Are smart watches not a bit pointless?

Maybe I’m a bit biased here. But to me, a watch doesn’t need anything beyond a digital interface to tell the time (and possibly the date).

As much as I enjoy and appreciate Apple products, I just never got the point of the Apple Watch. Some people claim its supposed to act as an extension to your iPhone. Can’t I just use my hand as an extension instead? Or the media control buttons on the ear pods? I don’t get it.