Should You Buy a Smartwatch? 5 Reasons Why You May Want One
Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo
This photo by John Biehler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Is the smartwatch the next big thing? That’s what the big tech companies seem to think. Samsung, Apple, Google, Motorola, Sony and many more all have smartwatches on the market or in development.
It’s not all hype, either. According to market research firm NPD, sales in the US have reached almost half a million since October 2013, raking in $96 million in revenue. Business Insider predicts that 91.6 million smartwatch units will be sold globally in 2018.
When in Manila has also featured smartwatches before: Cogito Smartwatch: Stay Connected
But what’s the point of owning one? After all, we can already do everything imaginable on our smartphones. The prospect of owning yet another gadget seems like overkill.
Here are five reasons why owning a smartwatch isn’t a bad idea.
Should You Buy a Smartwatch? 5 Reasons Why You May Want One
5. Easy to Access Notifications
Sony SmartWatch
via sonymobile.com
How many notifications do you get in a day? An average user might get 10 to 20. Social butterflies and working professionals could get hundreds.
Forget about pulling your phone out of your pocket. With a smartwatch, you can read texts, check your e-mail and find out about new Facebook posts all from your wrist. Checking your notifications has never been easier.
This is especially useful when you’re performing other tasks such as driving or exercising. And with the rise of voice recognition, you can even send texts hands-free, Dick Tracy-style.
4. Google Now
LG G Watch
via androidnext.de
Imagine having a personal assistant who knows your schedule by heart, knows exactly where you are at all times and never fails to reminds you of appointments. This trusty sidekick never sleeps, works on holidays and does it all for free. Who is this miracle worker? Meet Google Now.
Google Now gives you the information that you need without asking for it, whether it’s appointments, the scores of your favorite sports teams, or reminders about your flight. This information comes in the form of cards, which you can edit to your preference. Having all of this information come to you saves a lot of time, allowing you to focus more on the task at hand.
The caveat, of course, is that you have to trust Google with your information. However, if you’re comfortable with that, then Google Now can do wonders. Google Now is available in most watches with Android Wear, such as the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live.
3. Directions
LG G Watch
via digitaltrends.com
You want to to find this hot new ramen place everybody is talking about, so you type the directions on your iPhone and start driving, awkwardly staring back-and-forth at the phone screen and the road.
With a smartwatch, instead of having to prop up your phone on your car dashboard, you can get all of the information that you need through a quick glance on your wrist and your watch’s voice navigation.
This is also perfect for bikers who might find it cumbersome to get directions from their smartphone while riding. Look for smartwatches with Android Wear for the Google Maps app.
2. Health and Fitness
Samsung Gear Fit
This photo by Kārlis Dambrāns is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Will your smartwatch help you burn off that muffin top?
The ability to measure and track your health is one of the primary selling points of the smartwatch. The LG G watch, for example, has a built-in pedometer, while the Samsung Gear Live has a heart rate sensor. The Samsung Gear 2 (which runs Tizen, Samsung’s OS) measures your heart rate, the calories you burn and the steps you take. Reports indicate that the new Apple smartwatch will also have sensors to track different health metrics.
This is the next big frontier for tech companies and they’re hoping that smartwatches will help make health and fitness tracking more accessible to the public.
1. Camera
Samsung Galaxy Gear
via cnet.com
Your friend’s adorable Shih Tzu starts yawning. Quick! Take a picture. Oh no, it’s too late.
Capturing special moments is easier with a smartwatch. A quick tap or press on your watch is all it takes. As of now, the only major smartwatch with a camera is the Samsung Gear 2, but that will probably change soon.
The difference between a good shot and a great shot is timing and with a camera on your wrist, you’ll never miss another photo-op again.
Looking Forward
The smartwatch promises to make life simpler for consumers, but it remains to be seen whether it’ll catch on.
Currently, the best ones in the market are the Android Wear watches, such as the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live. The benefits of Google Now and Google Maps are just too big to ignore. Check your local stores for prices and expect something in the Php10,000-Php13,000 range. If you can hold off on buying for a little longer, the Moto 360 with its elegant round design will be released later this year.
Apple fans might want to wait until Apple’s smartwatch comes out later this year, though. If Apple can do what it did for the iPhone and the iPad for its smartwatch, then the future will surely be very bright for wearables.
