Smartwatches are the modern upgrade to the classic wristwatch. They combine your standard watch with amenities found in smartphones, such as apps, music players, and even internet access.
While some may see it as an excessive tool with more functions than necessary, others may see it differently. True, a wristwatch’s main goal is to tell time. Plenty of people notice that function and stop, satisfied with what they see. However, today’s society has made it that nearly 95% of people worldwide have a smartphone around them. What if you cannot (or do not want) your smartphone around you 24/7? The smartwatch is the perfect middle ground.
Hands-Free Experience
Plenty of instances may find you without access to your phone. Several exercise routines require you to have both hands free in order to do them. Jogging, rock climbing, or simple gym sets require both hands free. Holding your phone during these moments is not only uncomfortable, but also prevents you from doing the exercises fully.
With a smartwatch at your disposal, you retain some access provided by your phone, but without the hassle of keeping it close. Those wanting notifications regarding new emails, messages, or incoming calls can still do so with a smartwatch linked to their accounts.
A Health Accessory
Speaking of exercises, a smartwatch offers a specific niche that wristwatches cannot provide – health stats. For those wanting a more active lifestyle, a smartwatch is a must-have accessory. Most smartwatches available on the market can track your health stats. These include number of steps taken, heart rate, calories burned, distance walked, and many others. More advanced watches can even check your oxygen saturation and blood pressure.
Even at its most basic form, a smartwatch can help keep you active by keeping you accountable. You cannot disagree with pure evidence. When your watch tells you that you only moved a small amount, as well as show the exact number of steps you have taken, it is very hard to argue. This can also make smartwatch wearers be more active, as they are made aware of their activity for the entire day.
A Modern Upgrade
For those who are not interested in notifications or health stats, a smartwatch is still a great idea. Instead of simple date and time provided by a wristwatch, you can customize smartwatches to show more. Because these modern watches have screens similar to a phone, customizing the faces is as easy as selecting a new look. Those wanting bigger font, more details when they look at their watch (date, day, weather, etc.) can do so with ease. Users can also change brightness, screen time, and even set up alarm clocks straight from their watch.
The only major downside to consider is the battery life. Regular wristwatches can last years without changing batteries. Some even only rely on kinetic energy, and not requiring any batteries at all to run. However, with the added programs available to the smartwatch, one can say it is a decent trade-off for charging once a week.