An Engadget columnist makes the case for the humble smartwatch flashlight, arguing that the feature—found on devices like the Apple Watch, Google Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch—is more genuinely useful than sceptics give it credit for. Rather than a proper LED torch, it simply turns the watch's display white at full brightness, but the writer argues this is enough for everyday tasks such as finding a dropped pill, and matters because it offers a convenient light source when a phone isn't within reach.

The piece contrasts the watch flashlight with using a phone's camera flash, noting that many people deliberately leave their phone in another room while still wearing their watch, precisely so they can avoid being tethered to it. A phone is also heavier and more awkward to hold when both hands are needed, whereas the watch stays strapped to the wrist, freeing up the hands entirely—an approach the author dubs "Iron Man mode." The article is written in a light-hearted, opinion-based style rather than reporting hard news.