Wearable Tech and Smart Gadgets

Start with your phone, then choose what you wear

Wearables lean heavily on the phone. An Apple Watch needs an iPhone, a Galaxy Watch is set up from an Android phone, and many other watches work with both through a companion app, so read the Compatible with line first. Then pick the form: Smartwatches & Fitness Watches for notifications, apps and sport tracking, a fitness tracker for steps and sleep with longer battery life, or AR and smart glasses for hands-free displays.

Screens, battery life and bands: what the specs trade off

Display type sets the battery bargain. AMOLED screens look vivid but use more power, and full-featured smartwatches that use them often need charging every day or two, while memory-in-pixel transflective screens are readable in sunlight and let sport watches run far longer between charges. Connectivity decides independence: Bluetooth-only models rely on the phone, Wi-Fi helps with updates, and LTE versions can take calls away from it. Bands are separate, so check lug width and case size before picking Smartwatch Bands & Straps.

Questions about Wearable Tech and Smart Gadgets

Can one smartwatch work with both iPhone and Android?

Some can. Many fitness watches and trackers run on both systems through a companion app, while watches built around one phone platform need that platform's phone for setup. Check the Compatible with line before choosing.

Fitness tracker or smartwatch: which should I pick?

A tracker suits steps, sleep and heart rate with a long battery and a simple display. A smartwatch adds apps, calls, maps and a larger screen, but needs charging more often.

What does LTE add to a smartwatch?

A cellular radio lets the watch call, message and stream without your phone nearby. It needs an active mobile plan from your carrier, and the watch must be a model your network supports.