Tech companies have made great progress over the years in improving smartwatches, and on certain niche occasions, they can prove very handy, indeed. Despite knowing that, however, there’s a good chance I’ll never actually buy one for myself.
5You’re Paying More for Redundant Features
Smartwatches are not very economical for what they offer, especially if you’re buying one from a reputed brand like Apple, Samsung, Google, or Garmin. Whilewe rated the Galaxy Watch 7 fairly highlyin our review, it launched at $300. Considering you can buy a brand-new mid-range Android phone that nails all the fundamentals for just a hundred dollars more, it’s hard to justify that price tag.
The point here is that much of the functionality that smartwatches offer overlaps with your phone, which means you’re paying extra for features that are essentially redundant. For value-oriented consumers such as myself, that can be a deal-breaker.
4Buying a Smartwatch Won’t Make You Fitter
A lot of the time, people buy a smartwatch thinking it will motivate them to pay attention to their health. In other words, they are making a purchase decision based on a perceived improvement in their lifestyle, rather than because of actual necessity.
Once the novelty wears off, most users drop their fitness goals and revert to old habits for the same reasons most gym members stop going to the gym after a couple of months. If you’re not already disciplined, buying a smartwatch is not going to change that.
3It’s Yet Another Gadget You Need to Charge and Keep Upgrading
While a good analog watch can last for years, smartwatches require constant charging like any other smart gadget with lithium-ion batteries. If you’re sick of having to remember to charge your devices like me, buying a smartwatch will only add to your problems.
Also, let’s not forget that batteries degrade over time, so you’ll have to keep buying a new smartwatch every few years, just like you do with your phone. The only difference is that the latter’s lifespan can be extended by replacing its battery. The same practice, while technically possible, is next to non-existent for smartwatches.
How Often Should You Buy a New Android Phone?
Android phones are lasting longer than ever. So how often should you replace yours, and what are the warning signs that it’s time to upgrade?
It’s one thing to have your phone constantly buzzing, and a whole other thing when you’re wearing distractions on your very wrist. Granted, you can mute notifications in settings, but then what would be the point of buying a smartwatch?
I’m guessing you’d at least want to get health-related alerts, but then you have to deal with being notified every time you’re behind on your fitness goals. I don’t know about you, but I’m not looking forward to having my watch stress me out for not being at my peak health.
1Smartwatches Make It Harder to Disconnect
I’ve been trying to develop a healthier relationship with tech lately tohelp avoid tech fatigue, and I feel like a smartwatch can make that goal harder to achieve. While using a phone is a voluntary act, as you only pull it out of your pocket when you need it, a smartwatch is always collecting data about you and offering health insights, which might prevent you from being able to truly disconnect.
Of course, for people with a more active lifestyle, the benefits a smartwatch offers will be easier to appreciate. Personally, I’d be more willing to give smart rings a shot once their tech matures. Since they don’t have a screen and are visually indistinguishable from regular rings, it’d be easier to forget they’re even there.
