After the geek era, it’s time for the connected watches style

You can love watches without worrying about knowing the exact time. This is even more true for connected watches than for classic watches. What’s the point of knowing such trivial data when your model can detect your heart arrhythmia or ask your voice assistant for the weather? Today, it is not uncommon to come across people dictating a text message on their wrist. Ridiculous, but so practical when your hands are busy with other things.

Now, the watch can even do without a smartphone. Some models connect to the network on their own. No need for bulky phones when you’re doing sports to calculate your average speed on a bike or run, or the number of calories burned. From the quality of your sleep to the number of steps you have taken during the day, connected watches are a dream for monitoring enthusiasts.

Often unsightly at first, connected watches are now trying to make people forget their geeky style. With a reduced thickness, some have all the external attributes of a traditional watch, like the one offered by the French company Withings. The big watchmakers, on the other hand, are having some difficulty in this market. “Mechanical watches are better off keeping an anachronistic look.suggests Arnaud Vidal, a watch consultant and former director of Zenith. Far from competing with them, connected watches will undoubtedly help evangelize young people by giving them the habit of wearing a watch on their wrist.”

Sporty- Garmin Venu

The first watch with an Amoled screen from the American specialist in connected watches, the Venu plays the sports card. No voice assistant or microphone. But with more than 20 integrated sports, from Pilates to swimming, it will be especially useful during your workouts. The GPS tracking is very accurate. It will also be possible to permanently monitor your stress level and the quality of your sleep.

Sportsman – Garmin Venu – Price: from 349,99 to 379,99 dollars. – Autonomy: more than 1 day. – The+: superb screen. – The-: austere software.

Competitive – Huawei Watch GT 2

A connected watch that looks like a classic watch. Targeted by U.S. sanctions, the Chinese manufacturer has abandoned the operating system of Google for a home system. The watch does not allow to download applications. It remains training programs and measurement of your heart rate, steps, stress, etc.. A good value for money but limited functionality.

Competitive – Huawei Watch GT 2 – Price: from 229,99 dollars to 249,99 dollars. – Autonomy: 2 weeks. – The+: significant autonomy. – The-: unable to reply to messages.

Intuitive – Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

Beautiful finishes and a real ease of use. Samsung succeeds in its evolution towards smart watches. The many sensors, heart rate monitor, GPS, barometer and gyroscope, offer a nice versatility. We navigate via a rotating ring touch on the edges of the watch. The design, sober and elegant, would almost make you forget its connected aspect. The only downside is the average battery life.

Intuitive – Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 – Price: from 234 to 309 dollars. – Autonomy: 2 days. – The+: Very good ergonomics. – The- : autonomy a little tight.

Cooperative – Fitbit Versa 2

A watch that looks like an Apple Watch with its square case, its Oled screen, but much less expensive. And Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, is integrated on the wrist. Practical for geeks. The American manufacturer produces a powerful watch, both in sports measurements and in receiving notifications. The only small disappointment: the lack of integrated GPS, which forces you to make do with the smartphone.

Cooperative – Fitbit Versa 2 – Price: from 199,95 to 229,95 dollars. – Autonomy: more than 5 days. – The+: accurate heart rate monitor. The-: limited application.

Exhaustive – Apple Watch Series 5

Thin edges, an Oled screen for a good reading comfort and an ergonomics that made the legend of the apple brand. This fifth version of the Apple Watch brings a real novelty for… reading the time. The watch is now permanently on so you can see the indexes and hands better. Of course, your Apple Watch still tracks your cardio, has GPS and now even an electrocardiogram.

Exhaustive – Apple Watch Series 5 – Price: from 449 dollars to 1 499 dollars. – Autonomy: 18 hours. – The+: most complete. – The-: compatible only with an iPhone.

“With some models, no need for a smartphone” Aurelia Scheller, director of telephony and connected objects at Fnac Darty.

“The connected watch market has become more feminized recently. At first, it was very masculine, both in design and functionality. Samsung and Garmin have released feminine models and new functions are appearing, for yoga for example. Watches are also becoming more and more autonomous. With some models, you no longer need a smartphone to connect. France is a bit behind because few operators offer a package compatible with the watch. But the arrival of 5G will accelerate this democratization.”