I like my Apple Watch, however I want it wasn’t so sensible. If I might design my excellent smartwatch, it might look tremendous “dumb,” however elegant, and have all of the sensors that the Apple Watch has.

I used to find it irresistible, however now I hate being at all times accessible

Typically I don’t wish to know I bought a textual content or e-mail

Man using Apple Watch showcasing apps on the watch face Credit score: DenPhotos/Shutterstock.com

I’ve grown up within the digital age, a time when everyone seems to be reachable always. I, too, have been reachable always. Nearly each job I’ve held, I had some type of work communication on my telephone and would keep in contact with bosses or coworkers about work-related issues all through the day, even after I wasn’t on the clock—it’s simply how the tradition is.

In early 2025, I stopped wearing my Apple Watch at home, and it was among the best selections I had ever made. Later in 2025, I uninstalled “work” apps from my telephone, like Slack and Asana. Each of these selections fully modified my life. Why? As a result of I used to be lastly in management once more of who might contact me and when.

The issue is, I began figuring out for the primary time in years towards the top of 2025, and that meant I used to be sporting my Apple Watch much more once more. Positive, I nonetheless didn’t have these work apps on my telephone, however I turned “at all times accessible” in different methods once more, and I hate it.

I exploit my Apple Look ahead to monitoring health greater than anything

I began sporting my Apple Watch once more, however just for health monitoring

Apple Watch Series 8 tracking a traditional strength training workout. Credit score: Tim Brookes / How-To Geek

Whereas I began sporting my Apple Watch once more for health causes, sporting the Apple Watch nonetheless brings the identical baggage with it—notifications, dings, faucets, and feeling like it’s essential to reply the second your wrist vibrates.

Whereas I do know in my head that I don’t should, the compulsion remains to be there. I do know that I can flip off all notifications on the Apple Watch, and I’ve turned most off, however I maintain issues like textual content on as a result of then I can see if my spouse texts me.

If I wasn’t doing every day walks and monitoring my steps, I wouldn’t be sporting my Apple Watch anymore, even after I go away the home. Sadly, years in the past after I went all-in on Apple Watch, I left my conventional watches within the mud. I nonetheless have them, someplace, however I don’t put on them—and I gained’t return to sporting them, both.

The health monitoring capabilities of the Apple Watch are simply too good to not use, and that’s an issue. Nothing actually exists that integrates as deeply because the Apple Watch on the health aspect of issues, however with the standard design that I need.

My excellent smartwatch existed years in the past, however was by no means perfected

The Withings ScanWatch 2 ticks virtually all of my bins

Withings has lengthy made a normal-looking smartwatch that options a variety of well being monitoring capabilities, however it’s nonetheless a bit too techy for my liking if I’m going with a non-Apple Watch. The ScanWatch is a good piece of tech with a bit of stylish retro styling due to the handbook dial face.

The issue is, it nonetheless has an excessive amount of tech in it. There’s nonetheless a display, which signifies that notifications will nonetheless be an issue. In relation to tech, I’m an all or nothing sort of man. If the tech is there to make use of, I’m going to make use of it.

So, my excellent smartwatch is one thing like a Withings ScanWatch 2, however with no digital display. Fossil made the Grant Q, which is principally what I’m searching for, however the software program assist was by no means all that nice.

I need Apple to deal with this, however I doubt they ever will. A smartwatch that has a chic conventional face, no display, however all of the sensor tech that the Apple Watch presents is strictly what I need, however I’m afraid I’ll by no means get it.

Extra firms ought to concentrate on the watch expertise

There was a time when firms centered extra on the expertise that you simply had with a product than they did on getting you hooked on the product itself. At one time, Fb and Twitter (now X) had chronological timelines by default, as a substitute of hiding these behind layers of menus. These timelines allowed you to do what the websites had been made for: sustain with pals.

Years in the past, I’d verify my Twitter feed very first thing within the morning by utilizing a third-party app I used to be on the group for. The app would keep in mind the place you final had been on the timeline, after which let you scroll to the current time. So, I’d scroll by the individuals I adopted, work together with them, after which transfer on with my day.

Now, the algorithms are designed to maintain you hooked for hours on finish, and smartwatches are simply a part of that method. A smartwatch is extra about the way it can deliver you again to your telephone than simply to be a approach to inform time and monitor health metrics, and I actually hope that adjustments sometime.

  • Apple Watch Series 11

    Coronary heart Price Monitor

    Sure

    Shade Display

    Sure

    The Apple Watch Sequence 11 presents the power to sense hypertension and a sleep rating much like many well being app rivals.


  • Model

    Withings

    Coronary heart Price Monitor

    Sure

    The Withings ScanWatch is a hybrid smartwatch with an array of smartphone-connected options.



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