Smartwatches may not be cool anymore. 
 
 Worldwide sales plunged 52% in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, according to a report by the market analysis company IDC. 
 
 "It has become evident that at present smartwatches are not for everyone," said Jitesh Ubrani, a senior research analyst. 
 
 In all, makers of smartwatches sold 2.7 million of them in the third quarter, compared with 5.6 million at the same time last year. Apple (AAPL) sold just 1.1 million of its Apple Watches in the quarter, compared with 3.9 million a year earlier -- a 72% decline. 
 
 Consumers may not want to spend a lot of money on a smartwatch, essentially a mini-computer that will need replacing every few years, and many smartwatches still lack certain features, like the ability for wearers to answer email. 
 
 Luxury brands like Kate Spade and Armani are getting into the market with hybrids that look more like analog watches, have longer-lasting batteries and are slimmer because they don't have computer processors. 
 
 Analysts think the hybrids could fare better because people may be more inclined to buy if they like how the watch looks and get a few tech perks, like the ability to count steps, as a bonus. 
 
 Apple lost a big chunk of its market share over the past year as competitors unveiled more specialized products. While Apple sold 70% of all smartwatches in the third quarter last year, it was down to 41% in the same quarter this year. 
 
 Part of the slump could be because of the timing of the release of Apple Watch Series 2, which came out just before the end of the quarter. Apple also cut the price of the original model, so it could see a rebound in sales in the next quarter, the report said. 
 
 Related: There's finally a reason to buy a smartwatch 
 
 Even with the slump in Apple Watch sales, the company is still way ahead of its competitors. 
 
 The fitness-focused smartwatch maker Garmin (GRMN) sold 600,000 in the third quarter, up from 100,000 during the same quarter last year. It now sells roughly 21% of smartwatches globally. 
 
 Ubrani said Garmin's success show the importance of specialization. "Having a clear purpose and use case is paramount," he said. 
 
 In third place was Samsung (SSNLF), which sold 400,000 watches in the third quarter. 

 Single Tour 
 
 The classic Hermès design. The buckle recalls those on the straps of a saddle, a nod to the equestrian heritage of Hermès. Available in four colorways with stainless steel cases in two sizes. Bands in additional colors available separately. 

 The Seiko Astron. Seiko 1969 marked the beginning of a revolution in the watch industry. 
 
 That was the year the Japanese watchmaker Seiko introduced the Seiko Quartz-Astron 35Q, the first watch to be powered by an electrical oscillator regulated by a quartz crystal. 
 
 It took nearly 10 years and teams of engineers to develop. But upon its release it immediately ushered in what is referred to by people in the watch industry as "the quartz crisis." 
 
 Until Seiko's Astron, Swiss watchmakers were king. In 1970 there were more than 1,500 Swiss watchmakers. But by the height of the "crisis" in 1983, their numbers stood at a mere 600. 
 
 The rise of the Quartz watch ultimately pushed Swiss watch companies into the luxury market. 
 
 According to Andrea Squatrito, the founder of RE Analytics, a big-data intelligence boutique based in Milan, new technology is once again drawing a battlefield for Swiss watchmakers. Squatrito's report called "Rolex: An industry under threat" outlines how the rise of smartwatches may pose a new threat for Swiss watch brands. 
 
 Squatrito's report identifies two main business segments for Rolex in particular: "people who are buying watches in the €2,500 to €11,000 range and people buying watches in the €23,000 to €33,000 range" (one euro is worth $1.06). Together these two segments account for 83% of the company's business. 
 
 Squatrito believes that Rolex's lower-end watches, which make up 45% of the company's customer base, are at risk of being challenged by high-end wearables like the Apple Watch Hermès. The Apple Watch Hermès retails for $1,500. Apple 
 
 "There are touch points in the lower end of luxury watches and the higher end of wearables," Squatrito said. 
 
 "The Apple Watch hasn't reached its full potential in terms of sales — yet — but there are signals that Swiss watch makers may soon see a large portion of their business threatened," Squatrito added. 
 
 Squatrito does not think the end is nigh for Rolex and other Swiss watchmakers. But he does think that increased competition from premium smartwatches will force them to make big changes. 
 
 "For instance," he concluded, "Rolex may follow the lead of fashion companies like Chanel and expand into non-core products to make up for the losses brought on by wearables." 

