Since their rise into the mainstream market in 2014 there has always been a debate on the practicality of a smartwatch against a traditional analogue watch. Though the younger crowd prefer the smartwatches for several reasons, the older crowd still prefer the traditional analogue watch which doesn’t have Facebook (I know right, madness!)

In this article, we will look at the key points between both watches and find out what makes them both so unique.

First, we will explore 3 of the advantages of a smartwatch over an analogue watch.

• 1. Applications

Smartwatches have a perpetual library of applications and games, from something as simple as a calculator all the way up to doing your shopping on Amazon. A smart watch is essentially an extension of your phone.

• 2. Text and e-mail notifications 

Smartwatches connect to your mobile phone via Bluetooth. They not only notify you of incoming messages but will also display them and allow you to reply, all without even touching your mobile. Although a simple concept, it’s an absolute time saver and eliminates the need to check your phone every 5 minutes.

• 3. Easier to read

The Smartwatches are fitted with either an LCD screen or an OLED screen. Both of which have backlights to make the screen visible. If you need to check your watch at night time, it may be hard to see unless you have a watch with luminescent hands, but even then, it’s not immediately clear. With a smartwatch, the screen is lit up and ready to display all the information you need. Not so good if you wake up in the middle of the night, only to check the time and inadvertently blind yourself. With the customisable lock screen you can have any clock design you want.

These are only 3 of the many advantages of a Smartwatch, most of you will have read this as “argument settled, smartwatches are better”. However, there are many valid reasons why a lot of people prefer standard analogue watches.

• 1. Style

Although a smartwatch has many customisable options available it will still always be a black flat LCD screen, which can sometimes look pixelated when looked closely at. The dial of an analogue watch is designed specifically as the centre point of the watch. Designed to be easy on the eyes or to be captivating. 

• 2. Battery

Though it is true that most watches on the market are battery operated, the battery lasts much longer than a fully charged smartwatch battery. Even though the analogue watch batteries cannot be charged, they can last up to 2+ years, depending on which model. You can also get solar powered or automatic watches, which never need a battery replacement. These options are just not possible on a smartwatch, with their battery only lasting up to 24 hours (depending on model and usage). 

• 3. Purpose

The sole purpose of any watch is to tell the time, and that is exactly what an analogue watch does. It allows you to get your bearings with a quick glance at your wrist. Some might say “less is more”.

The smartwatches have more practicality then most devices out there, and rival your phones capabilities. How can an analogue possibly match that? The fact is, analogue watches don’t, because they don’t need to. A watch is a watch, it’s one and only purpose is to tell the time, that’s really it. You may be able to play games, check the news or do your online shopping. But can’t you do that on your phone or computer? Or maybe just pick up a newspaper? Just because a Smartwatch is the easy option doesn’t make it the only one.

These are just my views on the matter and nowhere near the end of the debate. I want to know your views, do you prefer the practicality of Smartwatch or the traditional aesthetics of an analogue? What are your thoughts on the debate?

Until next time, this is your friendly neighbourhood watch-man, signing out.