Android Wear Smartwatches Have a 'Me Too' Problem

Is Android's open-source operating system saddling us with boring smartwatches? It sure seems that way.

Given that companies such as LG, Motorola, and Huawei all use Android Wear, you'd think we'd have plenty of interesting options. Instead, we're confronted time and again with the same apps, same display tech, even the same buttons—all wrapped up in a roundish case designed to appeal to your mom and dad.

That’s not all bad. The Android Wear OS does provide easy access to the great things smartwatches can do on their relatively small displays. But manufacturers need to try harder to differentiate their offerings—if not from the competition, at least from other Android Wear makers. According to Jupiter Research, many consumers don’t yet see a need for a smartwatch. And with all those “me too” offerings, why should they?

Case in Point: Fossil Q Founder

It's an attractive watch with a large, round, 1.5-inch touch-screen display, a shimmering stainless steel case, and linked-bracelet watchband. Like many smartwatches we’ve tested, it’s designed to meet IP67 standards for dust and water resistance, which means it could survive a three-foot dunk in water for about 30 minutes.

But none of that makes it unique. As with Android Wear watches from Motorola, LG, and Huawei, you access most of the core features on the Q Founder with a tap and a swipe. The crown-style button on the right side—another Android Wear staple—can be used to wake up the watch, make a selection, or back out of an activity.

Even the apps Fossil created for the Q Founder are too ho-hum to generate excitement. A Fossil fitness app? No, thanks. The Q Curiosity app, on the other hand, is supposed to present you with a series of weekly challenges designed to make you interact with others, so I gave it a try. But those “challenges,” which include sharing pictures with friends, soon seemed pointless. I have much more fun frittering my time on Facebook.

In the few instances where this $275 smartwatch does stand out, it's not in good ways. It’s bulky and heavy, measuring 2.5 inches wide by 0.5 inches thick and weighing a whopping 6 ounces. The band requires special tools if you want to adjust it to accommodate a thinner wrist. What’s more, the Q Founder is missing something other Android Wear watches in this price range do have: a heart-rate monitor. And Fossil says the Q Founder's battery has a 24-hour lifespan. On my wrist, however, the watch quit just after supper. Preliminary battery-life tests by our lab technicians also confirm this underwhelming performance.

Motorola Moto 360 Sport: A More Tempting Choice

By contrast, the Moto 360 Sport has all the app access and functionality of an Android Wear smartwatch, plus a few fitness-focused features.

The modified interface lets you get started on your workout with just a few taps on the display. The default watch face and app readouts provide excellent summaries of your progress. And the built-in GPS lets you more accurately track the distances you’ve traveled without having to lug a smartphone.

The $300 device looks and feels sporty, too, with a waterproof silicone band that snugly encases the watch. I’m not a fan of elastic watch bands, especially the ones that come in garish colors—they feel fake to me. But I did find the Flame Orange band on my 360 Sport test sample easy to put on and comfortable to wear.

The watch also has about 4GB of internal storage for music, ample for your favorite workout tunes.  

Notably smaller and lighter than the Fossil Q Founder, the Moto 360 Sport measures 1.8 inches wide by 0.5 inches thick and weighs just under 2 ounces. As a result, it felt much less awkward on my wrist. The 1.37-inch display is slightly narrower than the one on the Fossil, though it’s more than adequate for reading the data—including my Walking Dead fitness stats. Battery life seemed better, too. On a full charge, my 360 Sport stayed with me way past bedtime.

Bottom line: Android Wear is a top-notch operating system. But if Fossil and other newbie smartwatch makers intend to earn high marks with consumers—and Consumer Reports engineers—they can't just stop there. They need to add uniquely useful features and top-performing hardware, much like Motorola did.  

Look for test results for both watches in our smartwatch Ratings in the coming weeks.

More from Consumer Reports:
How to raise your good cholesterol
Do the new blood pressure guidelines affect me?
8 Ways to Save on a Gym Membership

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.