The global smartphone market is developing at a healthy pace – it was up 10.5% in Q1 this year compared to the same period last year. In more concrete numbers, 45.6 million units were shipped in the first three months of 2025, of which 34.8 million were smartphones, the other 10.8 million were smart bands.
This week we wanted to ask you – do you have a smartwatch or smart band? Let’s include smart rings in this too.
They are designed to be perfect companions to your smartphone – must-have companions, if marketing is to be believed. There are several distinct categories that can serve different needs. Some are capable enough to replace a phone in many situations, others just serve as a sports/health tracker.
Smart wearables come in different shapes and sizes
Then again, your smartphone already has a clock and a step counter on it, which is enough for some people. Why spend extra money and get the extra hassle of yet another device that needs charging?
Charging is a pain point for wearables. The more capable ones running Google’s Wear OS or Apple’s watchOS are one camera short of being full smartphones, but they need charging every day or two. Less capable devices still offer plenty of functionality and can last a week – some can go as long as a month.
So, first question – do you have a smartwatch and what kind is it?
If you don’t have a watch yet, are you planning on getting one? Or if you do have one, will you be upgrading it before the end of the year?
Leave us a comment with your thoughts on smartwatches, bands and rings below.