 Update: Our latest guide to the best smartwatches you can buy can be found here 
 
 
 
 Buying the best smartwatch isn't as easy as it once was. Sure, the Apple Watch is still the top seller, but there are some great smartwatches from the likes of Fitbit, Samsung and a whole host of brands such as Fossil, Tag Heuer and Huawei all backing Google's Android Wear stable. 
 
 Better designs are challenging classic watches, with an ever-expanding range of features not just from the traditional tech brands but from big name fashion companies too. 
 
 
 
 There are important considerations to be made about your choice of operating system, battery life and fitness options, but wearing a smartwatch is about expressing your personality too. 
 
 Set on Google: Our pick of the top Android Wear smartwatches 
 
 We've put together the below guide to make the job a bit easier, followed by our current picks for the best smartwatches you can buy right now - and the ones to wait for. 
 
 Wareable's best smartwatch 2017 
 
 Apple Watch Series 3 
 
 OS : watchOS 4 
 
 : watchOS 4 Display : OLED 
 
 : OLED Size : 38mm/42mm 
 
 : 38mm/42mm Battery : 2 days 
 
 : 2 days Water resistance : 50m 
 
 : 50m Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : LTE, GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 
 
 : LTE, GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Works with: iOS 
 
 The Apple Watch Series 3 is part smartwatch, part fitness tracker, and a much, much better wearable than what we first got in 2015. It's still far from perfect and Android Wear 2.0 has caught up in terms of features, technology and style, but as far as the overall smartwatch experience goes, Apple is still doing the best work here. 
 
 Series 3 is almost identical to the Series 2, but with one key difference: LTE. This is Apple's first cellular smartwatch, letting you cut the invisible tether to take it out sans iPhone and still make/receive calls, get texts and all other notifications you would on your phone. Yes, that's going to hit your battery more if you're not careful; the Watch 3 still gets an average of 18 hours with balanced use, but only one hour of continuous talk time over cellular. Wareable's Apple Watch Series 3 review verdict The Series 3 is about those windows through the day where a cellular watch can be freeing. It's not yet time to ditch the smartphone, but Apple makes a more convincing case for a standalone smartwatch than any other company has so far. 
 
 The Series 3, like the 2, is also heavily focused on fitness, with built-in GPS that we've found to be impressively accurate, and 50m waterproofing. It's still not perfect at high-intensity levels, but much better than most of what else is out there. The Series 3 now also tracks elevation, something the Series 2 couldn't, but otherwise this is almost identical as a fitness device. 
 
 Health stuff aside, this is also Apple's best "smartwatch", and all more so with the latest watchOS 4 software. Apple has learned how people want to use the wearable on their wrist, and the new operating system means you'll need to spend less time swiping and tapping around - which is a good thing. All of this is packed into a sleeker body than similarly-specced rivals, and features a super bright 1,000-nit display. 
 
 That said, the app selection is still too small, the the number of supported apps when using LTE on the watch is extremely limited right now. Apple Music will be coming in October so you'll be able to stream music without your phone, but don't hold out for Spotify getting through Apple's guarded walls. 
 
 Apple's end-to-end control might irk some, but it also works in its favor with the Watch. Every single one has Apple Pay, and each software rollout reaches all devices instantly. The only drawback is that the very original Apple Watch cannot do resting heart rate, a new feature Apple has introduced with Series 3 and watchOS 4. What's more, the tight control over hardware and software has allowed Apple to offer a watch experience that feels like it benefits more from a cellular line than any other smartwatch we've used. Do you need the LTE? That will depend on how you use your smartwatch, but we definitely had a few a-ha moments through the day where it made sense - a run, a short trip out of the office, evening an evening out where we weren't tempted to keep checking our phone. 
 
 Apple shouldn't rest on its laurels, as fashion brands improve the Android Wear experience and Garmin, Fitbit et al start encroaching more on the smartwatch space, but for the time being Apple has the best around. 
 
 Feature check: GPS, swimming friendly, Apple Pay, 2 day battery, heart rate monitor. 
 
