What is a smartwatch and why should I buy one?

The smart watch is one of the big "culprits" for entering a new digital era - the era of smart devices. The appearance of the first smart watch was shrouded in mystery and euphoria, and lovers of new technology and portable gadgets took it as an omen, as the beginning of a new, potentially blockbuster industry. Smart watches today are definitely among the most purchased smart devices on the one hand, and mobile gadgets on the other. What exactly they are and whether it is worth investing in them, you will find out in the lines below.

History of smartwatches

It all happened back in 2013. That's when the era of smartwatches began. The first prototype is the work of the company Pebble. It was created using the popular fundraising platform Kickstarter to finance innovative projects. By the way, with funding from Kickstarter, a number of revolutionary gadgets began their history, including the coldest cooling device Cooler, the popular hiking jacket with a built-in pillow, glasses, gloves and even a storage attachment for headphones, as well as a number of video games and consoles.

In particular, Pebble managed to collect a record amount of funding on the Kickstarter platform. Over 10 million US dollars are poured into this project within a month. And thus, the world's first smartwatch becomes the largest Kickstarter project in terms of its financial value. The original, the first Pebble watch, has a steel case, touch buttons and a specific screen created using Corning Gorilla Glass technology. The prototype was initially offered in two variants – matte black and brushed stainless steel, and the strap also had two options, namely leather and again stainless steel. Pebble appeared on the market in 2014 and in just a few hours literally experienced a real furor among the audience, which on a global scale began to move little by little to the era of mobile devices.

Immediately after the revolutionary debut of the first smart watch in the world, Apple did not delay and brought out its own version of the gadget. This is happening in 2015, and the year for many experts represents the real beginning of the smart watch era. The model of Steve Jobs' company has a much more modern design and of course with far more features and options for users to take advantage of.

What exactly is a smartwatch?

A smartwatch is a smart watch. In this way, it differs from the classic digital, analog and generally all types of watches that we have worn on our wrists for centuries. At the same time, the device is a kind of mobile gadget, that is, portable and stocked with a number of options that remind the functions of our phones, tablets and sometimes even laptops. The main difference between a smart and a classic watch is the presence of additional extras in the former. They are much more than even the most innovative models of digital watches from hit companies such as Rado and Casio.

An essential element of the structure of a smart watch is its touch screen. Navigation is implemented on its display, allowing the wearer to take advantage of a number of functions other than simply checking the time, setting a wake-up alarm, or running a stopwatch to count a time interval. The smartwatch also supports apps. Precisely because of this extra, it is more similar to your smartphone than to the most modern electronic watch. To function as a mobile wearable device, the smartwatch has built-in memory and a processor. Therefore, it also needs a system update rather than regular tuning.

What special features does the smartwatch have?

Generally speaking, your smartwatch is only as functional as you make it. This is because the owner can download a number of applications according to their own needs. For this purpose, the gadget has wifi and bluetooth connections, which inevitably means the possibility of transferring data from one mobile device to another (including between two smart watches or a smart watch and a tablet, for example). The ability to customize the smartwatch according to user needs equates it with the functions of a smartphone. The difference is entirely in the vision. A smart watch is both an accessory and a gadget with which you can shop, work and have fun. Note that even if you choose not to download any apps, your smartwatch will arrive with a bundle of apps installed by default.

What can I do with a smartwatch?

Virtually anything you can think of that you can do with a smartphone or tablet. Let's list some of the main uses and functions of this stylish gadget that is both part of your outfit and your daily activities:

• You can surf the web.
• You can shop in online stores.
• You can keep track of your health, as smartwatches were originally used mainly for this purpose: measuring heart rate, calories burned, heart rate, steps taken for the day, distance traveled and more. Very often at the end of the day, the smartwatch even presents you with a kind of balance sheet for your day, showing you how active and healthy you spent the last 24 hours.
• You can communicate with friends, colleagues and business partners thanks to the device's built-in chat options and messenger-type applications.
• You can manage your profiles in different social networks completely freely.
• You can create digital content - both text, photo and even video, because modern smart watches have excellent cameras.
• You can receive calls, check and reply to various messages through SIM cards specially created for the purposes of the smartwatch.
• You can use navigations and maps, specifically the location tracking option in children's smartwatches, which gives a sense of security and control to parents.

Who is the main target audience of smartwatches?

At the beginning of their emergence, smartwatches mainly featured apps that measured your physical condition and various health indicators. For this reason, their main buyers were consumers directly and indirectly related to the healthy lifestyle, nutrition and fitness industry. As the types of apps that can be downloaded and run on smartwatches have expanded, so has their audience. Practically every person can find a use for this gadget these days.

However, we must recognize the appearance of children's smart watches as a good move by manufacturers. They are often still perceived as great substitutes for mobile phones, for which a certain category of children are too young and inexperienced to use them. Conversely, kids' smartwatch options are easy to navigate and great for parents and younger users alike. Children's smartwatches often have a dedicated SOS button and accurate GPS to easily identify the child's location, giving parents extra peace of mind.

The smart watch is definitely a useful gadget in which everyone can find something interesting and necessary. And while for many it is a device that cannot be compared to the functionality of a smartphone, for others the smartwatch offers a greater degree of convenience and a number of useful applications.