Smartwatch, what problem are they trying to solve?

[Kaido]

Getting a buzz on my wrist with a blinking Bluetooth logo to tell me that I was walking away from my phone is the kind of notification I want. Not a fully interactive health/activity tracking app.

That would actually be a genius feature - people leave their phones in public places on accident all the time!

 

[Eug]

It is the kind of thing that if you don't already know, it can never be put into terms you would understand.

It's funny you say this. Even after 45 minutes, Apple, the king of gadget marketing, still hasn't put it into terms that we can understand.

It still all seems rather pointless.

 

[CZroe]

That would actually be a genius feature - people leave their phones in public places on accident all the time!

This feature has been a part of every Bluetooth watch since 2005. They even make dedicated wristbands with no other function.

That's the kind of thing I was talking about when I said that people underestimate the utility of the most basic functions that don't require a compromised smartphone condensed on your wrist with overlapping functionality. Vibration notifications you can feel even when you can't hear/feel your phone, discrete call notification with Caller ID and discrete call rejection (no one even knows your phone rang), range/disconnection notice, a small indication for what type of notification you just heard so you don't pull your phone out for something it turns out you didn't even care about, etc. I don't want to read and respond to texts on my wrist but I do want a symbol that tells me that it wasn't just an app notification I don't care about (simple momentary SMS or email logo).

 

[squirrel dog]

plus it gives criminals a heads up , hey , this guys got some stuff !!

 

[Red Storm]

plus it gives criminals a heads up , hey , this guys got some stuff !!

Because so few people have smartphones, right?

I think smartwatches are neat gadgets that serve a real purpose, but they aren't for everyone. If you can count the number of notifications you get in a typical day on one (or two) hands, then a smartwatch will not benefit you much and is not worth getting. I like that I could handle most of my emails/texts/chat messages from the watch quickly and easily, that I didn't have to bring my phone out of my pocket. I like that I could easily screen calls while driving. I like that by not needing to take out my phone nearly as much the battery on it lasted longer. I like being able to check weather, traffic, score updates, showtimes, create reminders, set appointments, and ask general fact questions with just a quick tap on the wrist. I like that the watch automatically mutes my phone when connected and I don't miss a call or text in places that I usually would (very loud/busy).

It's fine to not like smartwatches, but to take your own opinion and somehow determine that they are useless for everyone is quite a stretch.

 

[rudeguy]

I didn't read the thread but that won't stop me from replying.

I get hundreds of emails, linkedin messages, facebook notifications, twitter mentions, work instant messages and probably a few other communications a day. My biggest challenge every day is do I stay buried in Outlook all day or do I do work? Yes my phone alerts me to all of those but pulling my phone in and out of my pocket, waking the screen, pulling down the notification bar and expanded notifications takes time.

My ideal Smart Watch would let me filter those. Even if it didn't, being able to glance at my wrist would help me out a ton and save me time. It would also help me not miss important notifications.

I'm waiting on the Moto 360 to hit. If that sucks, my last effort will be Google Glass

 

[BlitzPuppet]

I still wear my wristwatch.

I like the fact that the watch doesn't need to be plugged into a usb cord to be charged every night.

 

[Rakehellion]

I still wear my wristwatch.

I like the fact that the watch doesn't need to be plugged into a usb cord to be charged every night.

It still needs to be on a charging station that's plugged into a USB cord every night.

 

[maxi007]

dont want to pull the phone from pocket during driving ...

 

[Imp]

dont want to pull the phone from pocket during driving ...

That's what the cup holder is for.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I am obviously not their target market...

 

[zinfamous]

Running or cycling, I don't want to pull out my phone. Lots of other occasions, a watch/smartwatch is more convenient.

to make it easier to text or facebook while cycling or running? :hmm:

seems that the various bio monitors that people strap to their wrists these days provide all the functionality anyone would need during such activities.

 

[Phoenix86]

As I've said (for about a decade now): They're doing it all wrong!

It should be a watch FIRST. It should look like a watch. It should function as a watch. The time should always be visible and you shouldn't need to perform a gesture to make it show the time.

It should have some kind of auxiliary display that can display BASIC information from your phone.

• Incoming caller's name or number
• Current song playing
• If there's no music and no call, perhaps a number of notifications waiting to be addressed.

No camera.
No smartphone-like storage.
No smartphone-like processor (only an extremely limited ASIC capable of retrieving information to display -- THAT'S ALL).
Battery life should be closer to that of a watch than that of a smartphone.

Seriously. Why don't manufacturers and CE companies get it? Now they're going all the way back to full cell phones on your wrist with a 3G data connection.

This post is worth noting. Basic input/output to the phone, functions primarily as a watch. Run the apps on the phone, output the display to the watch. NO processing on the watch of the apps, let the more powerful phone handle data storage/processing.