 From $329 without LTE, $399 with LTE, apple.com | Amazon 
 
 Highly commended 
 
 Samsung Gear S3 
 
 OS : Tizen 
 
 : Tizen Display : Super AMOLED (360 x 360) 
 
 : Super AMOLED (360 x 360) Size : 46mm 
 
 : 46mm Battery : 380mAh, 4 days 
 
 : 380mAh, 4 days Water resistance : IP68 
 
 : IP68 Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Works with: iOS, Android 
 
 Compatible with Android and iOS, Samsung is surprisingly open-minded with its selection of supported smartphones with the Gear S3, but it very much works to its favor. 
 
 The Gear S3 is an improvement on the Gear S2 in all ways but one: the design. Or at least we think so; you might disagree and prefer that bigger, bunkier look. While it might look more like a classic watch than the S2, it's also much bigger - 46mm wide. 
 
 However that larger body affords it a screen where Tizen can really shine, and a bigger battery, from which we've managed to squeeze an average of three days from - much better than anything in the Android Wear stable or from the Apple Watch. Like the Apple Watch, Samsung treads between smartwatch and fitness tracker, also packing in a heart rate sensor along with that GPS and its much-improved Samsung Health software. There's the option of LTE too if you wish for an untethered connection, with a standalone speaker for taking calls on the watch. Wareable's Samsung Gear S3 review verdict The Gear S3 is destined to divide. After delivering us its best-ever smartwatch with the Gear S2, it has sacrificed that sleek design to cram in more features. 
 
 It's not quite the ultimate fitness all-in-one thanks to a lack of proper waterproofing, which makes swimming out of the question (check out the Samsung Gear Sport further down for that), while the poor app selection puts it behind the Apple Watch and Android Wear 2.0 in terms of versatility too. New apps from Under Armour along with the only Spotify smartwatch app to provide offline playback make it a much more compelling proposition, and thankfully Samsung's own software means third-party apps aren't as essential for a fulfilling experience as they are on some other watches. 
 
 Strong individual style, the intuitive rotating bezel and great battery life mean it's keeping ahead of anything from Android Wear in our list currently. Does that make it the best smartwatch for Android users? That depends on what you value, and the size alone means we can't say this is the number one choice for Androiders, but it's definitely one of our faves. 
 
 Feature check: GPS, Samsung Pay, Tizen, heart rate monitor. 
 
 From $349, samsung.com | Amazon 
 
 Best Android Wear smartwatch 2017 
 
 LG Watch Sport 
 
 OS : Android Wear 2.0 
 
 : Android Wear 2.0 Display : OLED (480 x 480) 
 
 : OLED (480 x 480) Size : 46mm 
 
 : 46mm Battery : 430mAh, 1.5 days 
 
 : 430mAh, 1.5 days Water resistance : IP68 
 
 : IP68 Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Works with: Android, iOS 
 
 The flagship model for Android Wear 2.0, the LG Watch Sport guns straight for the Apple Watch and Samsung's Gear S3. We first reviewed it at the start of 2017, but even now, the end of the year in sight, it still feels like the best on balance. 
 
 With GPS, LTE and NFC for Android Pay on board, the LG Watch Sport is more rounded than its sibling, the LG Watch Style, and comes running the new and improved Android Wear 2.0. The screen really impresses, and the 1.38-inch, 480 x 480 OLED display uses its 348ppi to best the Apple Watch Series 3. 
 
 Beyond outdoor workouts like running, it can keep track of reps in the gym, which is a surprising and welcome addition, and it'll track heart rate in all your activities. However, it's only water resistant to 1.5 metres for 30 mins, which makes it unsuitable for swimming. Wareable's LG Watch Sport review verdict The LG Watch Sport is a perfect showcase for Android Wear 2.0. It's big, but it's also clever, with some solid fitness chops and other standalone features that make it feel truly independent from your phone. 
 
 It's also very bulky. 46mm wide might not sound like much, but then you have the depth, and there's a lot of it here. In fact, if we had to pick one criticism of the Watch Sport it's that it crams so much in, it does so to its detriment. The size will be too overbearing for many, and the LG Watch Style is worth a look, but the pay-off in size means that most of the great features of the Watch Sport have been discarded. 
 
 Alternatively, the Michael Kors Access Grayson is the next-strongest Android Wear smartwatch we'd recommend, and only fails to oust the LG Watch Sport due to its lack of NFC and any sports features. If those things aren't important to you, we'd advise looking to the Grayson instead. 
 
