When Google showed us the new Pixel Watch 3 with tons of new running features, there was no mention of a dedicated “wheelchair mode” like the one used in Garmin watches. I didn’t expect there to be (tech publications often receive details about products early so they can be prepared for their launch), but I still had a small sliver of hope. I was disappointed like I am every year.
I’ve finally decided I’m no longer going to have any expectations about seeing a wearable designed for wheelchair users from companies like Google, Samsung, or Apple because the wearable market is like the market for every product; it’s based on profits and not some lofty humanitarian effort.
Android & Chill
One of the web’s longest-running tech columns, Android & Chill is your Saturday discussion of Android, Google, and all things tech.
I’ll start by saying there is a wearable designed for people like me so it’s not like we’ve been forgotten. My Garmin Venu 3 does an amazing job keeping track of how often I fail to meet my fitness goals, tracks workout routines specifically designed for folks in wheelchairs, and has been tailored for the physical changes and challenges people in a chair face. And it does an excellent job doing it.
I’ll also say it’s not the best smartwatch out there because of its software. It runs a proprietary Garmin-built operating system that isn’t as intuitive or feature-packed as Google’s Wear OS or Apple’s watchOS. Besides, the Pixel Watch 3 looks really good, and I like things that look nice. I just want one.
Unfortunately, Google can’t have the same priorities as I do because it wants to sell watches. Google could prioritize a wheelchair mode complete with algorithm changes based on physiology for the next Pixel Watch, but that’s not going to open many wallets.
Almost every product is like this. In the U.S., 8.5% of the population has some sort of mobility issue. Of those people, 15% use a wheelchair. That’s 15% of 8.5%, or about 3.5 million people. That’s a lot of people, but when compared to the 343 million people who aren’t in a wheelchair, it puts the number into perspective. You see this in your daily life — you will find people using a chair, but not very many.
Most companies can not cater to marginalized groups. Yes, I said that and I can, because I’m part of that group. Don’t get mad. Garmin does it because it found a way to do it without compromising the work on features built for everyone else. Other smartwatch companies will let you set your wearable in chair mode without core changes to how fitness tracking works, and that’s enough to include everyone without making things difficult for development.
This goes for every group of people with any sort of special need. Android Central’s Phones editor, Nick Sutrich, can’t use phones that flicker the screen too slowly because he’s sensitive to this. I also can’t use headphones with Active Noise Cancellation because my brain gets funky trying to process the imperceptible white noise they create. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds (and other brands of earbuds) cause havoc to people sensitive to Nickel.
These companies can’t change their products to better serve the needs of the relatively few people affected. I guess they could, but that would be a silly business decision because it’s spending money in a way that doesn’t make your product better for the vast majority of people. It would only slow the development of features everyone wants.
I don’t have to like this, but I’ve decided I’m going to stop hating it so much. With every Galaxy Watch or Pixel Watch launch, I’ve told myself this could be the year they make a watch for me. It’s never that year.
Meanwhile, Android Central has contacted Google regarding any potential plans to bring wheelchair-focused features to the Pixel Watch but has not received a response in time for publication. I will update this article when I hear back.
Still, you should not let any of this influence your buying decision unless you’re affected. Look at what gives you the best feature-to-value ratio, then buy whatever you like the most. Nobody in a wheelchair is going to should ever try to police your tastes.
Rock your new Pixel Watch and enjoy it. I’ll wear my Garmin Venu 3 until it dies, but I’ll be a little jealous.
A great watch for everyone
The Garmin Venu 3 and 3S have thin-bordered 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. it’s also the best wearable for anyone in a wheelchair.
