By Beatrice Nakibuuka
Once confined to the realm of science fiction, smartwatches are now becoming a practical reality for many Ugandans. From the busy streets of Kampala to the quiet hills of Kabale and Gulu, these compact, wrist-worn devices are reshaping how people manage health, stay in touch, and organise daily life.
Sleek, multifunctional, and increasingly affordable, smartwatches are evolving from stylish gadgets into essential tools for fitness, communication, and even farming. While their popularity is growing rapidly in urban centres, there are still challenges in extending their benefits to rural communities.
What is a smartwatch?
A smartwatch is essentially a wearable computer, often linked to a smartphone or equipped with its own SIM or eSIM to operate independently. Most are fitted with sensors that track fitness, monitor health, and provide real-time updates. Popular operating systems include Apple’s watchOS, Google’s Wear OS, and Huawei’s HarmonyOS.
With a simple tap or swipe, users can receive notifications, reply to messages, check the weather, pay bills, or make emergency calls, all from their wrist.
How they work
Smartwatches typically connect to smartphones via Bluetooth, allowing them to mirror notifications such as calls, texts, app alerts, and calendar events. However, their functionality goes well beyond alerts.
Equipped with touchscreens and physical buttons for ease of use, smartwatches can monitor step count, calories burned, sleep quality, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and GPS location, making them compact, all-in-one companions.
Why smartwatches matter in Uganda
Promoting better health
Smartwatches are helping users lead healthier lives by encouraging physical activity and providing insights into their wellbeing. In a country where regular medical check-ups are often out of reach, these devices can detect early signs of issues such as high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms.
Some models offer advanced features like electrocardiograms (ECGs), fall detection, and emergency alerts that can contact healthcare providers automatically, particularly useful for the elderly or those with chronic conditions.
Easy communication
For students, professionals, and business owners, smartwatches offer convenient access to calls and messages, reducing the need to constantly check their phones. Certain models with 4G or eSIM capabilities work independently, ensuring users remain connected even without their phones.
Facilitating mobile payments
As Uganda embraces a cashless economy, smartwatches with Near Field Communication (NFC) can be used to make mobile money payments or access digital wallets, saving time and improving transaction security.
Help with navigation, planning
Built-in GPS features assist users in finding their way around, while tools such as alarms, reminders, and calendars support time management. These are especially helpful for boda-boda riders, students, and busy professionals.
Supporting agriculture
In rural areas, smartwatches, when paired with smartphones or SMS-based apps, can be used to deliver farming tips, weather forecasts, and market prices. Though less obvious, this application is gaining attention for its potential to improve productivity and resilience among smallholder farmers.
Barriers to adoption
Despite their advantages, several obstacles are preventing the widespread adoption of smartwatches outside Uganda’s cities.
Cost remains a major barrier. According to Moses Jjuuko, a technology appliance salesperson in Kampala, smartwatches start from around Shs 100,000. “For many rural families, that’s still a luxury item,” he says. Connectivity and power are also challenges. Most smartwatch features rely on internet access or mobile networks, which can be unreliable or unavailable in many rural areas. “And with most models needing daily or weekly charging, access to electricity becomes a real concern,” Jjuuko adds.
Digital literacy is another hurdle. Many people, especially in remote areas, are unfamiliar with wearable technology and may not fully understand how to use it or why it matters.
Lack of localised apps. Most available apps are built for global users. There’s a need for Ugandan-developed applications that cater to local languages and address the specific needs of users, particularly in agriculture, education, and healthcare.
What the future holds
Despite these challenges, the future for smartwatches in Uganda looks bright. With increasing smartphone penetration and broader mobile internet coverage, wearable tech is set to become more accessible.
We can expect further improvements, including:
- Longer battery life, potentially lasting weeks between charges
- Lower costs, as production becomes more efficient
- Standalone features, such as calling and messaging without the need for a phone
- Locally developed apps, relevant to Ugandan lifestyles
- AI-powered tools, offering personalised health alerts and lifestyle recommendations
Small device with big impact
Smartwatches are no longer just gadgets for tech enthusiasts, they are becoming practical tools for modern living. In Uganda, they offer the potential to improve health, boost productivity, and enhance access to information.
“But for these devices to truly transform lives, especially in rural communities, issues such as affordability, connectivity, and education must be addressed,” Jjuuko says.
