Fortunately, smartwatches come with a lot of Pros. As we all know, anything that has an advantage has a disadvantage and so we will also look at the few Cons that limit the purchase of smartwatches.
In this article, we are going to cover the two sides – the advantages and disadvantages of smartwatches. But first of all, let’s define what a smartwatch is.
What is a Smartwatch?
We can simply define a smartwatch as a little computer wearable that is designed to go to the wrist (others that wear them on their ankle example of a smartwatch that people wear around the ankle is the Fitbit Smartwatch.
Years before smartwatches could only tell time, calculate, and do other basic tasks. Today, smartwatches come with functionalities like apps, Wi-Fi connection, call response, OS, and storage among others which are similar to smartphones. With these functions, a smartwatch can do a lot of things.
5 Advantages of Smartwatches
1. Smartwatches Support Healthy Living
Did you know that pedometers aren’t the only wearables that can track health? Smartwatches like Fitbit, Samsung Galaxy, Apple, Garmin, etc. can also track health details such as calories burned, sleep, stress, blood pressure, heart rate, level of oxygen in the blood, and skin temperature among others.
Some of the physical activities smartwatches can monitor include running, swimming, weight lighting, cycling, walking, etc.
Smartwatches then analyze the activities then provide reports. For in-depth results, you will need to log into the companion app.
Are you a hunter? Do you know there’s a hunting watch out for you?
2. With a Smartwatch you Look Fashionable
If you are the type who person who wants to look trendy then you may want to add a smartwatch like the Apple Watch Series or Fitbit Series because they are designed to look stylish, fashionable, and blend with any outfit (casual or official wear).
A smartwatch will make you look good while on the streets, on a date, at school, or at a business meeting.
3. Get Notifications and Never Miss Calls
With a high-end smartwatch like the Apple Watch Series, 7 users are able to get notifications like emails, incoming calls, texts, reminders, etc.
You can receive calls and respond to calls right from the smartwatch without retrieving your smartphone from the pocket or briefcase thanks to the cellar carrier.
Smartwatches that can provide real-time notices are best for people who are always busy/on the move and who don’t find missed calls a big deal – a smartwatch provides you with quick access to notifications.
4. Smartwatches are Convenient
There are smartwatches that come with the Near-Field Communication (NFC) feature which enables users to make payments contactless/cashless.
For that users don’t have to carry their credit cards or wallets. A number of smartwatches will also be able to send texts and pick up or make calls as if the smartphone is anywhere near thanks to the LTE cellular feature.
5. Entertain through Music and Videos
There are smartwatches that come with local storage that let you store music files. You will also be able to stream from popular music platforms like Spotify, Pandora, and Deezer.
No matter what you are up to (cycling, walking, running, on a treadmill, or jogging) a smartwatch keeps you entertained.
All you need to do is connect to a headset like Airpods. A smartwatch like Garmin is good with Airpods. Most of these smartwatches are high-end and will cost a lot of money.
Disadvantages of Smartwatches
1. They Come at a High Price
Most quality smartwatches come at expensive prices that only a few people can afford. The watches are priced from $100 all the way to $1000+.
Only a few smartwatches are below the $100 in which most of them are for kids and don’t offer a lot of exciting features.
Fortunately, we have an article that lists some cheap smartwatches you can get for less than $100.
2. Battery Life is Limited
Poor battery life is a common con on most smartwatches. Most smartwatches can be used for a day or two after 2 to 3 hours of complete charging.
Worst of all there are others that don’t last even a day when features like GPS and Music are used.
So to at least reach a day with such a smartwatch you will need to disable the GPS mode or not use the music.
You will also need to ensure the watch has sufficient when you want to keep track of your sleep or else you will find a dead phone the next day you wake up.
3. Display is too small for People with Big Fingers
Smartwatches clutter everything on the small display. People blessed with bigger fingers will find it difficult to tap on options.
Selecting the right button when opening apps may require additional effort. In addition, some people strain to watch guided workouts or fun videos on the display because it is too tiny for videos, the experience you get can’t compare to the one you get on a tablet, PC, or smartphone.
As for now Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch Series 4 are the smartwatch models that come with much bigger screen sizes.
Apple Watch Series 4 and Galaxy Watch are available in two various sizes 40mm and 44mm while Samsung Galaxy Watch is available in 42mm and 46mm.
4. Some Smartwatches Depend on Smartphones
A smartwatch (the secondary device) that doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi networks or doesn’t have an LTE cellular connection is supposed to be within a range of 300 feet of the smartphone (the primary device).
The range we are talking about is the Bluetooth range. In other words, you will always need to have your phone in your pocket or purse.
You will still need your phone even if the smartwatch have can operate without a phone nearby.
And the reason for that there are functions that a smartphone has that a smartwatch doesn’t have.
5. Some Smartwatches have Irreplaceable Bands
There are a number of smartwatches that come with wrist straps that cannot be replaced.
They therefore cannot be customized too much a day’s look and will need so much care for the bands to serve for long.
When you tighten the silicone band, especially the Fitbit band you may end up with wrist pain.
Click here to find out what a smartwatch is capable of doing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Worth having a Smart Watch?
Smartwatches are worth spending money on because there are loads of benefits like health and activity monitoring. There are so many smartwatches out there so there’s something you can get with the money you are willing to spend. Don’t spend beyond what you can.
Is it Healthy to Wear a Smartwatch?
Smartwatches are safer to use. What smartwatches do is radiate and according to FDA the radiation emitted by smartwatches is not strong enough to interfere with our DNA hence smartwatches aren’t linked with any health problems and are not harmful.
Can Smartwatches Cause Heart Problems?
Smartwatches are not harmful. They don’t cause heart problems. Instead, smartwatches will tell if you have an abnormal heart rate (AFib). A good example of a smartwatch that can detect irregular heartbeat is Garmin.