Best smartwatches to look forward to in 2016

To hear watch without the word smart in front of it will soon be indicative of a heirloom description. Even luxury watch brands have embraced smartwatches with some exciting announcements having already been made this year and more set to come.

In 2015, we saw Apple finally take the plunge into the smartwatch market, Pebble hit us with not one but three new smartwatches in one year alone, and LG dive even further into the pool with yet another smarter offering. So what else do we have to look forward to? Well, there are plenty of devices left to keep an eye out for.

It seems 2015 was the year of intelligent wrist adornment and chances are, 2016 will continue the trend, so here are all the best smartwatches to look forward to in 2016. We have included devices that have been announced but are not yet available to buy, as well as a few rumoured timepieces for good measure.

Pocketnow

HTC One smartwatch

Rumours that HTC is making a smartwatch have been circulating for some time now. Last year, it was thought the Taiwanese company would launch the Petra smartwatch at Mobile World Congress, but nothing ever appeared. The rumours then suggested the design was being changed to a round model that would apparently appear in 2016.

Since then, serial leaker Evan Blass has shared on Twitter that the HTC smartwatch “should be out mid-April”, suggesting it might launch with the next flagship – the M10. There aren’t many other details at the moment but perhaps 2016 will be the year HTC hops on the smartwatch bandwagon.

READ MORE The Pocket-lint Guide to smartwatch etiquette 

Pocket-lint

Apple Watch 2

Apple announced the Apple Watch in September of 2014, releasing it for sale in April of 2015 but rumours have already started circulating for a second generation of the iOS-specific smartwatch.

The Apple Watch 2, as we are calling it for now, has been rumoured to be unveiled at an event on 15 March, with suggestions it will go on sale in June 2016, or the second quarter of 2016. It will apparently come with the same design as the original with the same rectangular screen size options, screen resolutions, and body, which might mean current straps might remain compatible.

Word has it new materials might come for the second generation however, and it is thought it will also sport a front-facing video camera (located near the top of the display) that will allow for proper FaceTime calls. Improved wireless capabilities have also been touted.

READ MORE Apple Watch 2: What’s the story so far?

Pocket-lint

Guess Connect (2016)

Guess announced the Guess Connect smartwatch last year at CES. It looked like the traditional Guess Rigor watch but added a notification bar at the bottom of the face, powered by Martian. The company announced there would be several new designs of the Guess Connect appear for 2016, including a leopard print design and a new, smarter option.

In addition to the new colours and styles of the original Guess Connect however, the company is also planning to launch an entirely new model, which will again be powered by Martian. The new watch will focus more on looking like a normal watch, adding just an LED notifier light within the watch housing instead. There are plenty of styles coming with the new model arriving in November.

READ MORE These are the new Guess Connect watches and they are amazing

LG

LG Watch Urbane 2

LG’s second generation of its Watch Urbane offers a full range of wireless connections, including 4G and 3G meaning it will be able to make and receive calls, operating independently of your connected smartphone.

The LG Watch Urbane 2 expands the P-OLED display to 1.38-inches, 348ppi, and is powered by the standard Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, with 768MB RAM. There’s 4GB of internal storage, should you wish to keep your music offline, and GPS for tracking your runs and so on.

The LG Watch Urbane second edition will be compatible with Android and iOS devices and it will be available in Space Black, Opal Blue, Luxe White and Signature Brown, which refers to the strap colour options.

LG launched the watch before pulling it almost immediately after issues with the display. It has now been confirmed the Watch Urbane 2 hasn’t been cancelled and will make a reappearance in the second half of 2016 so eyes peeled for this one.

READ MORE LG Watch Urbane 2 revealed 

Pocket-lint

Haier Watch

White-good manufacturer Haier announced its move into wearables at Mobile World Congress 2016 with the Haier Watch that sports full-blown Android 6.0 Marshmallow rather than Android Wear.

The Haier Watch comes with multiple watch faces and sports Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB of storage and a 1.4-inch display with a 400 x 400 resolution and no flat tyre. The 42mm casing is built from 316L stainless steel and it features an integrated speaker, as well as the ability to be used as an MP3 player. There is also a microphone on board.

Additionally, the Haier Watch has heart rate tracking, activity tracking and it is IP65 water resistant. It will be available in April and pricing is expected to be around €200.

