Cheaper Apple Watch Alternatives That Don’t Require an iPhone
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Pebble/Martian/Motorola(NEW YORK) — Apple is making wearing a watch cool again — and that’s good news for competitors.
While the Apple Watch easily ascended to the top spot in the wearables market, according to analysts, its arrival is good news for competitors.
“It’s a rising tide,” Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told ABC News. “If you can’t afford the entry fee then there are lots of other alternatives that are available.”
Whether its cost, compatibility or battery life that is keeping you from the Apple Watch, here are four alternatives that are worth trying:
Martian Notifier
This $129 wearable looks like an analog watch, but has smart features built in that are compatible with both iOS and Android phones. After downloading the Martian Notifier app, wearers can route notifications to their wrist, including calls, texts, Facebook alerts, Twitter, their calendar, fitness stats, sports scores and more.
The one line display on the watch face offers a basic smart watch experience with glanceable moments.
“I think they are kind of a more fun, more entry level smart watch alternative for people who don’t want to make a big investment,” Wood said.
Pebble Time Steel
Beginning as a Kickstarter project that raised $10 million in 2012, Pebble has become one of the top smart watch makers on the market, winning over users with its low price point and up to seven days of battery life. Their latest offering, the Pebble Time Steel, is a dressier offering from the original wearable and starts at $199. While the device doesn’t run on Android Wear or iOS, Pebble has the benefit of having a strong developer following.
The result: Users can expect plenty of third party apps covering everything from fitness to weather.
Moto 360
A sleek look and a round face makes the Moto 360 one of the more fashionable wearables on the market, with a price point beginning at $249.99. (That’s $100 less than the entry level Apple Watch Sport.)
Timely information such as flight delays is delivered to your wrist when you need to see it, while the wearable also boasts other features to compete with the Apple Watch, including voice control and fitness tracking.
While the looks and the price are both positives, the biggest downside for this Android device is battery life. Several reviews complain the battery doesn’t always hold a full day’s charge when it’s heavily used.
LG’s G Watch R
Like the Moto 360, the LG G Watch R is one of the many devices that run on the Android Wear platform. A sporty round watch face can turn from a classic analog display to a computer on your wrist when needed.
Starting around $300, the watch is a more expensive Android Wear offering, however its full functionality and style make it one of the most appealing.
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