{"id":45657,"date":"2022-08-15T03:58:42","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T03:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/apple-and-samsung-need-better-smartwatch-controls-to-win-over-athletes\/"},"modified":"2022-08-15T03:58:42","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T03:58:42","slug":"apple-and-samsung-need-better-smartwatch-controls-to-win-over-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/apple-and-samsung-need-better-smartwatch-controls-to-win-over-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple and Samsung need better smartwatch controls to win over athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"
Earlier this week, Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It’s Samsung’s most durable smartwatch ever and at Unpacked it was clear that the company intends the watch to appeal to outdoor athletes. Apple also revealed at WWDC that watchOS 9 will feature a ton of new running metrics, adding fuel to rumors that a rugged Apple Watch may be on the way. It’s clear that both companies are looking to lure in users from the Garmin and Polar crowd \u2014 but aside from battery life and durability, there’s another obstacle that could derail these efforts. touchscreens.<\/p>\n
For better or worse, Apple and Samsung have relied on touchscreen navigation on their smartwatches. That’s fine for casual exercise, or for the average person who isn’t traversing all sorts of terrain with extreme temperatures. It’s not going to cut it for the outdoor enthusiasts both companies are aiming at with these \u201cPro\u201d watches.<\/p>\n
I’ve been testing the regular 40mm Galaxy Watch 5, and while it’s not the exact same, the Pro is essentially a bigger, hardier version of the Watch 5. When it comes to UI, they share the same design DNA. That concerns me. On the few runs I’ve gone on with the Watch 5 far, it’s been challenging to swipe through screens mid-stride. That’s because it’s August and as the famous Santana song goes, man, it’s a hot one. I’ve got sweaty fingers and sometimes I need to hit pause so that I can rehydrate. To do that, I have to stop and wipe off my hands just so I can swipe right and tap the pause button. Sounds simple enough, but it’s not easy when the humidity is thick enough that it feels like you’re swimming in soup.<\/p>\n