READ MORE Haier Watch: Full Android 6.0 Marshmallow on your wrist

Sammobile

Samsung SM-R150

It looks like Samsung might be working on its next-generation activity tracker if images revealed by Tizen Cafe and later republished by Sammobile are anything to go by. The device is said to be going by the name of Triathlon internally but known by the model number SM-R150 and it appears to look similar to the Gear S2 with a round face and rotating bezel.

Based on the leaked images, it looks like the SM-R150 will feature a heart-rate sensor, something to count workout repetitions, a way to track water intake and some kind of body fat measurement ability. There also seems to be a way to attach the device to your chest.

Huawei

Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant

Yes, we know the Huawei Watch has already been announced and is currently available to buy – here we are now referring to a couple of women’s models that were announced at CES 2016. The Chinese manufacturer has teamed up with Swarovski to produce the Huawei Watch Jewel and Huawei Watch Elegant.

The Jewel is all about the bling with crystals surrounding the face, while the Elegant model opts for a knurled pattern instead. Both models have genuine Italian leather straps in pearl white and sapphire blue and they both come with 40 pre-loaded faces like the original model, as well as a heart rate sensor and motion sensors for fitness tracking. You will find 10 exclusive feminine watch faces on the new models however. They will be available in March.

It has also been rumoured that the Chinese company has also started working on a second generation of the watch, which has been scheduled to arrive in the second half of the year. If this is the case, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it launch at IFA. The second-generation is rumoured to possibly offer a cellular version but take that with pinch of salt for now.

READ MORE Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant make Android Wear sparkle

Pocket-lint

Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10

Casio announced its first smartwatch at CES 2016 in the form of the Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10. It runs on Android Wear but it is a little more rugged than its competition with water-resistance up to 50 metres and MSL-STD-810 military compliance. 

There is a 1.32-inch screen on board offering a resolution of 320 x 300 and a choice between monochrome and full-colour mode. The Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 comes complete with a pressure sensor, compass and accelerometer, with users able to check altitude, air pressure, tide graphs and activity, among other things.

The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 comes in black, orange, red and army green colour options, will cost around $500 and will be available un the US in April.

READ MORE Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 first impressions

Pocket-lint

Fossil Q54 Pilot

Fossil announced an addition to its Q range of smartwatches at CES 2016 in the form of the Q54 Pilot. The new device joins the Q Founder and the Q Grant and it has been designed on the original Pilot 54, bringing the case, movement and stainless steel build with it but adding smart technology.

The Q54 Pilot combines Intel Innovation and motion sensors, offering step tracking, calories-burned monitoring and filtered LED colour-coded and vibrations for notifications. A Fossil Q app update means users will be able to choose from three vibration patters to differentiate between notifications and step counting has also been enhanced.

The Fossil Q54 Pilot will be available for between $175 and $215 in the Spring.

READ MORE Fossil Q54 Pilot announced

Pocket-lint

Martian Kindred vip

Martian Watches announced the Kindred vip watch at CES 2016, featuring a 38mm face set in a stainless steel case that comes in a range of colours. There are two collections – CL and SP – with the former designed for smart occasions and the latter for the more athletic-minded apparently.

Both collections have a LED light for notifications and a vibration motor. Through the Martian Smart mVip app, you can set seven lights and various vibration patterns to help you differentiate between notifications. Two batteries are on board, one for the analogue movement and one for the smarts. The Martian Kindred vip launches in August 2016 with a starting price of $195.

READ MORE Martian Kindred vip first impressions 

Movado

Movado Bold Motion

HP has announced a partnership with watchmaker Movado to create their first smartwatch called Bold Motion. Movado is bringing the fashion and analogue design while HP is offering the tech smarts.

Bold Motion will be a 44mm stainless steel device with a black PVD finished bezel that features a round-faced with one button and a crown dial. The watch will be waterproof up to 50 metres, which the black silicone strap will also handle without a problem.

Inside the smartwatch, HP has packed in its own hardware and software and the Bold Motion will work with iOS and Android smartphones for notifications. On top of the usual watch functions such as time and date, there are vibrating notifications for calls, emails, texts and social media updates, as well as calendar appointments. The watch will also automatically adjust to new time zones and act as an activity tracker.

The HP Movado Bold Motion will cost $795 and arrive in time for Christmas.

