Smartphone’s compatibility, aesthetics, and requirements should be kept in mind while buying a smartwatch.
Looking to buy a smartwatch?
Before your excitement leads you to lazada.sg or anearby Harvey Norman store, there are a few things to ponder over.
Is your smartphone compatible for your new smartwatch? Will the smartwatch fit your lifestyle? What features are you looking for?
Remember, smartwatch is an important purchase, especially if you are looking to minimize the use of smartphone. There is no use of regretting later over the missing features or that the battery runs out faster.
Lay aside your excitement and impulse buying for a few moments.
Ponder over these buying factors to ensure a right smartwatch for you.
Compatibility with Your Smartphone OS (Operating System):
Since smartwatches are paired with a smartphone for notification functionality, make sure to buy the one that work with your smartphone’s OS.
Some smartwatches are compatible with Android. Some are compatible with iOS. And some work with both devices. But some smartwatches have their own OS and can be paired with the specific devices or those with the same brand.
Prefer the smartwatch which is entirely compatible for your smartphone, rather than choosing the one with a cross platform OS.
Display:
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Smartwatches are available in display options like LCD, AMOLED, OLED, and Black and White. And each display type has its own pros and cons.
For example, LCD screen and AMOLED are good for viewing photos and other content in richer colour with high contrast. They perform well in sunlight and other bright settings. But the downside is that they consume much battery. The excessive power consumption prompts watches to turn off their screen while they’re not in use, requiring you to turn the watch on to see the time.
Black and white displays use less battery and last longer than their colour counterparts. Some displays are equipped with E-INK or E-paper to enable a user to see in bright settings without glare.
If you are into outdoor activities like biking or running, look for a smartwatch that’s water resistant. Besides, Corning Gorilla glass saves your watch from daily wear and tear.
Buttons or Touch?
Touch screen interface is gesture based and lets you operate the watch with a tap or swipe to scroll or navigate.
Buttons, on the other hand, are located on the watch bezel and let you do the functions like checking notifications, clicking pics and more. In some smartwatches, same functions are done by rotating the bezel around the display. Some watches have a both push button and a bezel for operations. Buttons or touch? Which mode of interface do you prefer?
Well, it is a matter of choice.
Design and Personalization:
Make sure to choose a smartwatch that goes well with your comfort and aesthetic sense as well.
From how it looks on your wrist to the watch face display, there are some things to ponder over. Starting with watch bands, they come in variety of styles and designs—ranging from 16 mm, 20 mm to 22 mm. Leather or stainless steel band is great if you love a classic or traditional style. Silicon band is great if you are into outdoor or fitness related activities.
Good thing is that most smartwatches can be personalized with the third party straps. Moto 360 and the Apple watch lets you pick the band colour, material, face colour and size of the smartwatch.
Notifications and Alerts:
Smartwatches show notifications like calls, emails, messages, e-mails, social media posts, alarms and many more. It eliminates the need of whipping out smartphoneevery time out of the pocket, letting you discreetly check the notifications. Make sure the watch lets you check all of your most recent notifications, even if you skip them when they first appear. For example, the Apple Watch enables you to swipe down from the top of the screen to see notifications. With Wear OS, you can check out the notifications from the bottom to see the latest one.
Apps:
Apps are one of the key to get the most of your smartwatch. From locating the smartphone, booking the cab to controlling the lights, these apps are useful for your daily life.
The Apple watch is compatible with over 20,000 apps! Samsung’s Tizen OS for the Gear S3 and Gear Sport has the roster of nearly 14, 00 apps. However, make sure the apps fit your lifestyle. If you are a fitness freak, look for a built in pedometer, heart rate monitor and accelerometer and other health tracking device. A smartwatch with GPS or navigation facility would be a great pick for explorers.
Calling Feature:
Making call is another important feature to look for in a smartwatch. Generally, cheaper smartphone models are required to be paired with a smartphone syncing all contacts to make a call.
Some models like LG Urbane 2nd Edition and Samsung Gear S3 come with a SIM support and can be used as a standalone gadget. It means that you can leave your smartphone at home.
By pondering over the abovementioned features, you can make an informed decision while buying a smartwatch.
Do you have other tips for buying a smartwatch? Or we have skipped something important? Please share your thoughts by commenting below…