Qualcomm sets new direction for Android smartwatches with better power management and sensor customization

September 21, 2018 | Case Study

Consumer-facing smartwatches today are continuously looking to improve battery life while increasing functionality; two contradictory requirements. Smartwatches with a full display will likely last throughout the day before needing to recharge at night, and those with a hybrid structure of traditional watch dials and sensors will need a recharge within a week. For functionalities, the majority of smartwatches are equipped with accelerometers, microphones, and heart rate sensors, but rarely anything else except for in products specialized for specific activities. To address this long-standing dilemma, Qualcomm broke its two-year silence with the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, which promises better power management, and customizable sensor integrations for Android smartwatches.