The smartwatch sits at that happy halfway point between a necessary fashion accessory and a digital one — and right now we’re seeing some great Labor Day smartwatch deals. While these handy gadgets used to be all about convenience (“I don’t have to pull out my phone” was the popular refrain), now they are loaded with all kinds of features that can help with everything from health, to exercise, to managing your smart home. Around this time of year, we see some amazing Labor Day sales as a matter of course, but if you’re in the market for a smartphone, you might want to keep these smartwatch deals in mind. Check your watch: it’s time to save!

Selecting a new smartwatch, or a first smartwatch, can be a little tricky, because there are a ton out there (from Fitbit to the Apple Watch) and they offer really different features and applications.

Ask yourself what you most want your smartwatch for, aka how will you use it? Is it for everyday use, like checking your emails on incoming calls during meetings, or for while you’re out running errands? Or do you need something that’s more of a fitness and health monitor to help you count your steps, or laps, or burned calories, or monitor your heart rate? Also, we need to consider our other tech. In an ideal world, everything would just work with everything, and companies are making strides to make sure their tech lines up with others’. But frankly, this is not the same as buying a soundbar to go with a TV.

For example, if you’re an iPhone user, you are going to want to look for an Apple Watch. There are just too many consistencies to ignore. Then again, if your smartphone uses Android, there are tons more options for you, including Google Wear OS, or a Samsung device like the Samsung Galaxy Watch (consistently the best rated for Android users). These Android-compatible smartwatches have some fantastic fitness-tracking capabilities, but something to keep in mind is exactly what kind of workouts you do. If you’re a swimmer, make sure that your new watch is built both to resist water, and to count your laps. Are you a Barry’s Bootcamp person? See that it can count pushups. Make sure you’re getting the right watch for you.

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