I’ve been using the same Apple Watch since 2021, and while it looks as good as day one, it’s time for an upgrade. Whenever I shop for a new electronic device, I ensure it has all the features I need. For a smartwatch in 2024, these features are non-negotiable.
1 Fast Charging
Wearables should be compact and always ready to go. If your smartwatch is overly bulky or has poor battery life, it can get in the way more than you’d imagine. The solution to this is support for fast charging.
Being able to top up your smartwatch’s battery in an hour or so gives you the perfect window to get ready for your day or give your wrist a breather from having a watch strapped on it all day.
The Apple Watch Series 7 was the first smartwatch Apple shipped with support for fast charging. Despite using the Series 7 since 2021, it’s still on my wrist from one morning to the next when I take it off for about an hour, where I spend time getting ready.
When I switched to the Galaxy Watch 4 briefly, its slow charging immediately became a dealbreaker, as each session needed at least an hour and a half to go from 20 to 100 percent.
2 24×7 Sleep Tracking
All-day sleep tracking is something that some manufacturers figured out from the get-go. Unfortunately, Apple Watch users have had to set up a Sleep Focus schedule to capture sleep data. However, this changed when Apple unveiled watchOS 11 and its features at WWDC 2024.
It’s a feature I sorely missed while I didn’t have it because it’s great to keep tabs on when I’ve had a short, unplanned snooze. And I’ve often backtracked to see if it was long working hours the night before or just a poor night of sleep.
I function better on a routine, and from general observation and the data my smartwatches have provided, I know that being a night owl doesn’t work for me. A value add like this makes all-day sleep tracking a must.
3 Always-On Display
While many may write off an always-on display as a battery hog or unnecessary on a smartwatch, for somebody who wants to keep track of their workout time at the gym and keep tabs on a productive work session, having the ability to glance over at my wrist and seeing data is vital.
I try to maximize the impact of a workout by spending more time under tension during any exercise; for this, I look at my watch to see how many seconds I spend during a set. Not having an always-on display would mean looking for a clock or my spotter to keep track. Minor things like these make always-on displays a staple on smartwatches in my eyes.
4 Auto-Detect for Workouts
Continuing on this track of wellness-related features, the ability to auto-detect workouts is another must-have on smartwatches.
There are times I’ve found myself starting a run when listening to a podcast or a YouTube video. On days when I forget to start and customize my running workout, auto-detect for workouts comes in clutch. It ensures I track my run and don’t miss out on any metrics.
And not to forget, if you’re trying to keep yourself accountable, even if it’s for a daily walk, auto-detect is a great way to ensure it is tracked and recorded without fail.
5 Interactive Notifications
Next on the list is interactive notifications. For many users, a smartwatch serves as an extension of their smartphone. I fall into this bucket, too.
While I don’t have the widest range of notifications activated, for the ones I’ve kept around, I like being able to respond via my watch in full detail—or at least the ability to acknowledge them. A fleshed-out interaction system for notifications makes things simpler.
6 Bands That Are Easy to Change
Last on the list is a system that allows you to swap watch straps or bands easily. A smartwatch needs to be comfortable to wear, and the simplest way to change how it feels on your wrist is to try a different band—not to forget the right band can also act as a style piece to tie together an outfit. The Apple Watch excels in this aspect, and it’s hard to leave that behind when I purchase my next smartwatch.
Smartwatches are here to stay, and they’re only getting better year after year. But if I want to buy a smartwatch today or in the near future, it should have all the features I listed above; otherwise, it’s a dealbreaker as the experience won’t feel complete.
