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In the relatively recent past, there was a time when smartwatches and whatnot were considered as a dead industry drawing in little to no attention from investors and customers. Yet, tech giants such as Apple tried and made it as famous as today.
Here, we will address a question that you may be wondering: Are smartwatches worth it? Expressly, the post will point out the elements & parts that would characterize the appropriate answer. So, read through it to be clear about whether these wrist-worn devices are mere fashion or legit something.
Smartwatches’ cost: A quick look
For the most part, the best intelligent timepieces cost somewhere in the range of 200 USD and 400 USD. In comparison with less expensive models whose price is about 100 USD and 200 USD, these more costly wearables come with state-of-the-art fitness, communication, & music highlights and attributes. They will usually likewise boast benefits such as Near Field Communication (NFC), music storage, & GPS, by and large not offered by budget product units.
It is also worth mentioning that a few firms create specialized fitness watches which may cost over 500 USD and are most recommendable for serious athletes.
The value created by smartwatches
Are smartwatches worth it? They do have a wide range of functions. Below is a summary of what they can do:
For consumers
1. Checking the time even when it is dark around
Indeed, this has not been a concern for a while as you have smartphones. Regardless, a smartwatch is, after all, a timepiece. It enables you to check the time even in the dark and at the same time is not overly disturbing for the others in comparison with checking on your phone.
2. Monitoring activities
These wrist-wear devices have the full ability to take the place of fitness wristbands. The reason is that amid the higher awareness of a healthy way of life, they manage to connect individual data to their cell phones more smoothly than the original wristbands. On top of that, some smartwatches have features like coaching & special workout monitoring that only the most cutting-edge fitness trackers boast.
3. Notifications that help keep you away from missing out on essential texts, calls, etc.
When you connect that watch to your phone, you can get alerted at whatever point you get a reminder, phone message, or call. Thanks to the attribute, you will highly likely not miss a single thing from your phone.
4. Convenience boosted
With the 4G/LTE cellular connection, smartwatches can be standalone devices you want to use apart from your smartphone. That improves these timepieces’ users’ flexibility.
5. More sophisticated attributes
What is more? As opposed to wristbands, you can leverage these wristwatches to do many other activities, for example, contactless payments, finding your phone, and navigation.
6. Tech junkies’ fashion
The utilization of wearable advancements could be paramount to your openness to innovations and develop a technoid image.
For businesses
1. Extra personal data with higher accuracy
Smartwatches have enterprises access considerably more personal data with the devices attached to users.
2. Enhancing loyalties to operating systems
On the one hand, you have the choice to use smartwatches as standalone devices. But, on the other hand, these wearables are equally remarkable being synchronized with the cell phone. Getting single operating systems on the intelligent timepieces will make consumers continue with their original phone brands, systems, and whatnot.
Smartwatches’ value showcased in the sales revenue
As addressed at the beginning of the article, ‘Yes, to some extent.” should be the answer to the question ‘Are smartwatches worth it?” To support that argument, let’s take an actual look at how healthy Apple’s sale of wearables is. Apple, for your information, leads the smartwatch industry’s growth.
The brand’s connected devices’ ecosystem is making clarity about Apple’s success. When extending the business to intelligent timepieces, this tech giant is further successful in customer retention as well as brings about more sales of other items.
As you may know, a couple of years ago, when the brand announced the debut of its Apple Watch 1 model, media doubts & criticisms were throughout over its decision to enter the wristwear tech sector. Consequently, when the sale number failed to go as expected a few months after the launch, the product unit was envisioned as flopping because it is not adequately in vogue or powerful and not for everybody.
With that being said, Apple Watch began to show its potential two years after and gained its popularity in the global smartwatch and watch section. In any case, it is safe to say that in one way or another, the brand figured out how to train the shoppers to accept the costs they charge for their wearable models and started acknowledging this new wristwear.
To be more specific, the launch of the most well-known wearable Apple Watch 1 “officially” acquainted buyers with the smartwatch innovation with more applications connected to cell phones. As a result, while the year 2018 saw a slow decrease in sales, the brand still led the way by holding more than forty percent of the market share.
Apple’s decision proved to be the right one. That is not all; the company developed a new worldwide market anticipated to be expanding by over 35% during 2018-2024. When we are on the subject, you may appreciate that smartwatches appear to be Apple’s initial step into wearable innovation. They made a step further with AirPods. With one accord, the wearable devices had attained revenue of over 10 billion USD from Quarter II in 2017 to Quart II in 2018.
The bottom line: Apple has been leading the smartwatch sector’s growth because of the network effects as well as the value generated through different integrated software & products.
