Smartwatches are still relatively new to the scene but are set to gain in popularity as software improves and costs come down. With virtually everyone owning a smartphone these days, it’s only natural that new ways of interacting with them arise via smartwatches. Do you really want to dig that smartphone out of your pocket or purse just to see the latest notification received or see who’s calling? That’s so 2014. For those on the lookout to jump into the pool of early smartwatch adopters, here are some excellent choices to suit every aesthetic, budget, and OS.
Apple Watch – Of course the Apple Watch is a heavy hitter when it comes to the smartwatch market and is one of the only choices if you’re a diehard Apple fan. With sleek design, beautiful Retina display, touchscreen, heart monitor, and thoughtful integration with all Apple products, it’s an easy choice if you’re heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. It is however the most expensive smartwatch on the market right now and is still in its first incarnation with some wrinkles to iron out.
LG Urbane – The LG Urbane is one of the most expensive Android smartwatches and features a very stylish, traditional watch body. It sports Android Wear, a version of Android specifically designed for wearable devices with frequent updates and improvements. Like other high-end smartwatches the LG Urbane also has a heart monitor for interesting fitness and health applications.
Pebble – The Pebble is a highly recommended smartwatch for those on a budget or if you want the possibility to use it with both Android and iOS devices. Costing less than half of many other smartwatch models, Pebble features an e-ink display with support for thousands of useful apps with its simple, clean interface. Also notable is the Pebble’s excellent battery life of a week or more on a single charge. It may not have all the bells and whistles of its more costly brethren but many swear by and even prefer the Pebble. The Pebble Time, a new update rolling out now features a color e-ink display.
Sony SmartWatch 3 – The latest smartwatch from Sony is one of the only ones to feature GPS which could become immensely useful as more apps come to support it. It comes in a sleek and comfortable design with support for the latest Android Wear. The Sony SmartWatch is also great for fitness and health with a suite of Sony designed software, pedometer and heart rate monitor. It’s also moderately priced between the high and low ends and is a solid choice.
Moto 360 – The Moto 360 stands out with its bold circular design that look more like a watch and less like an early adopter smartwatch. As with other Android smartwatches it has support for Android Wear and thousands of apps. It doesn’t have the best battery life but it does have a trick up its sleeve with wireless charging.
So many to choose from, so little time.