智能手表(smartwatch)似乎是寻找问题的解决方案，但人们很容易忘记人们对 iPad、智能手机以及几乎任何迅速变得不可或缺的新设备有着相似的态度(iPads)。那么智能手表值得吗？
在他们的大部分历史中，大多数用户的答案都是“不”，但最新一代的智能手表改变了这一点。让我们探讨一下现代智能手表是否做得足以证明其价格合理。
智能手表是否足够成熟？
早期的智能手表充满了妥协。由于硬件薄弱且安装基数较小，第三方应用程序的支持也一直乏善可陈。最大的问题之一是缺乏常亮显示器。较旧的芯片设计和LCD技术太耗电，手表无法始终在屏幕上显示某些内容。这(Which)使得智能手表很难成为真正的手表！
苹果(Apple)和三星(Samsung)等公司的现代手表在很大程度上解决了这些问题。新(New)机型使用OLED技术，可以将屏幕刷新率降低到个位数的赫兹数。因此，您可以同时拥有始终开启的表盘和一两天的电池电量。现在也有来自第三方应用程序开发人员的大量支持。所以我们对智能手表毫无保留
作为健康和医疗器械
智能手表值得拥有的最令人信服的原因之一是有助于改善和维持您的健康(health)。许多智能手表作为高级健身追踪器而不是智能手表销售。这可能是购买它的最重要和最实际的原因之一。苹果(Apple)和三星(Samsung)，可以说是最大的智能手表制造商，都开发了优秀的健康软件来配合他们的手表。
智能手表(Smartwatches)有效地帮助解决常见的现代问题，例如久坐不动或不看我们吃的东西。它们提供了一种方便直观的方式来跟踪您的食物摄入量以及您的活跃程度。
得益于更好的传感器和更智能的算法，智能手表现在可以更准确地估计步数和卡路里消耗。
未来还有更多。例如，Galaxy Active 2内置了一个ECG（心电图）传感器。三星(Samsung)只是在等待监管部门的批准来激活它。此功能与智能跌倒传感器一起，实际上最终可以挽救体弱或慢性病用户的生命。
它还可以作为心律不齐的早期预警系统，这可能会导致更严重的健康问题。简而言之，从今天到未来，智能手表都是有价值的健康设备，仅从这个角度来看就值得。
检查消息和接听电话(Calls)更容易
虽然这听起来像是一件小事，但每次收到通知时从口袋里掏出手机既累人又耗时。大多数新的智能手表都集成了通知和消息应用程序，将它们与您的手机同步。
这意味着您只需轻弹手腕即可快速查看收到的消息，并决定是否值得将手机捞出。您还可以进行基本的短信回复，或在WhatsApp或EverNote等应用程序中留下语音笔记。
我们还发现，在手表本身上接听电话通常是最快、最方便的方式。由于手表始终在您的手腕上，因此它不可避免地是最容易接听电话的地方。另外，作为奖励，您感觉就像迪克·特雷西（Dick Tracy）(Dick Tracy)对着您的手腕说话！
大多数智能手表也兼容蓝牙，因此您可以使用蓝牙耳机接听电话。
使用智能手表控制其他设备
随着智能手表的成熟，很明显，您一直佩戴在手腕上的设备的最佳用途之一就是远程控制其他技术。
例如，您可以下载一个用作智能电视(TVs)的通用电视遥控器的应用程序。如果您是Spotify订阅者，您可以使用智能手表Spotify应用程序来控制另一台设备上的Spotify应用程序。(Spotify)将智能手表用作手机摄像头的远程触发器怎么样？这些都是可能性，开发人员每天都在思考更多。
使用IFTTT 或 Zapier(IFTTT or Zapier)等服务，许多智能手表设备可以通过自定义食谱链接到其他服务。因此，您可以将智能手表集成到您的智能家居系统中。例如，如果您的智能安全摄像头检测到移动，您可以在手表上收到通知。
模块化表盘(Watch)真正(Are)有用_
大多数智能手表都有显示某种虚拟表盘的显示器。您通常可以将它们换成由第一方公司或第三方创作者制作的其他产品。有时您可以免费获得它们，而有时某些表盘将花费一些钱。
能够更改智能手表上的表盘可能是最被低估的功能之一。这不仅仅是关于外观，尽管这也是喜欢它们的一个重要原因。毕竟，您可以更改表盘的外观和颜色以匹配您当前的服装或心情！
然而，从更实际的角度来看，根据您需要的信息切换到不同的表盘可能会有很大的帮助。
例如，在驾驶无人机时，带有实时天气数据（如风速）的表盘会很有帮助。如果您正在跑步，您可能希望看到您的心率前部和中部。
旅行时，也许您希望同时显示某些时区。使用智能手表，您可以简单地使用具有最有用信息的表盘来满足您当前的需求，并在完成后改回更通用的日常使用。
智能手表值得，但仍有问题
虽然我们认为智能手表现在既物有所值，又物有所值，但仍有很大的改进空间。电池(Battery)寿命可能是最大的问题。多年来，我们使用了几款手表，其中一些功能有限的手表可能持续长达一周。像Galaxy Active 2(Galaxy Active 2)这样的高端机型最多只能给你一到两天的时间。
在智能手表操作系统方面，仍然存在相当多的碎片化。Android Wear、Apple 的 watchOS 和三星 Tizen(Samsung Tizen)只是其中的三个大牌。如果有太多不同的智能手表操作系统，开发人员就很难将它们全部覆盖。
智能手表(Smartwatches)也需要变得更加独立。目前，它们仍然几乎是智能手机配件。虽然可以独立连接到移动互联网的模型确实存在。目前，智能手表一旦不再连接到手机就不是那么有用了。
然而，未来手表中更好的硬件可能会使它们成为导航等用例的主要智能设备。
因此，要回答智能手表是否值得的问题，我们可以说，鉴于它们的成熟度和功能性，它们在客观上物有所值。当然，它们对您是否值得，取决于您认为这些功能是否重要或有用。
无论哪种方式，您都不必担心早期采用者的头痛。这些漂亮的小工具已经脱离了他们的开发阶段。
Is a Smartwatch Worth It?
