Regarded by some as being cool, or by others as being geeky, smartwatches and wearables have been among the rising tech trends of 2015. Despite their current vulnerabilities and security issues, wearables are here to stay in 2016 as well. If anything, their popularity is expected to increase.
Most smartwatches are designed to function as an extension of your smartphone, but there are some that can function as independent devices. Customers still see smartwatches as cool (somewhat pricy) gadgets, but their core function is to improve your overall connectivity through reminders, apps, and messaging options. Anything that can improve your time management is definitely worth exploring from a business perspective, isn’t it?
For our (tested) recommendations we considered the most important and relevant variables that any smartwatch buyer takes into consideration before making a purchase: price, features, design. There are still some devices that haven’t been included in our recommendation list yet because of their recent release date. These watches are still in a testing phase.
What makes a good business smartwatch?
Design. Looks are important when it comes to business. There’s no way around it. If you show at an important meeting with a giant pink watch around your wrist (smart or not), people might not take you seriously. Though there are some exceptions, the truth is that smartwatches are still improving on the design front. Most devices available are quite bulky, and won’t look very good on slimmer (female) wrists. But there are some smartwatch producers who know that people will actually wear their devices, and they take a more elegant approach when it comes to design.
Features. Some smartwatches have just a few basic features, while others could just as well replace your smartphone. For the business user it’s important that these features work properly, and that they improve his professional life. This is the reason anyone would consider buying a smartwatch in the first place. Because let’s be honest, if the features are not practical and useful, a regular (better-looking) watch would have been a better choice. This brings us to our next step.
Usability. All the features in the world won’t make up for a weak battery, a dim display, or general device fragility. Your device needs to be useful and make your life easier, not harder. Otherwise you’re just adding to a list of gadgets that will ultimately take more time to manage.
Keeping these attributes in mind, let’s go over our top recommendations (in no particular order).
Pebble Time Steel | Price: $249.99
Pebble didn’t become one of the most important names in the wearable industry for nothing. Well-built and with a decent design, the Time Steel is as close as you can get to an actually useful smartwatch. In fact that’s what’s truly great about Pebble’s device – it knows that first and foremost it’s a watch. Its function is complementary to your smartphone, and it doesn’t try to replace it altogether.
Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the Time Steel isn’t as sophisticated as other smartwatches, it doesn’t have a touchscreen, but to be honest, it doesn’t need one. Navigating can be simpler this way – just by using side buttons.
The most important feature however is battery life. Pebble’s Time Steel can get you through the week with just one battery charge, while most smartwatches barely last two days.
Should you get it? If you want a reliable smartwatch that will be useful, easy to use and at a decent price, the Pebble Time Steel is a great option. It might not turn as many heads as other recommendations on our list, but it might be the most useful out of the bunch.
Martian Voice Command | Price: $239.99
Some might judge this recommendation, given that the Martian Voice Command doesn’t seem to be a smartwatch at first glance. It doesn’t have a touchscreen display, and the smart features are to a minimum. Voice commands and a small LCD panel are actually the only smart things about it. This doesn’t mean it’s not a great business smartwatch.
Probably the best looking recommendation on the list, Martian’s Voice Command excels at design and usability. The LCD panel shows you alerts and notifications, as well as text information. For the busy businessman, this could be more than enough information, making this smartwatch both practical and good-looking.
Like the Pebble Time Steel, Martian Voice Command’s battery can last up to seven days per charge.
Should you get it? If style is important in your field of work (or to you), then the Martian Voice Command is one of the best looking smartwatches you can get. Even if it doesn’t have as many features as other smartwatches, it’s still very practical because it’s easy to use and reliable.
Apple Watch Sport | Price: $349.99
For some time now, the Apple Watch has been headlining in tech news everywhere, and for good reason. Apple’s device is one of the most advanced smartwatches available. For iOS users who care about features, this is the best option available.
Let’s face it, the Apple Watch has set a new standard in the wearable world. All the smartwatches are compared at some point with Apple’s device. Beautifully designed – with many available watch faces, Apple’s stylish device feels expensive (and it kind of is). But if you can spare $350 for a smartwatch, it shouldn’t disappoint you.
Feature-wise, the Apple Watch is as advanced as any smartwatch can be. If you’ve heard of a wearable app, there’s a big chance the Apple Watch has it. The device might be ahead of its time, since some of the apps can still be difficult to use, and you would rather use your smartphone than struggle with a smaller display.
Should you get it? If you are an iPhone user, you should. Chances are that if you like Apple’s products, you would prefer to spend a little extra for a better device that’s more advanced and better-looking. It works very well with the whole Apple environment, and the scheduled updates can only make it work better.
Samsung Gear S2 | Price: $299.99
Samsung’s Gear S2 is a comfortable and intuitive wearable that can compete with any smartwatch available. Samsung’s device takes all the features you could possibly need from a smartwatch – fitness tracker, mobile payment, plenty of apps, and makes them easy to use. This is the part where we introduce Android Wear’s long lost cousin – the Tizen, Samsung’s intuitive operating system that makes wearable navigating fast and simple. Just by using the watch’s bezel and a few screen taps you can access anything you need.
The Gear S2 isn’t the best-looking smartwatch around, but its round, clean design has a classic and simple feel to it. Tech reviewers all over the world praised Samsung’s smartwatch for its features and usability. It’s one of the most practical and easy to use devices available.
Battery life isn’t exceptional, and like most smartwatches it only lasts for about two days, but the OLED display is crisp and colorful, so it feels like it’s a decent power exchange.
Should you get it? Samsung’s Gear S2 is a great standalone alternative to any smartwatch on the market. Though some might consider it a bit pricy, it’s still a great option for anyone who is looking for something that’s advanced, but at the same time easy to use.
Moto 360 | Price: $199.99
Our last pick was a tough one. Between the Moto 360, Sony’s Smartwatch 3, and the Huawei Watch, either option would be great. We had to go with the original round smartwatch for our business recommendations not only because it looks and performs great, but also because it’s the first of its kind, the model that inspired most of the future round smartwatches. Because of its round design, the Moto 360 looks like a real watch, which is great for business users.
Android Wear has proven to be a great operating system for wearables, and the Moto 360 was one of the first devices to influence the overall development and updates for the OS. Thanks to Google Now, voice dictation and activation support can make every businessman’s life easier.
Cheaper than the Huawei Watch, and better looking than the Sony Smartwatch 3, the Moto 360 should make any wearable list.
Should you get it? This is your best bet if you are looking for a business Android device with a wonderful design, that’s not too expensive.
These are our top recommendations for business smartwatches. Any of these devices can improve your professional life significantly. This doesn’t mean these are the only ones that are actually good, but based on general reviews and testing, they have all proven to be the best options available.
