Sports watches are an ever-evolving accessory. From increased accuracy to more customizable display options, there’s always room for improvement as technology marches forward. Here are a few improvements that sports watch enthusiasts hope to see in the near future:
HR Sensors and Automated HR Zones
Most watches utilize a formula that we know isn't exact and it results in a lot of athletes trying to train by heart rate with inaccurate information. Of course, the bigger piece to this is ensuring that the optical HR monitor is functioning.
Between cadence lock, issues in cold weather and just inconsistency, the technology just isn't there yet. It would be a dream to see a jump in the technology for HR reading via the wrist because so many aren't going to invest in the chest strap to get more accurate data.
Customized Band Options
Often, the rubbery band that comes with the watch is uncomfortable and feels too plastic-like. Cloth or nylon bands are often more comfortable for many.
More sports watches should have a hot button option, so you can customize one of the buttons to immediately jump to a particular screen or function. Most athletes end up using their watches in two to three very specific ways, and don’t need to scroll through all the other stuff 90% of the time.
It would be great to see more sports watches designed in an elegant way that makes them look good when paired with dress clothing. More people want to just own one watch, rather than having their fitness wearables and upscale watches be two different things.
Longer Battery Life, Advanced Health Tracking, Intuitive and Customizable Interface
First, they desperately need longer battery life. Anyone doing super long events that last a day or more needs their watch to go the distance too.
Also, more advanced health tracking would be really useful, like the ability to accurately measure stress and recovery. And how cool would it be if the watch could use AI to give you personalized training and recovery tips? It definitely needs to [be] more durable while still staying comfortable and stylish. There are too many shattered watch faces from people adventuring in the great outdoors.
Finally, it would be awesome if the interface was more intuitive and customizable, with options to set up different displays and controls.
Sensors for a More Accurate Tracking of Distance
Regarding sports watches, an improvement in the sensors for a more accurate tracking of the distance you walk or run would be great. If you gesticulate a lot when talking with someone, it counts as steps, even if you are sitting and not moving. That could add hundreds of steps to your daily count that don't correspond to what you did.
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