 Feature check: GPS, LTE, NFC, Android Pay, heart rate monitor. 
 
 $349, lg.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch for gym and sports 
 
 Garmin Vivoactive 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OS : N/A 
 
 : N/A Display : LCD (240 x 240) 
 
 : LCD (240 x 240) Size : 43mm width 
 
 : 43mm width Battery : 7 days 
 
 : 7 days Water resistance : 50m 
 
 : 50m Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, Bluetooth Works with: iOS and Android 
 
 The Garmin Vivoactive HR was for a very long time our go-to smartwatch for sports lovers. Running, cycling, swimming, golf - Garmin's smartwatch had you well and truly covered. 
 
 In the Vivoactive 3, you'll be getting more of the same, albeit with a more attractive circular watch design and features that make it more of an Apple Watch, Samsung Gear or Fitbit Ionic rival than before. 
 
 We have to start off with the new look, which is a welcome change from the blocky builds of the previous Vivo smartwatches. The 240 x 240 pixel display at the heart of the body is by no means the brightest or vibrant you'll find, but crucially delivers strong visibility in most workout conditions whether you're sweating it out indoors or outside. Wareable's Garmin Vivoactive 3 verdict The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is a big improvement on the HR in design that also beefs up its sports tracking. Not only that, but it's better as an all-day health tracking device, and paired with the new Connect app, Garming is giving Fitbit, Apple et al more to worry about. 
 
 As far as the number of sports available to track, it's more of the same. Heart rate monitoring is decent if not class-leading, and it won't keep you waiting around for a GPS signal. There's now also rep counting for weight lifters and all the stress tracking goodies from Garmin's fitness trackers, too. 
 
 When it comes to connected smarts, there's notification support, but you can only act on those notifications with pre-set responses if you're an Android user. There's no onboard music storage support, but you can control music playback from your phone. So you can't entirely do away with your phone if you need some audio accompaniment for your workouts. It also has Garmin Pay, but it's still in the process of rolling out, so we can't say how well it works right now. 
 
 As sporty smartwatches go, this is the best in our eyes, and builds on all the good work Garmin did with its previous iterations. Yes, there's still a few things to sort out, but we are definitely big fans of what the Vivoactive 3 has to offer. 
 
 Feature check: GPS/GLONASS, heart rate monitor, dedicated sports modes including swimming, Garmin Pay, heart rate monitor. 
 
 $299.99, garmin.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch for fitness tracking 
 
 
 
 Fitbit Ionic 
 
 OS : Fitbit OS 
 
 : Fitbit OS Display : LCD (348 by 250) 
 
 : LCD (348 by 250) Size : 38mm width 
 
 : 38mm width Battery : 5 days 
 
 : 5 days Water resistance : 50m 
 
 : 50m Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, Bluetooth Works with: iOS, Android, Windows 10 Mobile 
 
 In the Ionic, Fitbit is finally delivering its first smartwatch, but perhaps more importantly to some, this is its best fitness tracker too. Running, biking, swimming, weight lifting - the Ionic has algorithms for tracking a range of different workouts, and in our testing it's proven to be impressively versatile. 
 
 Fitbit says the Ionic's GPS is better than anything else on the market, and we have to say it performed admirably in testing, while the four-plus days of battery life mean you won't be taking it off your wrist as much as any of the smartwatches above. Wareable's Fitbit Ionic review verdict Fitness and sports tracking including the Coach platform make a really good impression and smartwatch features like notifications, music player support and Fitbit Pay work without issue. Then there's the battery life, which wipes the floor with the likes of Apple and Samsung. 
 
 Heart rate testing proved a little uneven in our trials, but Fitbit has a good history of tweaking its algorithms through updates in the past, and we're hoping it can nix some of the problems we've come across. Generally though, HR has proven decent in our experience so far. 
 
 The Ionic supports mobile payments and features the ability to transfer and play your own music, which is a notable omission from Garmin's sporty smartwatch. The Ionic is now available, though we hope to see more third-party apps to add the currently meagre selection, and some improvements to the heart rate tracking. 
 
 The new relative SpO2 sensor also means Fitbit will be able to track sleep apnea one day, and having that insight into blood oxygen levels could one day open up other insights too, which others here aren't capable of. 
 
