Apple Watches are already given to Aetna’s Health insurer workers for free (along with a handful of regular customers). Over the past days the insurance company has decided to offer those bonuses to all the customers. According to CNBC sources understanding, Aetna is in contact with Apple to offer its eligible customers a free or discounted Watch as a perk. It is to be kept in mind that Aetna doesn’t just serve a small fraction of people but a whooping 23 million people. It’s not confirm what would the deal look like, but Aetna is aiming to hand out wristwear early in 2018.
But why Apple Watch, why not Android SmartWatch?
Apple from the beginning aims for the high end luxury market but after the release of Series 2 and onwards, Apple has further more pivoted its approach toward fitness. Then again how does a high-end watch be more feasible than a mid ranged Android smartwatch. lets see what they both have to offer…
Apple Watch
Pros:
- Lift your wrist and the face will light up (when you aren’t using it the screen will be black)
- IPS display which is very clear and sharp with vivid colours.
- Lots of bells and whistles such as a sketch feature and displaying your heart rate
- Watch face and bands available in 2 different sizes
- Customizable watch faces
- Tracks your fitness via the Activity app and includes an accelerometer and heart rate sensor
- Apple Pay
- Water resistant up to 50 meters, so you can swim with it
- Built in GPS
- Heart rate sensor
- Emergency call feature allows you to hold a button and contact 911 as well as your emergency contacts
- Can play Pokemon Go on Apple Watch
- Viewranger hiking app
- Watch automatically adjusts when daylight savings occurs and when you move from one time zone to the next
Moto 360Android Smartwatch
Pros:
- Can play music without phone
- Capability to act as TV remote
- Fitness tracker
- Heart rate monitor
- Find My Phone feature
- Draw emojis
- Can wear in the shower
- Looks like a regular watch
- Wireless charge
- Up to 3 days battery life
Assumed reason of preference
Other than direct comparison of hardware and features Apple Watch has over 10,000 apps that actively sync and bumps up the functionality of the watch. Also judging by the aspect of a strong fan base and iPhone user leaning towards a more simplistic user interface provided by iOS. People are more comfortable in using the device.
Where as android smartwatch is still undergoing a process and has unfinished product and too many third party apps. The android smartwatch companies are not focusing on the a single agenda, but they in my opinion they are working on hardware, design, specs, health, accessorize and a lot more. but their main focus is not health and fitness.
Aetna in case of Watch only have to deal with Apple which is connected to a large user base, where as in case of android smartwatch the companies are very fragmented like hard to choose from between Samsung, Sony, Motorola and other brands. It would be a divided approach and hard to convince them if such step is in their interest.
Its a well known fact why Aetna would consider passing out Apple Watches like candy. Aetna hopes that such initiative can help encourage customers to live healthier life, according to one of the tipster. The spending of Aetna on smartwatches could easily be justifiable if the following step taken reduces the number of insurance claims. Apple on the other hand could see this as a incremental part of its plan become a mainstay in digital medical health. Apple might have to take some financial hits by doing this, but an agreement could help it acquire millions of new customers(some might be repeating customers) but it is a small price to pay to become a standard fitness tool.