Alternatives to smartwatches: Some examples
Are smartwatches worth it when they are not the only way you can rely on to keep tabs on your activities, etc.? Indeed, other less expensive options are accessible, and they can do a few, yet not all, of what an intelligent wearable is capable of.
For example, the following tools can track your fitness as well:
- Count your steps. You may want to use the free applications Pedometer & Google Fit.
- Log other activities: How about considering Google Fit & Cyclemeter for iOS? They work on counting the number of miles you cycle, walk, or run.
- Coach you over a workout. Do you work out at a gym? Then, with the Jefit Workout application (free for iOS and Android), you will build a weight-lifting routine as well as monitor sets, reps & sum lifted quickly. Else, do you like to work out at home? If so, you may want to consider using the Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout for an ultimate workout guide.
- Monitor your behavior: Fitness applications like the free My Fitness Pal for iOS and Android are a good bet, too. It can record how many calories you have consumed, how much you weigh, aside from your everyday workouts.
- Have you move with music: Spotify, FIT Radio, and other comparable music applications manage to make an automatic choice of music in line with your workout’s pace.
- Set up a competition: For instance, the Strava application (free for Android and iOS) delivers route & speed specifics for every individual who utilizes it with the goal that you can go up against every other person on the application. Likewise, thanks to Pact, you have the option to bet real money on yourself. You guarantee to work out a particular number of days, and once you achieve that objective, you will win money from users failing to attain theirs.
Then how to decide?
As should be obvious, there are many approaches to features such as checking the time, navigation and monitoring your health. Yet, that does not mean you cannot justify the choice of getting a wearable.
In case it genuinely assists you with training more diligently, motivates you to move more, or something, it may be a wise investment. After all, the question is whether you will get good advantages to outweigh the price.
1. Questions to ask
As for you, are smartwatches worth it? To determine if they are your fit, ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you want to know? For example, if counting your steps is all you desire to do, you may be bettering out giving a free, simple application like the pedometer a try. Still, if you need to monitor all parts of your health, say, pulse, sleep & activities, a smartwatch can fit the bill.
- What is your primary sport? Is your central workout cycling and walking? If yes, you are most likely good with a cell phone application first. With some smartwatches, you have to bring along your phone to utilize every one of the attributes. That is why we suggest checking whether an application alone can help achieve the desired result.
However, if you get involved in a sport that makes it difficult to carry a smartphone, intelligent wristwatches are more worthy of your consideration. What’s more, if your primary sport is swimming, do not forget to ensure you pick a water-resistant model.
- Do you bring your cell phone along with you everywhere? Yes? Then, you may prefer an application. It tends to be less costly and does not need you to bring along an additional device.
However, if you do not carry a smartphone, think about getting a standalone smartwatch with its own display.
- Do you want something that keeps you connected longer than your smartphone? If so, smartwatches should be your best best. Some models boast such powerful batteries that a cell phone is not on par with. They include Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar Power Bundle, Amazfit GTR Smartwatch, TicWatch Pro 4G LTE Cellular Smartwatch, Amazfit Bip Fitness Smartwatch, and Kronaby A1000-1426 Apex 43 Steel Model. For crucial details about these product units, make sure you check out this guide.
- Your budget? The high chance is you cannot enjoy many fruitful results with a smartwatch if you cannot manage the cost of a good one. That is why if you cannot afford it, comparable applications or something may be your safe bet. They will give you the most value for your money.
2. Try before you purchase
Do you think a smartwatch sounds valuable, yet you are not certain you will receive your cash’s worth in return? Then, we recommend trying it before you buy.
For example, give applications a shot first. That provides you with a minimal-cost approach to evaluate a few of the smart wearable’s attributes and highlights and decide how you like them.
What if those attributes are not helpful to you by any means? If so, there is no reason for spending money on a full-blown smart wristwatch.
By contrast, do you appreciate them, yet you do not like needing to bring your cell phone along all over the place? Do you like how convenient smartwatches are? If yes, you can purchase an intelligent timepiece confidently, knowing that you will get the most bang for your buck.
All in all: Are smartwatches worth it?
On the one hand, the value added by smartwatches is not tremendous in comparison with smartphones we as a whole use. There is indeed a need for more compelling attributes differentiating innovative timepieces from smartphones for the market to witness a big boom. Also, it will be great if manufacturers make more and more intelligent wearables with reasonably long battery life so that they would not be difficult to use as a necessity.
Yet, on the other hand, if after answering the above questions, you find you will get enough perks out of these watches to outweigh the price, go for them!
Do you use a smartwatch? If so, can you share whether it has been a decent investment?
