Smartwatch Roundup: Wearables on the Market Now and on the Horizon

by Don Reisinger

OK, let’s just get this one out of the way: Apple is expected to unveil the long-rumored iWatch at its Sept. 9 event, where it will also show off the iPhone 6. The iWatch is arguably the most anticipated smartwatch we know about right now and could be the difference maker that turns the niche smartwatch space into a major market. But here’s the problem: There’s no telling what’s coming and whether it will live up to the hype.

The LG G Watch is having some trouble getting out of the long shadow cast by Samsung’s bevy of smartwatches. The device runs Android Wear and comes with an “always-on” display that provides information on the screen without ever requiring users to touch it. While the G Watch is affordable at $229, it lacks the flair found in other devices, like Motorola’s Moto 360, which might make it a tough sell to smartwatch buyers.

The Moto 360 is arguably the best-looking Android Wear device on the market right now. The Motorola smartwatch comes with a round display, making it quite unlike the rectangular-screened smartwatches found elsewhere in the space. The Moto 360 has received all kinds of attention, but whether that will translate to impactful sales remains to be seen.

Although Samsung has opted to stick with its Tizen open-source operating system for most of its wearables, the company decided to market its Gear Live smartwatch as a Google Android Wear device. That offering comes with a full-color screen that’s capable of handling both outdoor and indoor environments. Best of all, it’s just $199.

Pebble Technology’s Pebble smartwatch gained fame quickly, thanks at least in part to the fact that the company raised part of its funding via a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign. This allowed the company to get some market recognition despite the fact that it doesn’t have the marketing and advertising of its bigger competitors. The Pebble is still available and a viable smartwatch for those who just want a solid smartwatch that can tell the time, handle notifications and be able to be used reliably day and night.

The Gear S is the latest entrant from Samsung into the smartwatch market. The device has a 2-inch Super AMOLED display and runs the aforementioned Tizen operating system. Perhaps its biggest selling point, however, is that it comes with a beautiful curved design and allows users to both receive and place calls from the smartwatch. The calling feature is currently unique to the Gear S, which sets it apart in an increasingly crowded market.

Like the Gear S, the Gear 2 comes with Samsung’s Tizen operating system. The device, which retails for $300, comes with a 1.6-inch display but doesn’t support the same calling features as its bigger brother. Still, the Gear 2 makes up for that with a solid design and full support for other Samsung’s devices. Those who strongly favor Samsung products will probably like what they find in the Gear 2.

No surprise here, but Sony is also competing in the smartwatch space with a device bearing the less than novel name of SmartWatch. The device is fully compatible with Android smartphones and allows users to seamlessly connect to a wide range of Sony services, as well as third-party applications like Twitter.

Since the beginning of the year, HTC has been saying that it will introduce a smartwatch. There’s just one problem: So far, that hasn’t happened. However, a steady murmur of rumors has been heard recently suggesting that a device going by the name of the HTC One Wear will appear in the coming weeks. It’s believed that the One Wear will have a round screen like the Moto 360, making it a real contender in the Android Wear space.

Martian is arguably making the best-looking smartwatch on the market. The device allows users to choose their straps of choice and see the time with a standard clock. Underneath that, however, is a digital area that handles notifications and communication with attached devices. The Martian is by no means the leader in the smartwatch space, but it’s certainly one of the more interesting new contenders.