 

[torpid]

I bought a Pebble because it was the same price as the entry level Garmin and I needed something for my running this summer. I already was carrying my phone with me for emergency use and occasional music, so the only question was whether the phone and/or watch would last several hours during heavy GPS use. Because I use iSmoothRun and it has its own app (unlike 99% of running apps) for the Pebble, it works fairly well for me. And I can see texts or emails that come in without taking my phone out. This means I can put my phone in a plastic bag or other weather-proofing solution and I am set for running in basically any condition.

I do wear the Pebble most days anyway because it adds some minor convenience of alerting me to texts that I used to miss.

Having used the Pebble and reviewed the Android offerings, the user experience and featureset are still way behind where they should be by now. The Apple Watch isn't the most amazing device ever invented, but it appears to be by far the best and most useful smart watch by a wide margin. For people who don't need a fitness watch, I think it will be the first watch that has some compelling features nonetheless.

If the price point really is $350-ish, that puts it at the same price as a Garmin 620 and it actually includes an HRM and cadence sensor (unlike the 620 which requires a separate unit).

I'm definitely following along and interested...

 

[unclefred]

I didn't read the thread but that won't stop me from replying.

I get hundreds of emails, linkedin messages, facebook notifications, twitter mentions, work instant messages and probably a few other communications a day. My biggest challenge every day is do I stay buried in Outlook all day or do I do work? Yes my phone alerts me to all of those but pulling my phone in and out of my pocket, waking the screen, pulling down the notification bar and expanded notifications takes time.

My ideal Smart Watch would let me filter those. Even if it didn't, being able to glance at my wrist would help me out a ton and save me time. It would also help me not miss important notifications.

I'm waiting on the Moto 360 to hit. If that sucks, my last effort will be Google Glass

I think it's advantages are obvious. Besides, it will be a couple quick years and the watch could replace the functionality of the phone altogether.

 

[CZroe]

I think it's advantages are obvious. Besides, it will be a couple quick years and the watch could replace the functionality of the phone altogether.

Is that seriously what anyone wants?! Sorry. I want to augment my phone instead of fighting with a limited version of it.

 

[Red Storm]

Is that seriously what anyone wants?! Sorry. I want to augment my phone instead of fighting with a limited version of it.

This. I do NOT want a phone on my wrist.

 

[drbrock]

I don't get the apple smartwatch or the motorola. They seem like wastes to me.

However I did get a smartwatch(garmin Fenix 2) myself. Mine actually has function though. I do a lot of hiking and cycling/exercising. The battery life is amazing if you don't use bluetooth often. With the default gps on I can get a day or two of battery life. Without being in an activity(just watch mode) it can go for a month or two. I exercise nearly everyday and only need to charge it once every two weeks.

I use bluetooth whenever I really need to get an email or take a call. That murders battery within a day though.

 

[Paratus]

Apple copying Samsung Gear, Moto, and Pebble you say? Multiple watch bands you say?

:hmm:

 

[Hugo Drax]

The problem with the Apple smart watch is like the others, you need a smartphone for 90% of the features. And the battery requires daily charging.

 

[Hugo Drax]

I don't get the apple smartwatch or the motorola. They seem like wastes to me.

However I did get a smartwatch(garmin Fenix 2) myself. Mine actually has function though. I do a lot of hiking and cycling/exercising. The battery life is amazing if you don't use bluetooth often. With the default gps on I can get a day or two of battery life. Without being in an activity(just watch mode) it can go for a month or two. I exercise nearly everyday and only need to charge it once every two weeks.

I use bluetooth whenever I really need to get an email or take a call. That murders battery within a day though.

That fenix 2 seems like something that solves a problem and works well. More smart watch than the smart watch apple etc.. Are trying to push.

 

[Printer Bandit]

dick did it first

 

[Ichinisan]

plus it gives criminals a heads up , hey , this guys got some stuff !!

Yeah. A phone that would be almost worthless to a thief due to activation lock.

 

[Fire&Blood]

A smartwatch that has to be charged daily...nope.
It has to be a week at least before I would consider it. Looking forward to "charged the smartwatch but forgot to charge the smartphone" threads.

 

[Crono]

I must be the only one who thinks that in 5 years you'll be able to "slap bracelet" your phone onto your wrist. Just need a little more advancements to make everything smaller, lighter, and most of the components flexible, but we are getting there.


The clasp (preferably ceramic, and would house all non-flexible elements) would be easy to do magnetically, wireless charging is already in devices, and flexible displays (OLED) are doable right now, it's the SoC and battery that would be hard. Maybe something like SMA shielded by flexible insulation would give the phone rigidity in "phone mode" when current is applied.