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The pursuit of creating a sustainable wearable is noble, no doubt.
I have to say the picture is pretty confusing.
Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Ring are basically impossible to repair due to their size.
As Ive mentioned, the nature of smart wearables themselves seems to present the sector as generally unsustainable.
Size matters
An easy opening foray into the world of sustainable wearables is repairability.
The concept is a simple one.
Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Ring are basically impossible to repair due to their size.
A equipment that can be repaired more easily will last longer.
A unit that lasts longer is not only cheaper in the long run, but also more sustainable.
Smartwatches, and in particular smart rings, are by nature almost impossible to repair with any efficacy.
Of course it can’t be repaired.
And to a degree theyre right, but its a point worth remaking here.
Its a problem that prompted theUNA Watchs birth.
Its a novel idea that deserves credit, and I cant wait to see where it goes.
The biggest chunk by far is electricity for manufacturing, with materials and process emissions a distant second.
GooglesPixel Watch 3environmental reporttells a similar story.
Thebest Garminsmight offer more health insights, but Apple is generally considered the industry leader.
If youre a consumer, the most environmentally friendly option is acting like Apples carbon neutral approach.
That gets you the best smartwatch experience possible, with the most minimal impact on the planet.
However, this will always be the issue.
Any smartwatch that requires to be manufactured and shipped to a customer (i.e.
all of them) will have a carbon footprint.
Ironically, here again Apple seems to present the best option to the consumer.
Apple also has a better track record of keeping its older software up to date too.
Even Apple products that dont get software updates, in my experience, last longer than alternatives that do.
TheApple Watch Series 3served me, and then my grateful mother, for over 7 years.
When we finally replaced it at the end of 2024, it was still working.
The OnePlus Watch 2 from 2024 will stop getting software updatesnext year.
Apple is an easy target for criticism, environmental or otherwise.
Commendable efforts all of these are, but theyre clearly not as comprehensive or as far-reaching as Apples.
The effectiveness and true impact of all of these measures remain to be seen.
