Are we all about to start wearing smartwatches? Apple certainly thinks so. It’s finally entered the smartwatch market – and as we know from the iPod, iPhone and iPad, when Apple kicks an industry into gear the rest of us tend to follow…
One of the main benefits of a smartwatch is the way it syncs with your phone to send notifications straight to your wrist – saving you the bother of constantly reaching into your pocket to check your mobile. There are plenty of smartwatch options out there – here we take a look at the best of them.
Asus ZenWatch
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, but we reckon this is one of the most lovely-looking smartwatches currently available. While many still look like tablets taped to someone’s wrist, this is a device we’d actually like to wear. Its AMOLED 1.63-inch screen has a 320 x 320 pixel resolution, in line with most of its competition. It runs Android Wear, and will therefore work with any smartphone running Android 4.3 or higher. Features include a pedometer and heart-rate monitor, and there are more than 100 different clock faces to choose from.
Release date: TBA
Price: £159
Sony Smartwatch 3
Sony has some bold claims to make about the battery life of its Smartwatch 3, stating that it should be capable of running for two to five days between charges. When you do need to plug it in, charging is via microUSB. That’s a handy feature that means you won’t be rummaging around for some already-lost proprietary charger. On top of its standard specs, the Smartwatch 3 offers additional features such as built-in GPS and the ability to use it as your TV remote control.
Release date: TBA
Price: £189
Samsung Gear S
The Gear S has two big selling points, and there’s no missing the first of them. That big two-inch curved screen is a Super AMOLED display that wraps around your wrist and gives plenty of room to play with. The other standout feature is a SIM card slot. Unusually for a smartwatch you can use this one as a standalone device for making and receiving calls. Perfect for acting out all those secret agent fantasies. GPS is built in and the device runs Samsung’s own Tizen operating system.
Release date: TBA
Price: TBA
