Smartwatches are already an exemplary way to show off that you have money to burn. But did you know that it's also an exemplary way to cheat on an exam?
At the very least, that is what universities in Sydney and Melbourne seem to believe. The Chronicle for Higher Education reported that universities in the aforementioned Australian cities placed restrictions on wearing watches during this month's testing period.
This week, in a statement addressed to students about the ban, The University of South Wales in Sydney said, "Due to advances in watch technologies the UNSW exams rules have been updated: No wrist or handheld watches are to be worn or placed on your desk during exams."
Students who brought watches of any kind to an exam placed them in clear, resealable bags under their chairs. On the other hand, at La Trobe University in Melbourne, students are banned from wearing all smartwatches to tests, and those with regular watches were asked to simply place them on their desks.
The Apple Watch was first available to Australians on April 24, and starting this week, Australian consumers can now pick up watches at Apple stores.
This ban is actually just another instance of electronic-based bans enacted during exams. At British schools, similar watch bans were put in place earlier in anticipation of the Apple Watch, according to Buzzfeed. In the US, students taking the GRE exam are banned from bringing all sorts of electronics, including cellphones, smartphones and of course smartwatches.
