Now that the Apple Watch is officially on the market will other manufacturers continue to produce new smartwatches of their own?
It’s a valid question, especially since smartwatches aren’t exactly catching on like the big tech companies hoped.
Does that mean they’re useless? Absolutely not.
The lack of interest has to do with why they exist and what they are used for. You see, smartwatches are nothing more than a convenience item. That is, they augment the standard features of a smartphone by allowing you to access many of those functions on a wrist-worn device. For instance, once paired with a smartphone, many smartwatches allow you to receive messages, notifications, and calls or even reply to these alerts right from the watch.
If you’re here, you probably already know that; you’re probably well aware of what a smartwatch can do so there’s no need for us to get any deeper than that.
The question remains, what companies are working on new smartwatches now that a lot of the big names have already released their products?
We have the Moto 360, Asus ZenWatch, Samsung Gear lineup, Apple Watch, Sony SmartWatch 3 and many others. Also, Huawei is working on a watch — which we’ve been anxiously waiting for — simply called the Huawei Watch. There are a few others out there too.
Are There Any New Smartwatches On the Way?
Yes, there are many new smartwatches still on the way, believe it or not. We’re going to take a look at some of the watches that are either still under development or are expected to be available soon.
In addition, we’ll mention some alternatives that are already available, just in case you don’t want to wait.
Motorola Moto 360 2nd Gen
Lenovo’s chairman, Yang Yuanqing, confirmed that an updated version of the Moto 360 smartwatch — a so-called second gen version — would be released sometime in summer, 2015. Well, guess what? We’re nearing the end of summer so it should time for that new Moto smartwatch to appear.
Rumors claim that it will have a higher resolution display and a thinner bezel than the previous model. That does make a lot of sense. After all, with each update manufacturers tend to slim down a device’s profile.
Motorola is holding an event on July 28, 2015, which is likely where they’ll unveil the new Moto 360 model and the new updates for their popular Moto X and G smartphone lines.
What If I Want It Now?
If you don’t want to wait and you’d like something just like it, why not spring for the original Moto 360? You can pick it up much cheaper through Amazon for about $150 as opposed to the original $249.
Samsung Gear A
Since late last year, we’ve been hearing that Samsung is working on a smartwatch with a round display. For a while, all we heard about the watch were from a series of rumors. Then, Samsung quietly launched a new SDK for developers via the official website that includes information about round displays.
The watch has been codenamed the Gear A or the Gear Orbis by the press. We’ll know the official name soon enough.
New features include a digital crown and a unique bezel ring that will be used for navigation. It will also be equipped with wireless charging support, which is a plus since that means you won’t have to fumble with a proprietary charging port or connector.
Since this is a Samsung device we’re talking about, it will be power by Tizen — sorry Android Wear fans. It’s also supposedly coming in two different models: one with 3G mobile connectivity and the other with Bluetooth. Of course, both models will also have Wi-Fi support, as well.
No mention of a release date from Samsung yet. If the rumors are true the new watch will be available sometime late August – September. If that launch date is true, it means we might get our first glimpse at the Gear A at this year’s IFA in September.
What If I Want It Now?
Samsung has a ton of smartwatches available in the wild already, but none of them offer a round display. If that’s what you’re after check out the Moto 360 or LG G Watch R. If you’d rather stick with a Samsung brand smartwatch, take a look at the Samsung Gear 2.
Asus ZenWatch 2
The Asus ZenWatch was a downright solid device, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that Asus is taking another crack at the smartwatch market. The ZenWatch 2 was actually announced by the company in early June, but there’s no word on a potential release yet.
Taking after the Apple Watch, the ZenWatch 2 will be available in two sizes: a 22mm model equipped with a strap model and a smaller 18mm model in a much slimmer form factor.
