Smartwatches are still in their infancy. Despite efforts from Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Huawei, Asus, Garmin and Sony, no-one has quite figured out what the winning formula is for the perfect smartwatch. Every smartwatch that’s come out so far has, at best, only flirted with greatness, and, at worst, crashed and burned.
Key smartwatch issues have ranged from poor battery lives and cumbersome designs, to glitches and usability snafoos in their software. Luckily, things are getting better and over the past months a few clever wrist smartphone companions have hit the market.
However, given the sea of mediocrity that’s come before, you may justifiably struggle to find these diamonds in the rough. Here to help, we’ve trawled the world of wearables to find and review the best smartwatches currently on the market.
BEST SMARTWATCH – WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A SMART WATCH
Software
Before buying any smartwatch you should consider what type of phone you use. Outside of a few exceptions, close to all smartwatches need to be paired with a smartphone to fully function.
As a result, if you’re an Android user, you should steer clear of the Apple Watch. Likewise, if you have an iPhone you’ll need to make sure the smartwatch you’re considering runs software that's compatible with Apple's iOS.
If you’re buying a smartwatch that runs proprietary software, like Samsung Tizen or Pebble OS, you’ll also want to check which apps will run on it, as not all of them have mainstream third-party support.
Why you want it
Before buying a smartwatch you should consider what you plan to do with it. If all you want it for is fitness tracking, or step counting, there are cheaper wearables available from companies such as Moov, Fitbit and Misfit.
Likewise, if you’re not concerned about fitness tracking, there’s no need to purchase a more expensive smartwatch with GPS and a heart-rate monitor. If you just want a quick and easy way to check incoming alerts from your phone, you probably won’t need to shell out for an Apple Watch, or Moto 360 2.
However, if you want to use your smartwatch to answer emails or book calendar appointments, you’ll have to pay a bit more and invest in a unit that has either voice command or touchscreen functionality.
Related: Best fitness trackers 2016
Battery life
Battery life is one of our biggest qualms with smartwatches. In our experience even the most expensive smartwatch is unable to last more than one to two days off a single charge. The devices also generally use proprietary charging docks, which adds further insult to injury.
As a result, when buying a smartwatch you should keep in mind that you'll likely have to add yet another item to the list of devices you regularly have to charge.
Long-term appeal
You should also keep in mind that smartwatches don’t have the same longevity as a regular timepiece. When you buy a smartwatch it won’t be with you for life. Like all modern technology, they'll eventually break down or simply become obsolete and unsupported.
As a result, you should think twice before shelling out multiple thousands of pounds for swanky items such as the Apple Watch Edition or Tag Heuer Connected.
Apple Watch – Best for iPhone users:
Key features:
- Physical Digital Crown control
- Watch OS
- 18-hour battery life
The Apple Watch is the best option for iPhone users. Apple’s first wearable looks great and is one of the most comfortable smartwatches around.
It also comes with some pretty nifty design features, the best of which are its Taptic Engine and physical crown.
The Digital Crown is a wheel that can be used to scroll, zoom and navigate the user interface. When pushed it also acts as a home button and returns to the Apple Watch homescreen.
The Taptic Engine is a linear actuator that’s embedded in the Apple Watch’s screen. The tech is used to send vibration alerts and feedback to the Apple Watch wearer. This sounds similar to the alerts you get on 99% of wearables, but Apple’s added some unique uses for it on the Watch.
For example, when out on a run with the Apple fitness app connected and a route planned, the Taptic Engine will help make sure you stay on course by vibrating the direction you need to go – which let’s face it, is awesome.
But be warned that the Apple Watch is, like all wrist wearables, far from perfect. The Watch is a significant drain on your iPhone’s battery life. Its software, like Android Wear, also feels like it’s still in development and has more than a few bugs.
Buy Now at Amazon.co.uk from £233.
It also comes with some pretty nifty design features, the best of which are its Taptic Engine and physical crown.
The Digital Crown is a wheel that can be used to scroll, zoom and navigate the user interface. When pushed it also acts as a home button and returns to the Apple Watch homescreen.
The Taptic Engine is a linear actuator that’s embedded in the Apple Watch’s screen. The tech is used to send vibration alerts and feedback to the Apple Watch wearer. This sounds similar to the alerts you get on 99% of wearables, but Apple’s added some unique uses for it on the Watch.
For example, when out on a run with the Apple fitness app connected and a route planned, the Taptic Engine will help make sure you stay on course by vibrating the direction you need to go – which let’s face it, is awesome.
But be warned that the Apple Watch is, like all wrist wearables, far from perfect. The Watch is a significant drain on your iPhone’s battery life. Its software, like Android Wear, also feels like it’s still in development and has more than a few bugs.
Buy Now at Amazon.co.uk from £233.
MOTO 360 2 – VERY VERSATILE
Thanks for reading.
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