A smartwatch might seem like a solution in search of a problem, but it’s easy to forget that people had similar attitudes towards iPads, smartphones and just about any new device that quickly becomes indispensable. So is a smartwatch worth it?
For most of their history the answer has been “no” for most users, but the latest generation of smartwatches have changed that. Let’s explore whether modern smartwatches have done enough to justify their price.
Are Smartwatches Mature Enough?
Early smartwatches were full of compromises. Third-party app support has also been lacklustre, thanks to weak hardware and a small install base. One of the biggest problems was the lack of always-on displays. Older chip design and LCD technology was simply too power hungry for the watch to always show something on-screen. Which made smartwatches pretty bad at being actual watches!
Modern watches from companies like Apple and Samsung have largely solved these issues. New models use OLED technology and can slow down the screen refresh rate to single-digit hertz numbers. So you can both have an always-on watch face and a day or two of battery power. There’s also plenty of support from third-party app developers now. So we have no reservations about smartwatches
As a Health and Medical Device
One of the most compelling reasons a smartwatch is worth it is to help improve and maintain your health. Many smartwatches are marketed as advanced fitness trackers rather than smartwatches. This is probably one of the most important and practical reasons to buy one. Apple and Samsung, arguably the biggest smartwatch makers, have both developed excellent health software to go with their watches.
Smartwatches effectively help combat common modern issues such as being sedentary for too long or not watching what we eat. They offer a convenient and intuitive way to keep track of your food intake and how active you’re being.
Thanks to better sensors and more intelligent algorithms, smartwatches now have much more accurate estimations of step count and calorie burn.
There’s even more on the horizon. For example, the Galaxy Active 2 has an ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor built into it. Samsung is simply waiting on regulatory approval to activate it. This function along with smart fall sensors, could actually end up saving the life of frail or chronically ill users.
It could also serve as an early warning system for irregular heart beats, which can potentially lead to more serious health problems. In short, as of today and certainly in the future, smartwatches are valuable health devices and are worth it from that viewpoint alone.
Checking Messages and Taking Calls Is Much Easier
While it might sound like a minor thing, pulling your phone out of your pocket every time there’s a notification ding can be both tiring and time consuming. Most new smartwatches integrate notifications and messaging apps, syncing them with your phone.
This means you can quickly check incoming messages at the flick of your wrist, and decide whether fishing your phone out is worth the effort. You can also make basic text message replies, or leave voice notes in apps like WhatsApp or EverNote.
We’ve also found that answering calls on the watch itself is often the fastest and most convenient way to do it. Since the watch is always on your wrist, it’s inevitably the easiest place to pick up calls. Plus, as a bonus, you feel like Dick Tracy talking into your wrist!
Most smartwatches are also bluetooth compatible, so they let you take calls using a bluetooth headset.
Controlling Other Devices With a Smartwatch
As smartwatches have matured, it’s become evident that one of the best uses for a device you’re always wearing on your wrist is the remote control of other technology.
For example, you can download an app that acts as a universal TV remote for smart TVs. If you’re a Spotify subscriber, you can use the smartwatch Spotify application to control a Spotify app on another device. How about using your smartwatch as a remote trigger for your phone camera? These are all possibilities and developers are thinking up more every day.
Using a service such as IFTTT or Zapier, many smartwatch devices can be linked to other services with custom recipes. So you can integrate your smartwatch into your smart home system. For example, if your smart security camera detects movement you can receive a notification on your watch.
Modular Watch Faces Are Genuinely Useful
Most smartwatches have displays that show some sort of virtual watch face. You can usually swap these out for others either made by the 1st-party company or third-party creators.Sometimes you can get them for free and at other times some watch faces will cost a little money.
Being able to change the watch face on your smartwatch is probably one of the most underrated features. It’s not just about looks either, though that’s also a big reason to like them. After all, you can change the look and color of your watch face to match your current outfit or mood!
From a more practical perspective however, switching to different watch faces based on the information you need can be a huge help.
For example, when flying a drone, a watch face with live weather data such as wind speed is helpful. If you’re running, you might want to see your heart rate front and center.
When travelling, perhaps you want to see certain time zones displayed at the same time. With a smartwatch you can simply use the watchface that has the most useful information for your current needs and change back to something more general for everyday use when you’re done.
Smartwatches are Worth It, But Still Have Problems
While we think smartwatches are now both worth the money and properly useful gadgets, there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Battery life is probably the biggest issue. We’ve used several watches over the years and some with limited features may last up to a week. Top-end models like the Galaxy Active 2 will give you one to two days at most.
There’s also still quite a bit of fragmentation when it comes to smartwatch operating systems. Android Wear, Apple’s watchOS and Samsung Tizen are but three of the biggest names. If there are too many different smartwatch operating systems, it makes it hard for developers to cover them all.
Smartwatches also need to become more independent. At present they are still pretty much a smartphone accessory. Though models that can independently connect to mobile internet do exist. For now, a smartwatch isn’t all that useful once it’s no longer connected to a phone.
However, better hardware in future watches might lead them to a point where they can be a primary smart device for use cases such as navigation.
So, to answer the question of whether a smartwatch is worth it, we can say that they are objectively worth the money given their maturity and functionality. Whether they’re worth it to you will of course depend on if you think those functions are important or useful.
Either way, you don’t have to be worried about early-adopter headaches. These nifty gadgets have moved out of that phase of their development.