 The Ionic doesn't have the option of a cellular connection, however, so you won't get the standalone functionality you get with the Apple Watch Series 3 or the Samsung Gear S3. As to whether this is a bad thing or not, it depends if you class LTE as a feature or an excess. 
 
 Overall, some blemishes aside, the Ionic is a decent smartwatch that Fitbit fans and fitness trackers will really appreciate. Fitbit knows fitness, and it's not half-assing this that's for sure. 
 
 Feature check: GPS, heart rate monitor, onboard music, dedicated sports modes, Fitbit Pay. 
 
 $299.95, fitbit.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch for music lovers 
 
 Samsung Gear Sport 
 
 OS : Tizen 
 
 : Tizen Display : Super AMOLED (360 x 360) 
 
 : Super AMOLED (360 x 360) Size : 43mm 
 
 : 43mm Battery : 300mAh, 3-4 days 
 
 : 300mAh, 3-4 days Water resistance : 5ATM 
 
 : 5ATM Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Works with: iOS, Android 
 
 Okay, so you might be wondering why we are picking out the music support on a smartwatch that's undeniably all about its sports tracking credentials, but stick with us. 
 
 The Gear Sport is the successor to the Gear S2 as opposed to the Gear S3, which does also offer similar music playback support, but we think the smaller frame makes it a more suitable workout partner than the bigger S3. 
 
 When we talk about music support we are of course talking about Spotify. So along with being able to transfer music via Samsung's Gear Manager as you can on other Gear watches, you can also transfer over Spotify playlists with 4GB of storage to play with. So that's about 500 songs. Wareable's Samsung Gear Sport verdict The Gear Sport in many ways is a refined Gear S2, honed more at health and fitness. It can't be faulted for lacking features, but the sensors for running and swimming struggled in testing. This is Samsung's best smartwatch yet, packed to the gills with features, but performance problems stop it fulfilling the potential of its sporty new name. 
 
 We should talk about its sports features as well, which we found do a decent job, whether you're putting the GPS to use for running or cycling or using it as a fitness tracker. The big new addition is the waterproof design, which also brings swim tracking to the fore thanks to partnership with Speedo and its Speedo On app. We didn't have the greatest pool experience with it, but we hope that's something that can be rectified with a software update. 
 
 Tizen runs the software show, which means you still get that slick UI experience, but there's still a distinct lack of apps. Big names like Under Armour are present, but if you are hoping for a storefront to match what Apple can offer, then you're out of luck. 
 
 The drop down in size from the Gear S3 does mean it can't match the bigger Gear for battery life, but it'll still get you through a three to four days before you need to reach for that charger. If you love Spotify and you want a smartwatch with solid sports tracking features, then this could well be the one for you. 
 
 Feature check: Heart rate monitor, GPS, swim tracking, water resistant up to 50 metres, Samsung Pay. 
 
 $299.99, samsung.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch for runners 
 
 Polar M600 
 
 OS : Android Wear 2.0 
 
 : Android Wear 2.0 Display : TFT (240 x 240) 
 
 : TFT (240 x 240) Size : 1.3-inch 
 
 : 1.3-inch Battery : 500mAh, 2 days 
 
 : 500mAh, 2 days Water resistance : IPX8 
 
 : IPX8 Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 
 
 : GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Works with: Android, iOS 
 
 While the Vivoactive 3 is a strong choice for those who flit between a host of sports, the Polar M600 is just for pavement-pounding runners. 
 
 Built by running giant Polar, and backed up with Android Wear, powerful running smarts are placed front and centre, with GPS and advanced metrics such as Training Benefit, Running Program, Running Index and Sport Profiles available alongside bog standard speed, pace and time. 
 
 But as an Android Wear device it's capable of running apps, offering notifications, accessing Google Voice commands and all-day activity monitoring. You're essentially getting the best of both worlds here, and even better now that Android Wear 2.0 is running on the watch. Wear 2.0 is a vast improvement on Google's software, but too often it's let down by the hardware, especially when it comes to fitness. Wareable's Polar M600 review verdict It's easy to forget that you're using an Android Wear smartwatch when you've got the Polar M600 strapped on. It's an outright running watch (with decent activity tracking on board too) as far as we're concerned, with Android Wear simply there in the background in case you need it. 
 
