Apple and Samsung smartwatches need more buttons if they want more athletes

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

The GALAXY WATCH 5 PRO was announced by SAMSUNG. At Unpacked, it was obvious that the watch would appeal to outdoor athletes. There are rumors that a rugged Apple Watch may be on the way after Apple revealed a lot of new running metrics in watchOS 9. Aside from battery life and durability, there is another obstacle that could derail these efforts. There are touch screens.

Apple and SAMSUNG have used touchscreen navigation on their watches. It is fine for casual exercise or for the average person who isn't traversing all sorts of terrain. Both companies are aiming at the outdoor enthusiast with the "Pro" watches.

The regular 40mm version of the watch is not the same as the Pro version. They have the same design. I am concerned about that. It has been difficult to navigate through the screens on the few runs I have done with the watch. The famous Santana song says it is a hot one in August. Sometimes, I need to hit pause so that I can drink water. I have to stop and wipe my hands off before I can use the pause button. It feels like you're swimming in soup when the humidity is thick.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

I had the same problem when testing watchOS 9. To see the new running metrics, you have to use the digital crown. I have had to stop many times to view one of the new statistics. It is not easy to scroll through the digital crown.

This isn't just a summer issue. It's a swimming problem if you're a triathlon. When you have to wear gloves in the winter, it's even more of a problem. I have had a lot of gloves that are compatible with touch screens, but they have never been reliable on my phone.

You don't need to worry about this when you use a sports watch from the two companies. That's because buttons aren't damaged by gloves or water. Once you're used to them, you can flip through the menu without looking down. You can always use the most convenient method for a given situation if you combine touch and button controls.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

Athletes prize battery life, in-depth metrics, and durability, and Apple and SAMSUNG are aware of that. It is not clear if either company has thought about the reasons why so many outdoors enthusiasts and triathlons choose to give up physical controls.

We don't know a lot about the watch. The details have not been made public. The watch is a secret now. It is out in the world and lacks the physical controls that many triathlons have become accustomed to. It is puzzling that the Pro did not have a rotating bezel. It may have been a tradeoff to make it more durable. There are a number of reasons why you might choose a more advanced flagship watch over a dedicated multisportGPS watch. When I try to use the Watch 5 or Series 7 with my sweaty digits, I often wish I'd worn my gps device.