right out of the box, as well as what was accessible via an app store like Google Play. We also assessed how well these features elevated the overall experience. 

Battery life: Battery life is one of the most important aspects of a smartwatch and can dictate which watch is best for a certain user. If a fitness-focused watch has a hard time getting through just one day on a single charge, then that watch won't be good for something constantly using GPS or the heart rate monitor. Charging a watch every day isn't a dealbreaker but it's useful to know what a watch offers and how it affects the overall experience. 

Ease of use: Smartwatches should ideally not have a steep learning curve, and should be easy to navigate right out of the box. Of course, not all operating systems are the same, so there will be some differences from watch to watch. If a wearable is hard to navigate, you're less likely to use it. 

Accuracy: Tracking accuracy can make or break a smartwatch, especially for folks who use it as a training tool. Some are inherently better than others but even small discrepancies in tracking capability can make a big impact. We tested this by running a mile with each watch and comparing the differences in time and distance. 

Compatibility: Testing compatibility for Android smartwatches consisted of using each watch with several Android smartphones. No single Android watch is fully compatible with every single Android phone, but some do function better on a competitor's device without much change to the overall experience. For instance, our top pick, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, functions best on a Samsung phone while the experience on something like the Google Pixel is watered-down.  

Before purchasing a new Android smartwatch, it's important to consider how you plan on using it and which models fit your lifestyle best. Here are a few things to keep in mind while shopping: 

Style: The best smartwatches for Android come in several styles suited to different users. There are fitness tracker-type wearables like the Sense 2 or Inspire 3 designed to function best during activities, and then there are watches like the Google Pixel that evoke a more traditional wristwatch design. Deciding which style best suits your lifestyle is a key factor when shopping.  

Battery life: Battery life estimates vary wildly among the best Android smartwatches as some, like the Google Pixel Watch, need to be recharged daily. Others, like the Fitbit Sense 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, boast multi-day battery life and are often better for active users who may be using the built-in GPS throughout the day or who travel often. 

Smart features: Although every smartwatch comes with smart features, some are smarter than others. Take the Fitbit Inspire 3, for example. This watch offers basic smartwatch capability including call, text, email, and app notifications but not much beyond that. Compared to the Google Pixel which offers in-depth smart features that allow users to interact with the notifications, the Inspire 3 is leagues lower.

Ecosystem: Each of the smartwatches in this guide shares the Android ecosystem as a foundation but they all have a secondary ecosystem to keep in mind. The Garmin Forerunners are compatible with the Garmin Connect App, the Sense 2 with Fitbit's app (and Fitbit Premium), and the Watch 5 Pro with Samsung Health. It's worth researching companion apps to see what you prefer. 

Display: The display native to an Android smartwatch can be as interactive as what's found on the Google Pixel Watch or as basic as what the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers. Your overall experience will change based on a watch's display, so it's important to understand what a watch offers and if that syncs with your preferred smartwatch experience.

What's the best Android smartwatch?

This depends on your preference and how you intend to use the watch. Some Android smartwatches are better for fitness-focused users, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or Fitbit Sense 2.

For those looking for a true smartwatch experience, something like the Google Pixel Watch would fare better (though it does come at the expense of its fitness tracking capabilities as it's a poor activity tracker). 

It's important to understand how you intend to use the smartwatch to make the best purchasing decision.

Do all Android smartwatches work on any Android smartphone? 

Yes and no. While most of the best Android smartwatches are compatible with all models of Android smartphones, some deliver a different overall experience. 

For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro functions more seamlessly on a Samsung smartphone than it does on something like a Google Pixel. Some app access is limited while the companion apps used to customize the watch differ. However, a watch like the Google Pixel Watch functions nearly similarly on the Google Pixel Phone as on a Samsung phone. 

Can you use an Apple Watch with an Android smartphone? 

No, the Apple Watch is only compatible with an iPhone running iOS. Unlike wearables from brands like Garmin or Fitbit, which work on both an iPhone and an Android phone, the Apple Watch only functions on an iOS device.

Similarly, the best Android smartwatches won't work on an iPhone and are only compatible with smartphones running the Android operating system. 

Do you need an Android smartphone to use these watches?

Yes. Although you don't technically need a smartphone to power up a smartwatch, you won't be able to unlock its full functionality without syncing it to a smartphone via Bluetooth. 

Without a phone, a smartwatch would only be able to tell the time and perform a few of its basic functions, like counting steps and how many calories you've burned. However, you'd have no way of accessing the amassed data without a device like a smartphone (or tablet). 

Can you use an iPhone with an Android smartwatch?

No. To get the full functionality out of an Android smartwatch, you'll need to use an Android smartphone. While nothing stops an iPhone user from wearing an Android smartwatch, they wouldn't be able to take advantage of its basic smartphone compatibility and would have an incredibly watered-down experience.

Do some Android smartwatches work better with certain Android devices?

The most common compatibility issue Android smartwatches encounter is when they're used with an Android device from a different brand. For instance, Samsung's Galaxy Watches lose some functionality with used with a Google Pixel Phone. The same goes for using a Google Pixel Watch with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, though it's not as drastic. 

While you can still use those watches with phones from different brands, it's best to use the same Android device brand with whatever Android smartwatch you buy.