READ MORE Movado announces Bold Motion

Pocket-lint

Blocks

Blocks, a modular smartwatch, is nearing the final stages of its Kickstarter campaign so we can expect the device to appear in the first half of 2016. Although the design still hasn’t reached final phase, the latest version is far more market ready than previous we have seen.

The company is working with Compal to produce the modular watch, which will feature a sleek round finish and single button. Thanks to reaching two Kickstarter goals, it will be offering Gorilla Glass protection and an AMOLED display rather than TFT.

The clasp has been redesigned, with the final model set to feature a pop and clip clasp that allows it to be resized to fit any wearer’s wrist. There will also be a bespoke OS on board that will launch with around 20 Blocks apps, along with more from partners.

Under the hood, it should offer the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, a 400mAh battery, an accelerometer and gyroscopic sensors for motion detection. Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, haptic feedback and voice controls will also be onboard. Unlike other watches, the modules will allow for upgrades to the basic design.

The first Blocks smartwatch units will begin shipping in May 2016. There are options to buy alone or with module units as part of a package and pricing starts at $195 on Kickstarter.

READ MORE Blocks modular smartwatch hands on

Pocket-lint

Sony Wena

Sony announced the the Wena smartwatch in the run up to IFA under its First Flight crowdfunding platform, which is part of the Seed Acceleration Program that features other products such as last-years FES Watch.

The Sony Wena approaches things a little differently to the current smartwatch offering, integrating the smart features into the metal bracelet rather than the watch face. It looks every bit like a traditional analogue watch, but the Sony Wena smartwatch has three functions.

It monitors activity through a range of sensors, delivers notifications through a customisable seven-colour LED light and vibrations, and it can perform e-payments thanks to an NFC chip. The Sony Wena smartwatch will go on sale in Japan in March 2016, but there is currently no confirmation for the rest of the world.

READ MORE Sony Wena hands-on

Vogue

Gucci and will.i.am smartband

Gucci and will.i.am collaborated to announce a fashion smartband at Baselworld 2015, which has been in the making since 2011. The smartband is a standalone device, like will.i.am’s Puls that was announced a few months before and the Gucci offering appears to be a fashionable version of it.

It is 3G enabled, voice controlled and it will come with a front-facing camera, along with a heart rate monitor, temperature sensor and GPS. Battery life wasn’t mentioned but if it follows the same path as the Puls, it might be built into the strap.

The Gucci will.i.am smartband will be able to make and receive calls, texts and emails, as well as store music, maps, calendars and track your activity. No pricing or release date information has been provided yet but we will update this feature when we know more. 

READ MORE Gucci and will.i.am unveil fashion smartband 

Tissot smartwatch

Tissot smartwatch

Tissot used Baselworld 2015 to show off a working prototype of its smartwatch that features Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. The smartwatch was housed inside the head of a T-Touch Solar Expert and it will use Bluetooth to connect to an outdoor weather station that will come with the watch.

The station will measure altitude, barometric pressure, temperature and humidity more accurately that if it was built into the watch says the company. You’ll also be able to attach small sensors to items like phones and keys, which the watch will then be able to connect to and direct you to them using its hands as the navigation pointers.

While the Tissot smartwatch is still in prototype phase at the moment, the company hoped to have it finished before the end of 2015 but it has yet to appear so eyes peeled for now.

READ MORE Tissot unveils smartwatch

Bulgari

Bulgari Diagono Magnesium

The Bulgari Diagono Magnesium concept was revealed at Baselworld 2015 and it is claimed to be a luxury timepiece “completely opposite” from other “so-called” connected watches. The company says it is 100 per cent Swiss and NFC-enabled.

The Diagono Magnesium was described as a self-winding, mechanical watch that apparently works with a protected electronic passport called Luxury Wrist Vault. The passport app is said to have a range of possibilities including making payments, logging in securely to a digital community, opening doors and starting your car engine.

Pricing, specs and a release date have yet to be detailed so whether we will see it this year or not is still to be confirmed.

New Balance

New Balance smartwatch

Athletics company New Balance has created a Digital Sport division that will be focusing on devices and embedded technology. The first product will be an Android Wear smartwatch but details are thin on the ground at the moment.

It has been said that the New Balance smartwatch allow runners to track routes with GPS as well as run with music without needing the help of an accompanying smartphone but that’s pretty much all we know at the moment. New Balance has said the smartwatch will be launching by the end of 2016, so we might be waiting a while.

READ MORE New Balance outlines Android Wear running watch plans