The battle of smartwatch – What we need to know about the new «disk cup» of companies and the top devices. The «smart» watches and wearables are the current offering of the tech giants, in their effort to create a new market that will bring them large profits. It should be noted, for example, that according to GfK estimates, smartwatch sales in 2014 reached 26.1 million, while the corresponding figure for 2013 was only 4.1 million worldwide.Apple was the last company to officially join the smartwatch "dance", with the latest presentation of the Apple Watch and the launch of the device on April 24 in various countries.
However, before the Apple Watch, several proposals from other manufacturers had preceded it, both with «smart» watches, as well as with special «bands» that specialize in recording data for the user’s physical condition, constituting a distinct subcategory.
In any case, it remains an open question whether the influx of smartwatches is a fad that will pass or a new technology that came to stay.
According to the assessment of the reputable technology site cnet.com, “wearable devices can be useful in some cases, entertaining in others, but the category remains rather superfluous and still unnecessary”. As the site explains, this happens due to a lack of killer applications, because of limited hardware or because the functions seem weak compared to what smartphones can offer.
Nevertheless, it is not impossible for the landscape in the market of “smart” watches to change radically in 2015, after the unveiling of the Apple Watch, and also the gradual development of specialized apps for those watches that run on Android.
Until that happens, let’s see what the smartwatch market has to offer today, including devices that are already available in our country, through a short buying guide…
What we should look at in the devices' specifications
The first and most important thing we must look at before choosing a device is the design, since whatever one likes may not be liked by another. Watches are a device that we will have (continuously) on our wrist, whenever appearance matters! Another issue that may concern some is that the device be waterproof, something we need to see if it is offered.
It is important, on the other hand, to make sure that the watch supports our smartphone, which depends on the operating system it runs on. The same applies to the battery life of the “smart” watch: we don’t want it to abandon us in the middle of the day because the battery ran out!
Let’s keep in mind that different applications use Pebble, Samsung Gear, Apple Watch and those that run Android Wear.
The last thing we need to look at before choosing devices is the specific features and capabilities it provides: voice recognition, a microphone so it can be used for calls, a heart‑rate monitor and other sensors. These are only some of the features we encounter in «smart» watches, but not always in all.
The best smartwatches the market has to showcase today
Pebble Watch and Pebble Steel
Pebble started via Kickstarter, which was set to bring the revolution with the «smart» watches, back in 2012, managing to raise over 10 million dollars (the original goal was only 100,000 dollars)!
Today, it is released in two “editions»: the Pebble Watch and the Pebble Steel. The former is a rather cheap option, as on the opposite shore of the Atlantic it costs about 150 dollars. It is water‑resistant, has a multitude of apps and works with both iOS phones and Android. On the other hand, it does not have a touch screen and has a limit on how many apps it can run. Finally, its appearance is not particularly attractive.
The last drawback of the Pebble Watch, however, comes to be corrected by the Pebble Steel, retaining all the notable features of the previous generation and adding a steel case with a leather or metal strap. Its official price is $250, but it can also be found at a lower price. Among the cons, the limitation due to memory to 8 apps, the lack of a heart rate sensor as well as other sports features.
LG G Watch R
The LG device in the category of «έξυπνων» watches won particularly praising comments regarding its appearance. With a round dial, metal frame and a selection of different faces, the LG G Watch R is the most attractive smartwatch with Android Wear. Its battery life is also especially impressive, and it is equipped with a heart rate sensor. However, it carries all the disadvantages of Android, such as the previously relatively limited apps.
Its price starts at 275 euros.
Samsung Gear 2 Neo
The Korean Samsung has fallen flat on its face in the market of «smart» watches», circulating currently 5 different models. All are called Gear followed by some suffix which can be either a letter (e.g. S) or a word (e.g. Fit).
Gear 2 Neo is almost similar to the Gear 2, with a slightly lower price. It is equipped with a plethora of features, including offline music playback and a heart rate sensor, as well as a wide range of applications.
However, many of its capabilities do not work as smoothly as one would expect. Additionally, the fitness features are not particularly user‑friendly. Finally, it works only with Samsung phones and tablets.
Its price starts from 200 euros.
Motorola Moto 360
Motorola's device stands out with its appearance, as it is essentially a seemingly ordinary watch with a round dial, metal frame and leather straps, but it «runs» Android software. It is very lightweight and comfortable, and can also be used as a pocket watch with the inductive charging base it has.
However, its battery is rather weak and the Android Wear software falls short in usability.
The price starts at about 230 euros.
Apple Watch
The much-anticipated device from Apple is the latest addition to the range of «smart» watches. Although it has not yet been found on the «table» of tests in order to learn its real performance, the official technical specifications promise an interesting offering in the category. The different versions ensure that everyone will find a design that suits them. Moreover, Apple has gotten us used to an extremely user-friendly software that we expect to run smoothly. It features a multitude of sensors, while the development of applications has already begun.
On the other hand, of course, regarding the «drawbacks» that we already know, we can include the steep price and the fact that it will work only with the newer generation iOS, which means that besides phones of any other brand, older iPhones that do not run the latest software are also excluded. An open issue remains the battery life, as Cook mentioned about 18 hours of operation.
