Some might see our decision to pick the Apple Watch Series 2 as Wearable of the Year at the first Wareable Tech Awards as a predictable one, I can tell you it most definitely wasn’t. Of all the categories, this was the most hotly contested and debated category within the team and with our panel of judges.
And rightly so. It’s been a huge year for wearable tech. From standout fitness trackers that weren’t all from Fitbit to Oculus Rift rivals, we weren’t just talking about the usual suspects here. That tells us that the industry is in a really great place right now and we’re expecting even bigger things for 2017.
Essential reading: Wareable Tech Awards 2016 winners revealed
So why did the Series 2 get our vote? It’s not simply because it righted so many of the wrongs with the first Apple Watch (And there was definitely a few of those). It wasn’t just about Apple understanding what people want from a smartwatch, which we spoke about in our extensive review. The consensus was that this is now a smartwatch that people will want to own.
At a time when some are questioning whether the smartwatch even has a future, the Series 2 arrived and proved that like the iPhone, the iPod and the iPad, Apple does get it right, eventually. The bigger emphasis on fitness, the vastly improved notification support, all wrapped up in a rectangular design that continues to divide, but we think looks great on the wrist. This is what we wanted from the first one.
The Apple Watch Series 2 is not perfect and we openly admit that, but unlike the original, we’ve all been happy to spend more time with the Series 2 because it feels a more complete package than what we’ve seen from Google and its Android Wear watches or even Pebble. It’s starting to live up to those lofty expectations that we place on any new Apple product.
Apple will have to raise its game next year for the 2017 Wareable Tech Awards that’s for sure. With more Android Wear 2.0 packing smartwatches on the way, Google and Levi’s Project Jacquard just to name a couple, we’re already thinking about the debating that will happen when we have to pick out the next Wearable of the Year winner.
