Put phone notifications into a fitness tracker and your need for a smartwatch flies out of the window. For the most part anyway.
The problem with some current trackers is that notifications feel a little squeezed in at the last minute – probably because that's just what has happened in some situations, to appeal to people vaguely interested in 'something like an Apple Watch'.
We want to be able to read full WhatApp messages and texts, and see a bit more than just the subject lines of emails. Being able to customise which apps' notifications get through is a must too.
The problem here is that a good deal of app-level work will have to be done, particularly on the iOS side, to get the feel of a fitness tracker's phone notifications right. Even the Apple Watch isn't really there yet.
Oh, and having demanded them, we also need to be able to switch notifications off entirely, of course. Many people will just find them annoying.
