I would argue Samsung copied the Apple Watch before it even existed, considering the Apple Watch is a tiny iPhone and Android is just an iPhone rip-off. So Samsung made an inelegant copy of a yet to exist Apple product that everyone knew was coming already.

What Apple did truly do first in the space, however, is make a smartwatch that's as much a watch as it is a mobile device. The Gear does not compete in the watch space from a fashion perspective, whereas the Apple Watch clearly does.