You’ve heard of
a watch, right? And you’re likely fully aware of smartwatches, and how the two
differ. But you may have also read about hybrid smartwatches. Confused as to
what a hybrid watch does? We’re here to explain everything, from what a hybrid
smartwatch is and what they can do, to a few examples of the best out there.
What is a hybrid smartwatch?
A hybrid
smartwatch is a fusion between a regular mechanical watch and a smartwatch, in
that it combines some connected features with traditional watch mechanics. It
doesn’t have a touchscreen, doesn’t usually require charging up every day, and
doesn’t look like a piece of technology. It looks like a normal watch. If the
Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Sport, or touchscreen Android Wear watches like the
Emporio Armani Connected, don’t appeal because they don’t really look like
watches, then the hybrid is your gateway to the smartwatch world.
Show, don’t tell
The best way to
understand what a hybrid smartwatch does is to see and play around with one.
The above photo shows off the Fossil Q Crewmaster. We chose it as our example
because the design is based closely on an existing Fossil watch, which the
company chose to augment with smart connected features. You can see it has an
analog dial, traditional watch styling, and it’s slim and stylish.
It’s smart because
it has Bluetooth connectivity built-in, and it pairs with your smartphone
through an app. The app is available for iOS and Android, which means there’s a
high chance whatever phone you have works with the watch. It’s not like the
Apple Watch, which only works with the iPhone.
What does a hybrid smartwatch do?
The vast
majority of hybrid smartwatches share similar functionality. A hybrid watch
will track your steps, while the app works out calorie burn and activity time.
Some watches will also track your sleep, but it’s not as common considering
most people are unlikely to wear the watch 24-hours a day. The watch will alert
you of notifications on your phone with vibrations, and some kind of visual
hint about which app is alerting you.
The method for
notification alerts varies. Fossil, for example, makes the watch hands zip
around to point at a single number, which you designate to a certain app or
contact when you first set up the watch.
For example, if
email notifications are linked to the number 3, the hands will move to 3
o’clock on the watch and will linger there long enough for you to take a
glance. Other watches do it it different, such as the NYSW GTS Activity
Tracker, which has a dedicated sub-dial for notification alerts. Hybrid watches
from Guess and Martian have a small LCD screen for alerts.
You can also
expect features like alarms, world time zones, and a programmable button that
can be configured for different functions. This can include working as a remote
shutter for your phone’s camera, for music control, or to make your phone ring
in case you can’t find it.
Don’t expect
most hybrid smartwatches to run apps, have watch faces you can change, or
include more complex features like a heart rate sensor (though there are some
like the Nokia Steel HR).
No charging?
Because most
hybrid smartwatches don’t have a touchscreen, they don’t consume anywhere near
the same degree of energy as one that does. Paired with Bluetooth Low Energy, a
hybrid smartwatch can usually survive on a coin-cell battery, and therefore
doesn’t require nightly charging.
The battery can
last up to six months before it needs replacing, which can be done at home, and
for a very low price. This makes hybrid smartwatches perfect for anyone that
wants to avoid owning yet another device to recharge every day.
Anything else?
Because a hybrid
smartwatch doesn’t deviate very far from traditional watch styling and design,
you get many of the benefits associated with mechanical watches. Almost all are
water resistant, and usually down to at least 5ATM (underwater up to 50
meters), not just a simple IP68 rating (limited to about 1.5 meters), and the
standard size lugs mean you can pick and choose your own straps. Also, because
the designs are more watch-like, there’s greater choice for women in the hybrid
smartwatch world.
Finally, because
hybrid smartwatches aren’t as technically complex as a full smartwatch, they’re
often much cheaper.
Bluetooth
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