The first gen ZenWatch included a rose gold bezel. This time around, we’ll be able to choose from three different stainless steel color options: gunmetal, silver, and the classic rose gold. Not to mention, you’ll also have the opportunity to choose from 18 different bands, so it’s safe to say this thing will be pretty customizable at launch.
It includes a magnetic charger, improved performance, increase wireless range support and the option to switch between front and rear cameras remotely. Apparently, the remote shutter feature — which allow you to take photos from your smartphone remotely — has been improved too.
What If I Want It Now?
If you love the style of the Asus ZenWatch 2, definitely take a look at the original model. It only came in rose gold, so if you want the new gunmetal and silver colors you’ll have to wait. Otherwise, the features and functionality are pretty much the same across the board. You can pick up the original through Google Play for about $200.
Pebble Time Steel
Just like the original model, the company announced a stainless steel version of the new Pebble Time. The steel variant was announced just a week after the Time was unveiled to the public.
It includes the same design overall, but with a stainless steel body and some other improvements. You can choose between silver, black or gold body styles. Plus, even with the new color e-paper display the Steel can last for up to 10 full days on a single charge. That’s downright impressive.
The new bands — and you’ll get two: one leather and one steel — include a unique “smart” feature that can be augmented with new third-party sensors. For example, if you’ve ever wanted your Pebble to include a GPS module, heart-rate tracker or something similar, the “smart” band port is where you’d install it.
No official release date has been announced yet, but we’ll probably see this thing drop sometime in September — just before the holidays.
What If I Want It Now?
If you absolutely have to have the color display, go with the Pebble Time — the plastic model. If you would much rather have a stainless steel Pebble smartwatch then go with the Pebble Steel. You can pick it up through Amazon for $150 right now.
Microsoft Smartwatch
Yes, Microsoft is still supposedly working on a smartwatch behind the scenes. We don’t know anything about it yet, except that the battery might last for up to two days — as opposed to the industry standard which seems to be one.
Obviously, we can’t offer any specifics on a release date or a public unveil just yet.
Vector Luna and Meridian Smartwatches
Vector announced two analog-style smartwatches at Baselworld 2015. Both models will be compatible with Windows Phone, iOS, and Android. If you’re looking for more options in the Windows Phone and iOS smartwatch department, you’re finally starting to get your wish.
They’re powered by a proprietary OS, likely designed by Vector. The Luna — as the name implies — has a round display while the Meridian has a square display.
Both watches will be available in a variety of style options — all in steel — with 22mm leather and stainless steel straps that are interchangeable.
Vector claims that they will offer up to 30-days of battery on a single charge, which is absolutely bonkers if true. Nevertheless, if these things can last that long expect to see them make a splash when they launch.
They can display notifications like calendar events, message icons and alerts which appear around the edge of the analog display. When you want to see the message or notification you’ll need to raise your arm, and then once you lower your hand back down to your side it will dismiss the alert. Additional activity tracking features and compatibility with various apps — such as Nest and IFTTT — suggests they should be pretty feature-friendly.
You can pre-order the Vector Luna now for $349 or the Meridian for $199. No official release announced yet, but expect them to be available soon.
What If I Want It Now?
Sorry, there’s nothing quite like Vector’s upcoming smartwatches out there. Take a peek at these budget watches, or the best smartwatches to buy online and maybe you’ll find something you like?
Are There Any Other Smartwatches on the Way?
Yes, there are a bunch of other smartwatches on the way. The list of watches we didn’t mention above includes:
- Guess Connect
- Tag Hauer Carrera Heuer 01 and Carrera Wearable 01
- LG Watch Urbane LTE
- Breitling B55 Connected
- Gucci and will.i.am Smartband
- Huawei Watch
- Mondaine Helvetica No 1 Horological Smartwatch
- MyKronoz ZePhone
- Tissot Smartwatch
- Bulgari Diagono Magnesium
- Sony FES Watch
Undoubtedly, many more manufacturers will announce new product over the coming year and well into 2016. Are there any new smartwatches that we forgot to mention?