 The Polar M600 breaks the mould in that respect, and remains one of our favourites for running and hitting the gym. GPS tracking proved very accurate in testing, though the Ionic delivers a little better in the department. Where is does impress is with heart rate where it kept nice and close to chest-strap readings in our runs. 
 
 However, the big let down if you couldn't already tell is the bland design, giving the look of a fitness tracker more than a smartwatch, so if you want something that you'll be proud to show off on your wrist, this one might not be for you. If you're not too fussed about that, this is a stellar choice for runners. 
 
 Feature check: Heart rate monitor, GPS, Android Wear 2.0, Polar Flow syncing, water resistant to 10m. 
 
 $329.95, polar.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch for under $100 
 
 Pebble 2 
 
 OS : PebbleOS 
 
 : PebbleOS Display : e-paper (144 x 168) 
 
 : e-paper (144 x 168) Size : 40mm 
 
 : 40mm Battery : 1 week 
 
 : 1 week Water resistance : 30m 
 
 : 30m Heart rate : Yes 
 
 : Yes Connectivity : Wi-Fi 
 
 : Wi-Fi Works with: iOS, Android 
 
 A double winner – not bad for a smartwatch that's essentially DOA. Conventional wisdom says that buying a Pebble smartwatch is a terrible idea, given that the company has been shuttered after its buyout by Fitbit. But hear us out. 
 
 The latest and last update guarantees that smartwatches will continue to work even after the servers are switched off, and when it comes to buying on a budget, few can match the Pebble 2 for features and value. 
 
 Pebble's watch is smartphone agnostic, meaning you'll get the same experience on both Android and iOS. It's important to mention that, because even with Android Wear 2.0, iOS users must still make some concessions. With the Pebble, you needn't worry about that. Wareable's Pebble 2 review verdict The Pebble 2 packs in a lot for its price, and there's plenty to love, but it's let down by design. If you're after an entry-level fitness tracker and don't care too much about how it looks, this is a solid choice. 
 
 The Pebble 2 is not a great looking smartwatch, but it's a cult hero thanks to a lively ecosystem of apps and watch faces, and low-power e-paper that will run you for a week before needing a recharge. 
 
 There's also a heart rate monitor and a decent fitness tracking and health platform, which was really picking up pace before the sell out. The monitor isn't amazing in accuracy when it's pushed during workouts, but it's not terrible either, and you also have the benefit of resting heart rate being tracked through the day - something the Apple Watch has only just caught up on. 
 
 There are also tonnes of those mentioned apps to play with while the Timeline interface, a sort-of Google Calendar, is pretty useful. If you're dipping a toe into smartwatch waters for the first time but are fearful of not liking it, the Pebble 2 is an affordable entry point. Who knows, you might end up falling in love. 
 
 Feature check: Heart rate monitor, week-long battery, thousands of Pebble apps. 
 
 $99.99, pebble.com | Amazon 
 
 Best smartwatch money-no-object 
 
 Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 
 
 OS : Android Wear 2.0 
 
 : Android Wear 2.0 Display : AMOLED (400 x 400) 
 
 : AMOLED (400 x 400) Size : 45mm 
 
 : 45mm Battery : 410mAh, 1.5 days 
 
 : 410mAh, 1.5 days Water resistance : 50m 
 
 : 50m Heart rate : No 
 
 : No Connectivity : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi 
 
 : GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi Works with: Android, iOS 
 
 Tag's Android Wear second-coming is all about customization. Available with titanium, ceramic and 18K rose gold finishes, you can even change the smart part for a traditional mechanical Tag module, such as the Calibre 5 or the chronograph Tourbillon Heuer 02-T. You're free to swap out the lugs, the straps and even the buckle too. 
 
 Smartwatch overkill? Our favourite fitness trackers 
 
 In all, Tag says there are 56 different versions available, making it the most modular Android Wear watch around. What also makes it notable is the inclusion of GPS and 50m water resistance, two fitness features that other fashion-forward Android Wear watches often miss. Wareable's Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 review verdict The modular design is a big plus and while it's no match for a sports watch, the GPS and waterproofing definitely gives it something over the first Connected. There's still room for improvement, but overall, Tag's second attempt shows proves that this is one Swiss watchmaker that's learning very quickly how to make a good smartwatch. In testing that GPS fared well against the TomTom Spark 3, too. The inclusion of NFC for Android Pay also works to its credit, however you're still only getting the average 1.5 days of battery life. 
 
