It looks like the smartwatch industry has finally emerged from the crisis. Well-known manufacturers like Motorola, Microsoft and Pebble
Since you clicked on this article, you probably haveYou already have an idea of what a smart watch is. Perhaps you just wanted to write in the comments that smart watches are a waste of money. Or take a look at our selection of the best smartwatches. Or say that we should have chosen other models. Or that there shouldn't be an Apple Watch here. Anyway, the main goal of this article – help you navigate the world of smartwatches and tell you about the most important and interesting models available today.
A bit of materiel
Before moving on to the list itselfwhat we recommend, we would like to note that a lot depends on the smartphone you are using. Thus, it is useless for Android users to buy an Apple Watch since it only syncs with iOS. On the other hand, iPhone fans won't get some of the benefits of Android Wear (not to mention platforms like Tizen OS and Fitbit OS) that are only available on Android. At the same time, owners of Samsung smartphones will probably find it even more convenient to use a watch on Tizen OS (developed by Samsung) than a regular one on Android Wear.
Also, when choosing, you should consider whether you needLTE support in watches. Most users do not need it, since situations when they would like to leave their smartphone at home practically never arise. However, if it's important to you to be able to not take one of your gadgets with you and still have access to all notifications, your choice is narrowed down to models with LTE. They are usually larger in size than Wi-Fi versions (with the exception of the Apple Watch 3) and have less battery life. So far, there are few smartwatches with LTE and they usually cost more than modifications without LTE, but you still have a chance to find the perfect watch even with such requests. In addition, we recently talked about a startup that will add LTE to most modern watches, so it makes sense to pay attention to the combination of watches with such a gadget.
Our recommendations
To make your life a little easier, we madea small table with key characteristics of the best, in our opinion, smart watches. In our experience, it is in these models that design and functionality are best balanced. As a modern watch believes, all these models have built-in GPS, a heart rate sensor, support for mobile payments and the ability to track activity while swimming. In addition, they all support third-party applications.
Apple Watch Series 3
Samsung Gear Sport
Fitbit Ionic
Garmin Vivoactive 3
Integrated GPS
Eat
Eat
Eat
Eat
Heart rate sensor
Eat
Eat
Eat
Eat
Music streaming
Eat
Eat
Eat
No
NFC / Contactless Payments
Apple Pay
Samsung Pay
Fitbit Pay
Garmin Pay
Moisture protection
Up to 50 meters
Up to 50 meters
Up to 50 meters
Up to 5 atmospheres
starting price
$329
$300
$300
$300
Apple Watch Series 3
If you have an iPhone, then Apple Watch Series 3– the simplest and most optimal solution. This model offers advanced health tracking, Apple Pay, music streaming, an easy typing interface and a large native app store. While not everyone is a fan of the Apple Watch's square watch face, the design actually goes with almost any outfit. It is important to note the presence of an LTE version. However, in addition to the fact that it is not yet available in Russia, this modification also greatly reduces battery life, which is already significantly less than that of most competitors.
Samsung Gear Sport
Like the iPhone with Apple Watch, Samsung smartphonesGalaxy is perfectly compatible with Gear Sport. This model has a unique rotating bezel around the watch face, making navigation much easier, and runs on Tizen OS, which now supports thousands of third-party apps. Gear Sport also works great in seawater, so you don't have to take it off when you go to the beach. The watch can work up to 4 days without recharging and allows you to control your SmartThings technology. So if you've already bought a couple of things from Samsung's ecosystem, the Gear Sport will be a useful addition.
Fitbit onic
The first full-fledged smartwatch from Fitbit –also a strong contender, thanks to its accurate sleep tracking and training guides. This simple geometric design may not be to everyone's taste, but the functionality makes up for it. Plus, Fitbit's popularity shows that their simple design aesthetic is finding its way. The manufacturer promises up to 5 days of battery life – this is more than competitors with color touch displays. In fact, the Ionic is only beaten in this regard by the Vivoactive 3. However, the latter uses a different type of display that looks dimmer when compared to the Fitbit.
Garmin vivoactive 3
New Garmin model in the Vivoactive linecompletes our list. Garmin watches are especially popular among runners due to their accurate distance tracking and generally long battery life. To be more precise, Vivoactive 3 can work up to 7 days without being connected to a power outlet. In addition, this model recognizes types of activity that are not the most popular for such devices – such as yoga, climbing stairs, and even playing golf.
Worthy of mention: Samsung Gear S3 and Huawei Watch 2
It is easy to see that the best todaysmart watches have many of the functions of fitness trackers. However, there are several simpler and more versatile models that are not designed for sports. In particular, Samsung Gear S3 and Huawei Watch 2 are worthy of mention due to the fairly large number of “smart” functions that fit into a small and rather classic-looking case.
In particular, the Gear S3 Frontier ($350) is capable ofrun third-party apps on Tizen OS, automatically collect activity data, and feature the same navigation ring as the Gear Sport. This model can often be found for under $300. Huawei Watch 2, on the other hand, is equipped with GPS and supports NFC payments, music streaming and heart rate scanning.
Both of these models did not reach the point thatappear on our list, due to limited use as a fitness tracker. Nevertheless, this is an excellent choice for users who do not engage in serious training and just want to control their activity throughout the day.
Fitness or design?
If you are absolutely not satisfied with the squareApple Watch display or Fitbit's rugged design, Gear Sport's rotating bezel or Garmin's faded display colors, and you don't think a new band will solve the problem, take a look at what familiar fashion brands have to offer. But do not forget that almost any stylish smart watch will be far from being as “smart” as all the models that we listed above.
So, if you have decided and designsmart watch – If this is exactly what you need, then congratulations: you definitely have plenty to choose from. The Fossil Group alone has produced 300 models in collaboration with well-known brands (Kate Spade, DKNY, Emporio Armani, Diesel, etc.). At the same time, many companies like Movado, Montblanc, Tag Heuer and Louis Vuitton have also released their own smartwatches.
Most of them run on Android Wear andoffer basic fitness tracking capabilities (they count steps taken and activity time) and stream music to Bluetooth headphones. It's rare to find a built-in GPS or heart rate sensor in these watches. There are also a number of watches available on other operating systems, but they tend to lack functionality and selection when it comes to third-party apps.
You can also pay attention to hybridsmart watch – it looks like a mechanical watch but offers basic fitness tracking features and a notification system. They tend to look much more stylish than models with touch screens, but the maximum capabilities you get – this is information about how many steps you have taken per day, and vibration when there are new notifications on your smartphone. Here it is worth noting Mondaine Helvetica and Timex and Frederique Constant watches (the company recently came under the wing of Citizen). Nokia Steel HR – another worthy candidate. Although the design of this model is not as beautiful as the same Helvetica, it offers more advanced fitness tracking capabilities and is equipped with a heart rate scanner.
Total
The smartwatch market continues to change, and while...It is unclear which companies will remain afloat and which will close the production of wearable gadgets. It is obvious, perhaps, that Apple and Samsung will continue to update their existing popular lines. It is also worth noting that the popularity of smart watches and fitness trackers is unlikely to wane anytime soon.
If you don't like the Apple Watch Series 3 andSamsung Gear Sport, you will have to compromise on functionality when choosing a different watch. Fans of designer accessories will have to wait until branded smartwatches begin to be equipped with more advanced capabilities for tracking physical activity. One way or another, universal smartwatches have become advanced enough to be recommended for purchase – and this is a good sign for the industry.