I’ve been testing both Pebble Steel and Motorola’s Moto 360 for the past few days. That’s got me thinking about what’s important to me in a smart watch. My top 10 evaluation criteria for a smart watch are:
- Compatibility with iOS, as my primary phone is the iPhone 6.
- Battery life.
- Notifications of important events. I find the most valuable part of a smart watch is the ability to discreetly check email and phone calls. I was in a meeting with a Pebble VC last month and neither of us noticed that we had been checking our watches.
- Price.
- Style.
- Ease of use.
- Fitness features such as step counting and heart rate.
- Lack of annoyance to others.
- Ability to change style quickly (i.e., from fancy occasions to casual outings).
- Tells the time.
I haven’t worn a watch regularly since 1998, but I’m willing to start for the right smart watch.
What am I missing? What is important to you in a smart watch?