 That last one makes the cost a little harder to bear; the Tag starts at $1,550 and moves up depending on your choice of materials. 
 
 We've seen a lot of beautiful Android Wear smartwatches this year, many of them coming out Fossil's door, and while we certainly rate the Tag on looks, you may also want to look in the direction of something like the Michael Kors Access Grayson or the Fossil x Cory Richards. If you're happy to pay a lot more, there's the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon and the Movado Connect to consider too. 
 
 Feature check: GPS, Android Pay, 50m water resistance. 
 
 From $1,550, tagheuer.com 

 Consumers in a recent survey said today's smartwatches are too expensive, too big and even "ugly." 
 
 That's not good news for the Apple Watch Series 2, which went on sale Friday starting at $369. 
 
 Negative findings in the online poll of 1,506 North Americans equally apply to Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola and others in the smartwatch market. Nearly half -- 49% -- said they haven't bought a smartwatch because they are "waiting for the prices of existing smartwatches to come down." 
 
 [ Further reading: How to choose the right enterprise mobility management tool ] 
 
 Most want a price of less than $200, according to First Insight, which conducted the survey released today. First Insight calls itself a predictive analytics firm that uses survey results, and then applies its own algorithms for further insights. Its findings are purchased by retailers, manufacturers and others. 
 
 The smartwatch market plummeted in early 2016 after high expectations in 2014, when smartwatches began to arrive on store shelves. Some industry analysts have high hopes for Apple's next-generation smartwatch. They said buyers held off purchasing the original Apple Watch in early 2016 because they wanted to see the next version. Even so, Apple isn't planning to release how early sales have gone. 
 
 "The smartwatch gold rush for consumers [of 2014] appears to be over," said Greg Petro, CEO of First Insight. "One reason is that smartwatches that have come to market haven't met consumers' lofty expectations. Pricing is an area of contention and confusion. Consumers clearly don't value smartwatches as much as manufacturers thought they would at this point in time." 
 
 With the Series 2, Apple focused on sports and fitness enthusiasts and even included a special Nike-branded version. But there are many other capabilities that Apple isn't marketing heavily. Even so, the starting price tag of $369 shows a "real disconnect between the company and potential buyers," Petro said. "Price is a major factor in smartwatch purchase decisions." 
 
 The survey also found that 75% of women and nearly 60% of men want to pay $200 or less for a smartwatch, well below the $369 for the Series 2. 
 
 While some potential buyers found various smartwatches to be "cool, sleek or beautiful," more often they used words like "ugly, bulky and big." 
 
 In various surveys, women often complain about smartwatches being too large, but a segment of female buyers has also been attracted to oversized fashion watches in recent years, Petro said. In the First Insight survey, about 70% of the respondents were women. 
 
 First Insight said that the value of a smartwatch is more important than design alone, and if the price is right or wrong, it is the biggest variable that will influence a buyer's decision to buy. The company noted that even if a consumer has positive sentiments about a smartwatch, that alone doesn't determine whether the product will sell. 
 
 First Insight noted in its smartwatch report that "Apple has a lot of work to do, and isn't the only one." The original Apple Watch did the best of six smartwatches on a number of factors rated by consumers, but still ranked only a "less than impressive" seven out of 10, below the eight or higher ranking that First Insight believes is needed to bring a product to market. 
 
 "These relatively low scores, paired with the fact that nearly 70% of consumers currently don't own a smartwatch and 33% of consumers don't plan on purchasing one, prove that smartwatch manufacturers have a long way to go to create devices that consumers actually want," the report said. 
 
 The Apple Watch (with a First Insight value score of 7) was compared with the Motorola Moto 360 (score of 5), Citizen Men's AT7030-05E Proximity Eco-Drive (score of 3), Garmin Fenix 3 Sapphire (score of 3), LG Watch Urbane, 2d edition (score of 3) and the Garmin Fenix 3 Hour (score of 3). 
 
 First Insight didn't include any Samsung smartwatches in the group, even though Samsung made it to market with a smartwatch before the first Apple Watch and has produced several models. Petro said Samsung wasn't excluded for any specific reason. None of the vendors paid to have the survey condcuted, including Samsung. 
 
