We live in a world that is constantly being reshaped by the slew of technological innovations made available to us. Technology has come such a long way that the latest smartphones dwarf the technology used to send humanity to the moon. Not only have we made technological advancements that push the limitations of what’s possible, but we’ve also done it in a way that makes these new technologies more mobile than ever before.

One great example of this is the multitude of smartwatches available today. Companies such as Apple and Samsung have produced wearable technology that provides drastic quality of life changes by integrating the watch’s various functions into our daily lives. Indeed, these watches do way more than just tell the time.

Compact Technology

Wearable technology has been on the rise in recent years. This is due to the onset of the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is a network of objects such as watches, televisions, and phones that are connected to the internet and to each other in hopes of making life more convenient for its users.

Now, one of the things that have paved the way for the IoT are the innovations in printed circuit board (PCB) design, which have improved features like flexibility and mobility. This is most evident in the popularity of rigid-flex PCBs, which link multiple boards together in one unit to make them more adaptable to odd packaging. This is because the rigid-flex design allows for the board to be folded which in turn allows for unorthodox board shapes that are perfect for wearable devices such as watches.

Do More Than Just Tell Time

While it can still tell the time like normal watches, smartwatches can do much more. In fact, traditional watches are dropping in popularity as most people now use their smartphone to check the time. So what can these smartwatches do?

Well, one of the most common functions of a smartwatch is the fitness tracker. Most of these watches come with a pedometer that records the number of steps you’ve taken in a day along with the number of calories burnt. Some smartwatches even come with a heart rate and sleep tracker so you can have a better idea of the status of your health without a full medical check-up. You can also sync the smartwatch to your smartphone, which will then allow you to reply to messages and receive calls without having to pull out your phone.

Full Integration

Speaking of syncing it to your phone, smartwatches can also be fully integrated with your other devices and apps. Due to their growing popularity, most, if not all services that you get on a normal smartphone are also available on a smartwatch.

Various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp send notifications straight to your smartwatch so that you’ll never miss anything. This becomes especially useful during activities where you may not have your phone on you, such as when you’re in the gym or even when you’re swimming, as many smartwatches offer a waterproof variation for those of us who cannot afford to miss any messages. Indeed, the smartwatch has gone a long way to making us more connected than ever before.
Post written by Myrtis Royal