Smartwatches are a common sight in 2021 – you can’t leave the house without seeing someone wearing an Apple Watch, Garmin running watch, or Fitbit on their wrist. There’s no questioning they’ve hit the mainstream – you’re just as likely to see one on the wrist of an oiled up gym buff or social media influencer as you are a pale, skinny, slightly awkward IT worker. But it hasn’t always been this way…
I started writing about technology in 2015, just as the first generation Moto 360 was announced. It was around the same time smartphone innovation began to plateau, so the new category of ‘wearables’ came as a breath of fresh air. The Moto 360 wasn’t the first smartwatch available commercially, but it was the one that captured people’s attention – with a futuristic spaceship-like design and promise of a smartphone experience on your wrist. Being an early adopter, I desperately wanted one.