scorecardThe Apple Watch is the world's most popular smartwatch - here are the 5 features we want to see next
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The Apple Watch is the world's most popular smartwatch - here are the 5 features we want to see next

1. Sleep tracking

The Apple Watch is the world's most popular smartwatch - here are the 5 features we want to see next

2. Longer battery life

2. Longer battery life

To function as an efficient sleep tracker, you need to be able to wear the Apple Watch overnight on a regular basis instead of charging it while you sleep. The current Apple Watch's battery life just isn't there yet.

As it stands right now, I can typically get around two full days out of my Apple Watch Series 3, and reviews of the Series 4 indicate similar battery life. When I reviewed the Fitbit Versa last year, I was able to wear it for roughly four days without charging it.

3. Always-on display

3. Always-on display

Samsung's smartphones have long-offered an always-on display option, and it would be a very useful feature to have on the Apple Watch.

Right now, there are a few ways to activate the display on Apple's wearable: by raising your wrist slightly and tilting it toward your face, by tapping the display, or by rolling the digital crown upwards. These mechanisms usually work reliably in my experience, but it would be even more convenient to glance down at my wrist without having to move it or touch the watch when I want to see the time.

4. iPhone battery status

4. iPhone battery status

It's already possible to check the battery status of your connected AirPods on the Apple Watch, but you still can't see how much juice your iPhone has without using a third-party app.

I'd love to be able to see if my iPhone resting on its wireless charger in the other room has a full battery straight from my wrist without having to go retrieve it. Considering Apple makes it possible to see the battery life of your connected Apple devices on the iPhone through the battery widget, being able to do so on the Apple Watch feels like a natural addition.

5. Third-party watch faces

5. Third-party watch faces

When it comes to smartwatch apps, Apple certainly offers more variety than Fitbit. But Fitbit allows developers to create clock faces that anyone can download to the watch, resulting in a variety of designs that cater to specific interests.

The selection of watch faces for the Apple Watch, comparatively, is updated and expanded at Apple's discretion. (Apple also does make it possible for information from third-party apps to appear on certain watch faces through Complications).

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