When Google introduced us to the new Pixel Watch 3 with a host of new running features, there was no dedicated “wheelchair mode” like Garmin watches. I wasn’t expecting there to be one either (tech publications often get details about products early so they can prepare for their launch), but I still had a small glimmer of hope. I was disappointed, as I am every year.
I’ve finally decided that I no longer have any expectations of seeing a wearable designed for wheelchair users from companies like Google, Samsung or Apple, because the wearables market is like the market for any other product; it’s based on profits, not on some lofty humanitarian effort.
Android & Chill
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I would first like to say that Is a wearable designed for people like me so we weren’t forgotten. My Garmin Venu 3 does a great job of tracking how often I don’t meet my fitness goals, tracks workout routines designed specifically for wheelchair users, and is tailored to the physical changes and challenges faced by people in wheelchairs. And it does a great job of it.
I would also say that it’s not the best smartwatch on the market because of the software. It runs a proprietary operating system developed by Garmin that isn’t as intuitive or feature-rich as Google’s Wear OS or Apple’s watchOS. Also, the Pixel Watch 3 looks really good, and I like things that look good. I just want one.
Unfortunately, Google can’t prioritize the same as me because it wants to sell watches. Google could prioritize a wheelchair mode with physiological algorithm changes for the next Pixel Watch, but that won’t open many wallets.
Almost every product is like that. In the USA, 8.5% of the population has some kind of mobility problem. Of these people, 15% are dependent on a wheelchair. That is 15% of 8.5%, or about 3.5 million people. That is a lot of people, but compared to the 343 million people who are not are in a wheelchair, the number becomes relative. You see this in your daily life – you will find people who use a wheelchair, but not very many.
Most companies can’t cater to marginalized groups. Yes, I said that and I can because I’m part of that group. Don’t fret. Garmin does it because it found a way to do it without jeopardizing work on features designed for everyone else. Other smartwatch companies let you put your wearable in chair mode without making fundamental changes to how fitness tracking works, and that’s enough to include everyone without making development difficult.
This applies to any group of people with special needs. Android Central’s phone editor Nick Sutrich can’t use phones that have screens that flicker too slowly because he’s sensitive to them. I also can’t use active noise-canceling headphones because my brain goes crazy trying to process the imperceptible white noise they produce. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds (and other brands’ earbuds) wreak havoc on people with nickel sensitivity.
These companies cannot change their products to better meet the needs of the relatively few affected. I guess they couldbut that would be a stupid business decision because you’re spending your money in a way that doesn’t make your product better for the vast majority of people. It would only slow down the development of features that everyone wants.
I don’t have to like this, but I’ve decided I’m not going to hate it so much anymore. Every time a Galaxy Watch or Pixel Watch launched, I told myself this could be the year they make a watch for me. This year, it never is.
In the meantime, Android Central has reached out to Google about possible plans to bring wheelchair-specific features to the Pixel Watch, but has not received a response by the time of publication. I will update this article when I receive a response.
However, you should not let this affect your purchase decision unless it affects you. Look at what offers you the best value for money and then buy what you like best. No one in a wheelchair becomes should ever try to control your taste.
Rock your new Pixel Watch and enjoy it. I will wear my Garmin Venu 3 until it dies, but I will be a few jealous.
A great watch for everyone
The Garmin Venu 3 and 3S feature thin-bezel AMOLED displays, fantastic battery life, music storage, tap to pay, Bluetooth calling, voice assistant support, thousands of exercises for customized at-home workouts, and more. Plus, they’re the best wearable for wheelchair users.
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