Did you know that one in five U.S. adults, or roughly 21% of Americans, regularly wear a smartwatch or a wearable fitness tracker?
There’s no doubt that devices are getting smaller, smarter, and have more and more capabilities. It started with the smartphone. But now you can wear a smartwatch which tells you the time and allows you to read notifications from your phone on your wrist.
Not sure whether a smartwatch is the right choice for you? Discover our guide on smartwatches to find out what smartwatches can do and how do smartwatches work.
What Is a Smartwatch and What Does It Do?
A smartwatch is a watch that uses the latest technologies, such as those found in your smartphone, to ensure your life is easier. Not only can smartwatches tell the time, but when they’re connected to your phone, they can also connect to the internet.
There’s no shortage of things you can do with a smartwatch, but what do smartwatches do and why might you need one?
Access Apps, Digital Media, and Internet
From the comfort of your wrist, a smartwatch can run apps, play audio and video tracks, and connect to the internet (often through other smart devices). Once connected to the internet, smartwatch users are able to receive message notifications. And they can also sync their phone calendars.
Make Calls and Send and Receive Messages
If an internet connection isn’t possible, then smartwatches also allow Bluetooth connectivity. Connecting your smartwatch to your phone using Bluetooth allows you to call your contacts and send/receive messages from them.
Track Fitness
Smartwatches can also track your fitness. These watches allow you to track your heart rate and exercise. Similar to FitBits, these trackers allow you to see your distance, time, and calories burnt.
Children can benefit from smartwatches as it helps to keep them active and engaged in their health and fitness. Want to engage your children with their fitness and be able to call them whenever they’re out? Then have a look at this smart watch for kids.
Other Smartwatch Features
Other smartwatch features include functions that are pre-installed on smart devices, such as a compass, calculator, calendar, and a thermometer. Some come with GPS navigation too, allowing you to track your location. GPS navigation also allows you to share and send your location to others.
What Types of Smartwatches Are There and How Do Smartwatches Work?
As mentioned above, smartwatches work by connecting with the internet, either through your phone or WiFi, or by using Bluetooth. These are the most common smartwatches available.
You can also get standalone smartwatches that work a little differently to the ones that require connectivity. Standalone watches require a SIM card to work.
Both these smartwatches are considered to be general-purpose as they come with a range of features and abilities. Apple Watch, Wear OS watches, and Tizen watches, are all popular general-purpose smartwatches.
Then there are more specialized smartwatches, for specific-uses. These smartwatches allow you to access all of the general features of smartwatches but also come with built-in features for specific circumstances and hobbies.
An example of a specialized smartwatch is a hiking watch. These smartwatches are great for hikers because they feature GPS tracking and navigation, better battery life, and weather forecasts. These ones are also often resistant to being dropped and water.
You can also find specialized smartwatches for diving, which come with features such as temperature, depth, and time remaining indicators. And you can get specific smartwatches for flying, which provide features such as a logbook, a GPS-powered map, and weather reports.
Connecting Your Watch to Your Phone
If you’re wondering how to work a smartwatch, you’ll first need a smartphone (unless you have a standalone smartwatch). To connect your phone and watch, you need to download a compatible app for your watch. For example, if it’s an Apple smartwatch, you’d download Watch from Apple.
Then you need to open the app and turn Bluetooth on, on your phone, so you can sync your devices. Once synchronized, you can receive message notifications to your watch, from your phone. You’ll also be able to access the calendars on your phone and make calls from your wrist.
Setting up a Standalone Smartwatch
Standalone smartwatches don’t require connectivity of your smartphone, which means you can leave it at home. Standalone watches are great for ease of use and mobility, or if your phone runs out of battery a lot.
Standalone smartwatches often cost more and can have fewer hours of battery life, but they can be more practical than the smartwatches that require phone connectivity. To set up a standalone watch, you need a SIM card and once this is in place you can make phone calls from your wrist or send messages.
Remember that both standalone smartwatches and ones that require connectivity need to be recharged on a regular basis.
Find a Smartwatch to Suit You and Your Wrist
Smartwatches have a variety of functions and useful features that you can access from your own wrist. Meaning you can save time and phone battery life, but still stay up-to-date with your latest notifications and in touch with your loved ones. If you’re wanting to find a smartwatch that suits you and your wrist, follow our how do smartwatches work guide and find out everything you need to know.
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