Hybrid watches built in a better way

Timeflix watch bypasses the predominant issue – hybrid watches have, the hands getting in the way of the display

There are only so many ways to design an effective UI on a display smaller than a human palm—especially when there’s a hole in the middle

Existing hybrid watches get the hands to do “clever gymnastics” to keep the display content visible. Fossil’s elegant lineup of hybrid watches have a wrist flick gesture to momentarily make the hands do a 360degree turn, to let you see beneath them

LG had the hands flick to the 3 and 9 positions and the display jumped up slightly to do the same

I admire the thought put in by Fossil, Garmin and, before them, LG starting with their W7 hybrid watch (which paired Wear OS with an analogue design) — to acknowledge that the user will face an issue if the hands come in the way. When the makers put the extra effort into thinking about the consumer and the usage of the product, I really value it. However, I do think that there is a better way to do a hybrid watch. A better way for the connected conveniences smartwatches offer, to be blended with the classic analogue watch look we all love

A different approach: Vacating the Inner Circle

In any analogue watch, the hour hand is shorter because it has to reach a smaller dial circle, while the minute hand is longer.

TimeFlix keeps this same base design, but vacates the inner circle for the display.

This leaves the screen clear for data presentation while always keeping the hands visible

The hands have just one job—the job they are meant to do: show the time, always. With that, a basic good watch is built and ready to go.

Immense Possibilities

Now that we have the clock ready to do its job, the possibilities with the center display are immense

• Custom Home screen: Maybe you wanna keep an eye on a second timezone, its right there on the center display when you need it, while the physical hands “always” show the time . Maybe you are a audiophile and you wanna have your music controls right there, programmed to the physical buttons, no need to open a music “app”
• Extreme Low Power: Maybe you want to extend your vacation but also don’t want to wear a dead watch. And you don’t have a charger. You can keep it running like a normal watch with the extreme low power mode—the hands still keeping time accurately, but no Bluetooth and no connected features. Do what you want.
• Disconnect at night: Sleep with a normal analogue watch which isn’t sending and receiving Bluetooth or connected to your phone in any way. Wake up wearing the same watch, scheduled to re-enable the Bluetooth connection for the day