 With more than 250 smartwatch vendors, Petro said First Insight picked a sampling for its survey that represented a "cross-section representative of the market." In fact, he said brand was found not to be a major concern of buyers; only 8% of those surveyed said brand mattered. At the outset, "our question was, why are smartwatches not generally hitting the mark in the industry after they came out with such a big bang?" 
 
 Based on its findings, First Insight's advice to smartwatch makers was direct: "As the smartwatch industry continues to face a steep decline, it's time for watch retailers to pay more attention to their varying target audiences, understanding that their entire customer base won't be interested in the same features and functionalities. ... Smartwatch manufacturers can benefit from getting to know the different personas [of smartwatch buyers] and what they want from their devices. ... This is not a one-size-fits-all market opportunity." 
 
 First Insight asked respondents various questions to find out what their watch style says about them, then segmented the respondents into seven groups with various labels. Here's how they were ultimately segmented: bohemian, 24%; fashion icon, 21%; spy, 13%; traveler, 11%; banker, 11%; daredevil, 10%; entrepreneur, 10%. 
 
 The items considered most important to those surveyed were features and functionality, at 37%, followed by price, at 25%. 
 
 Petro said smartwatch makers need to recognize the sticker shock that buyers have and then "engineer the features within that price point." 
 
 For Apple, with one iconic Apple Watch design, the challenge to come up with different designs could be difficult. "It's apparent if you look at Apple designs in the [iPhone and the Macbook] that there are aesthetics that are consistent," he said. "It's apparent in the data that consumers want choices, and that may mean taking input from consumers around design and then determining how many designs Apple wants to create." 
 
 The smartwatch survey confirmed that one of the biggest trends in retail markets today is that technology and fashion are linked. 
 
 "Consumers are segmenting themselves faster than retail companies can understand," Petro said. "The reality is that there are so many fragmented segments of women that tech organizations need to get as part of their design more product input from them." 
 
 Other views on the smartwatch market 
 
 Analysts such as Angela McIntyre at Gartner and Jitesh Ubrani at IDC have taken note of the market's disillusionment with smartwatches. 
 
 Even so, Gartner predicts nearly 43 million smartwatches will ship in 2016, up from 30 million in 2015, and that 58.6 million will ship in 2017. 
 
 In a recent Gartner online survey of 3,550 U.S. adults, ages 18 to 74, 12% said they currently use a smartwatch. 
 
 Gartner's numbers are more than double what IDC is forecasting for smartwatch shipments for all of 2016. IDC recently said that a total of 20.1 million smartwatches will ship in 2016, up slightly from the 19.3 million that shipped in 2015. IDC hasn't published its 2017 forecast, but has said the market will reach 54.6 million units shipped in 2020, a number still below what Gartner predicts for 2017.
– Could the end be near for luxury watch brands like Rolex? Probably not anytime soon, but the explosion of smartwatches represents the biggest threat to Swiss watchmakers since Seiko introduced its landmark Quartz watch in 1969, Business Insider reports. Classic analog watches can't match the technology of wrist computers that do everything from play music to turn on your air-conditioning. Contenders such as the Apple Watch represent the new battleground for watch makers, and Swiss brands "may soon see a large portion of their business threatened," says Andrea Squatrito. A report by his company, RE Analytics, says high-end makers like Rolex have a lot to lose, with 45% of the company's business coming from their "lower end" watches with a starting price point of about $2,700. With those upmarket customers in mind, Apple turned up the heat when it teamed up with Hermes to introduce a sleeker version of the Apple Watch with a choice of stylish leather bands, starting at $1,500. But the future of the smartwatch hasn't always looked so rosy. A steep drop in sales late last year had analysts questioning the future of do-it-all timepieces, per CNN. Consumers surveyed called smartwatches too expensive, big, and ugly, per Computer World. Still, the new year began with a flood of new smartwatches in stores—and more on the horizon—ranging from upmarket versions by Tag to old standbys like Casio, per Wareable. Countering the "ugly" rap, upmarket brands like Kate Spade and Michael Kors introduced hybrid versions blending the look of traditional analogs with smartwatch features. (This jacket will charge your phone.)