A lot of good things happened in the world of smartwatches this year, from the Pixel Watch finally getting two sizes to the first Fan Edition of the Galaxy Watch. However, there is still work to be done and these are my three big wishes.
Better battery life
It's a wishlist item for almost every tech device with a battery, but if smartwatches could last longer, that would be greatly appreciated.
Far too many still last a day or awkwardly a second and as I discovered with my review of the Apple Watch Series 10. This just means I'm walking around with a not-so-good clipboard strapped to my wrist.
OnePlus has proven that more impressive battery life can be achieved, mainly thanks to its innovative dual-motor setup seen on the OnePlus Watch 2R – our favorite smartwatch of 2024. More smartwatch makers should adopt this type of technology and develop other ways to extend battery life.
Whether it's with more efficient chips, better batteries, or better software, or ideally all of the above, I don't mind.
Mike Sawh
More choices
It has been improved in 2024, but there is still work to be done in terms of choice.
And I'm mainly talking about sizes, although more colors and materials are always welcome, although I understand that the more SKUs, the more complicated manufacturing becomes.
Google finally fixed the problem with the Pixel Watch 3, which came in 41 and 45mm sizes, but many smartwatches still only come in one size.
I point the finger at OnePlus and even Samsung with certain Galaxy Watch models.
Of course, it's not as essential as getting the right smart ring size, but different wrist sizes and preferences demand a choice. Simple as.
A cheaper Pixel Watch
A more specific request to complete my list is addressed to Google. It's time to create a budget-friendly smartwatch and give the Pixel Watch the A-series treatment that we've seen work so well on Pixel phones and headphones.
Sure, it may have cheaper materials and a reduced feature list compared to the Pixel Watch 3 and the upcoming Pixel Watch 4, but I know plenty of people who are happy to make those compromises.
Not everyone can afford a flagship smartwatch and, like the choice of size, consumers also deserve to be able to choose the price, without buying the previous generation and the downsides of that.
Find out why I wish Google would make a Pixel Watch Series A. It would also be nice if Motorola got back into the smartwatch game (in the UK).
