A well-designed smartwatch or wearable doesn’t really need notifications.

The thought just struck me yesterday as I was putting on my Swatch wristwatch. Think about it. I’m obviously talking about a wearable which, a) has some kind of screen, and b) is worn on the wrist or another place within the wearer’s field of vision. But yes, on the wrist in particular.

If you usually wear a traditional watch, stop for a moment and think about all the times you see the time even without actively checking the watch itself. That’s because the wristwatch is there, in plain sight, and not in your pocket. I often see the time with the corner of my eye. Just to name a few random activities: when I’m having a coffee or while eating, when I’m withdrawing money at an ATM, when I’m writing (especially using pen and paper: the watch is on my left wrist, and I place my left hand over the notebook as I write, to keep it still, so the watch is practically in my face as I write), on the bus as I cling to the various supports, and basically every time I happen to glance at my hand or arm. 

True, a traditional timepiece does not have a complex interface. It presents basic information with great immediacy. But checking it is also a truly effortless action. Therefore, I think it’s quite easy to catch new information as it is displayed on the smartwatch or wearable, and that’s why I believe (again, assuming it’s a well-designed device) notifications to be redundant — you’re probably glancing at the device with enough frequency as to not miss anything, really; especially because, in the back of your mind, you know there may be new information to check every now and then. There’s no actual need to draw attention to the device with something so noisy and annoying as a notification.