While the tech world zigzags its focus from AI to smart refrigerators, smartwatches stamp their relevance firmly into our wrists with every passing product launch. In the bustling market of 2024, companies have spun up a slew of new features and updates that could make even your tech-savvy grandma raise an eyebrow. From sophisticated hardware like the OnePlus Watch 2, making a grand return with its sleek design and dual-frequency GPS, to the software upgrades in watchOS 11 and Polar’s Vantage 3, the pace is relentless. Everyone’s just trying to out-feature each other at this point!
Navigating through the competitive turf, companies like Garmin introduced the more wallet-friendly Forerunner 165 while Samsung teased the masses with its Galaxy Watch FE, a direct rival to Apple’s budget version. The year witnessed other affordable gems like the Honor Band 7 and Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro which apparently decided, “Hey, let’s do the job without costing a fortune!” Meanwhile, OnePlus flexes its ‘comeback king’ muscles (yes, those exist now), once again proving you don’t have to sell your kidney for a good smartwatch.
In the ever-so-clichéd “what will they think of next” department, the tech giants haven’t pulled their punches for the latter half of 2024. The rumor mill churns with whispers of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 and Apple’s upcoming iteration marking the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, promising grander displays and newer tech to poke at (or poke back at you). And let’s not miss Google with its Pixel Watch 3 that hopes to be the belle of the ball at their August event. Here’s to hoping they put enough battery to last through the event itself.
**Hot Take**
2024, a year where our wrists might just become more powerful than our brains if the smartwatch trends have anything to say about it! Between secret agent-level gadgets and fitness tools that probably know you need a glass of water before you do – we’re strapping up for a wild ride. And who knows? Maybe next year, they’ll be able to beam us up to Mars or, at the very least, remind us where we left our keys. Stay tuned, or better yet, stay connected!
Original Article: https://www.techradar.com/tech/smartwatches-in-2024-the-biggest-launches-so-far-and-whats-coming-next