You say you need a smartwatch, however possibly you truly need this

[ad_1] <img class="e_Og" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="cmf watch 3 pro running" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running.jpg 1508w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="cmf watch 3 pro running" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cmf-watch-3-pro-running.jpg"/> Right here within the cell tech world, we completely love slapping labels on merchandise, breaking the market down into classes. A few of these are clearly outlined: Whereas they arrive in all kinds of sizes and shapes, nobody’s actually debating what counts as a “foldable” smartphone. However others have been much more nebulous — keep in mind 15 years in the past when “phablets” out of the blue descended upon us, however nobody fairly appeared to agree on the place to attract the road between these and common smartphones?

A few of these ambiguities resolve themselves — with phablets, at the very least, telephones on the whole have grown so massive that the phrase has misplaced all that means — however others have actually managed to persist.

One which retains leaping out at me is “smartwatch” and I believe that’s as a result of to my thoughts, this one must be as a lot of a no brainer as “foldables.” Whereas there are many variations between characteristic telephones and smartphones, a very powerful in my thoughts has been the way in which a correct smartphone offers you the liberty to run the software program of your alternative — it’s a really transportable general-purpose laptop, and what it will possibly do is simply restricted by the apps which are constructed for it.

It solely follows that this must be the road for smartwatches, as properly — your Apple Watch or Pixel Watch are full-fat smartwatches particularly as a result of they've entry to their respective app shops. And when you can’t discover the app you need, there’s little stopping you from spinning it up your self (possibly even with the assistance of AI).

What’s in a reputation, in spite of everything?

<img class="e_Og" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Garmin Vivoactive 6 Menu vs 5" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="A side by side of the Garmin Vivoactive 6 vs 5 shows the new model's updated UI." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Garmin-Vivoactive-6-Menu-vs-5-scaled.jpg"/> Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

However there are smartwatches, after which there are “smartwatches.” Earlier this week, Nothing launched its new CMF Watch Professional 3. It’s received a bigger-than-ever 1.43-inch AMOLED show, tracks all of your exercise, and provides you a alternative from over 120 watch faces. And it’s not a smartwatch.

We additionally simply heard about potential plans for a brand new Moto wearable, with a leak outing what’s alleged to be the return of the Moto 360. It seems to be the half, presents a wise brushed-metal construct, and can nearly actually not be a smartwatch.

As a substitute, count on Motorola (or, reasonably, the licensee utilizing the Moto title on wearables by way of the top of 2025) to ship one more mannequin that appears like a smartwatch, and is marketed like a smartwatch, however lacks entry to the form of broader software program library that elevates a correct smartwatch above the ranks of a health tracker.

I’d distinction these two with the current launch of the Galaxy Watch 8 sequence — the primary orders of that are simply beginning to arrive. Samsung’s wearables are arguably a number of the greatest premium choices for consumers in search of a Put on OS smartwatch, not simply delivering beautiful {hardware} filled with a powerful array of sensors, however with the kind of broad app assist I’d solely count on from a capital-S smartwatch. As long as you may get on board with the brand new squircle design, they appear nice! And I’d argue they’re huge overkill for most individuals.

Giving consumers what they really need

<img class="e_Og" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="fitbit sense review design display watch face 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="fitbit sense review design display watch face 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fitbit-sense-review-design-display-watch-face-1.jpg"/> Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority

Fitbit Sense

For all my hemming and hawing about what truly counts as a smartwatch-smartwatch, these aren’t units that most individuals are utilizing in the identical approach they do their telephones. Whereas it’s fairly potential to get lots completed on a Put on OS watch alone, significantly after we’re speaking a couple of cellular-equipped mannequin, that’s simply not the form of utilization most of us are after. As a substitute, we wish a very good wearable that’s a companion to our (correctly good) telephones.

If the whole lot else had been equal, I’d say go along with Put on OS anyway — having extra options than you want doesn’t need to be a foul factor — however that’s merely not the case, and there’s an enormous gulf between these product classes relating to the only most essential consideration for a wearable: battery life.

What number of third-party apps do you even find yourself utilizing on Put on OS units?

Smartwatches just like the Galaxy Watch 8 merely can’t maintain a candle to the CMF Watch Professional 3 relating to how typically you must drop your wearable on its charging cradle to high up the battery. With the Watch 8, you’re going to need to be charging it principally each evening, whereas the Watch Professional 3 will most likely get away with a cost as soon as per week, if even that.

Maintain the value low, make the battery final lengthy, and rely steps, and also you’re 90% of the way in which in direction of the wearable many customers are in search of. Some extra sturdy health options would possibly sweeten the pot just a little, however most of us most likely gained’t want something extra unique than run monitoring. Music playback is usually a good bonus (that’s sadly getting more durable to search out), in addition to assist for tap-and-pay purchases, however this nonetheless isn’t something that requires full app assist. A few of you want notifications in your wearable, however in my expertise that may simply go both approach, and loads of customers are in no hurry to have that form of annoyance on their wrist.

<img class="e_Og" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Huawei Watch GT 4 smartwatch on wrist showing calorie counter" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-1000w-562h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Huawei Watch GT 4 smartwatch on wrist showing calorie counter" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Huawei-Watch-GT-4-smartwatch-on-wrist-showing-calorie-counter-scaled.jpg"/> Kris Carlon / Android Authority

I nonetheless don’t know one of the best ways to speak about this {hardware}. Excessive-res touchscreens make utilizing these units really feel like Put on OS smartwatches, and bodily all these screen-based watches appear like peas from the identical pod. Smartwatch-style health trackers? Large-screen health trackers? None of it actually rolls off the tongue, and I think we’re going to be caught lumping (incorrectly, I’d nonetheless argue) all these collectively beneath the inelegant “smartwatch” banner for the foreseeable future.

No matter they’re known as, although, there’s a tangible distinction right here, and I simply want it had been simpler for consumers to acknowledge and speak concerning the wearables which are truly those that greatest meet their wants.

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