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That really depends on which the "simple features" are, because to every user, they're different, and also, what a "watch" is. The reason I'm making this disti

That really depends on which the "simple features" are, because to every user, they're different, and also, what a "watch" is. The reason I'm making this distinction is because at face value, any fitness tracker will do. They display the timme/date, have many extra simple features, and they last 10/14 days. If one wants something more watch-looking, there are small/budget smartwatches, that are essentially fitness trackers with a larger screen (and in some cases, a GPS). The problem is actually the apps, which are terrible and/or aggressive. Huawei display ads, and very weaselly, they introduce a small delay, so that one can easily click on them by accident; also, for some models, the app is not provided on Google Play (!). Most, possibly all, apps keep warning the user about giving location permissions, even if one doesn't care. Besides very special cases (solar-powered, battery-powered etc.), the smartwatch with the longest battery life was the Amazfit Bip, but it was really, really terrible.

delecti 3y ago
Counterpoint, I've been a very happy user of an Amazfit Bip for about 6 years now, wearing it 24/7 aside from showering and medical procedures. It does absolutely everything I need it to, and even after 6 years the battery gets me multiple weeks. My only complaint is that the UI is a bit sluggish, but it hasn't kept it from being a great device.
- pizza234 3y ago
  This works for the use case where the user never uses the companion app, which in turn means never using things like alarms, and so on. Any operation connecting the app to the phone requires syncing first, which takes an inordinate amoujnt of time (I don't have the Bip anymore, but I think it was a minute or so). On top of that, if the app has been recently updated, the AGPS will need to be resynced, which AFAIR, takes a few minutes. Zepp sucks in this department. Modern Amazfit smartwatches still take a disproportionate time (compared to the competitors) to sync, but at least they do it asynchronously.
  - delecti 3y ago
    I agree the app sucks (as does the extended syncing process it kicks off), but the watch works perfectly fine if you almost never use it. Alarms can be enabled/disabled on the watch (for vacations and the like), and my normal "wake up for work" alarm has been set to the same time for years.

delecti 3y ago

Counterpoint, I've been a very happy user of an Amazfit Bip for about 6 years now, wearing it 24/7 aside from showering and medical procedures. It does absolutely everything I need it to, and even after 6 years the battery gets me multiple weeks. My only complaint is that the UI is a bit sluggish, but it hasn't kept it from being a great device.

pizza234 3y ago
This works for the use case where the user never uses the companion app, which in turn means never using things like alarms, and so on. Any operation connecting the app to the phone requires syncing first, which takes an inordinate amoujnt of time (I don't have the Bip anymore, but I think it was a minute or so). On top of that, if the app has been recently updated, the AGPS will need to be resynced, which AFAIR, takes a few minutes. Zepp sucks in this department. Modern Amazfit smartwatches still take a disproportionate time (compared to the competitors) to sync, but at least they do it asynchronously.
- delecti 3y ago
  I agree the app sucks (as does the extended syncing process it kicks off), but the watch works perfectly fine if you almost never use it. Alarms can be enabled/disabled on the watch (for vacations and the like), and my normal "wake up for work" alarm has been set to the same time for years.