Why Don't We Have a Good Smartwatch?

[poofyhairguy]

So it is the end of the Year of the Smartwatch and we don't have any anything worth wearing.

-The Pebble is the right price and is open but the hardware is super lacking

-The Galaxy Gear has the right features, but has a few critical flaws (only certain phones, crappy battery life, not waterproof, etc.) that really makes it a poor value

-The Sony watch just seems to outright suck

-The Toq nails the right features and battery life, but is a little pricy and Qualcomm blatantly says "this is a reference design so others make these products" so support two years out seems unlikely. It is like buying Google Glass to me.


No Apple watch, no Google watch. Nothing really enticing from the major players. And nothing really in the pipeline that is exciting unless I missed something.

Anyone have a theory of why this category that was supposed to explode this year didn't?

 

[desura]

Um, it does less than a smartphone, costs nearly as much, short battery life, seeing what time it is really isn't that important.

I think smartphone tech has matured. I fully expect to be using my current smartphone like 10 years from now. It's more than good enough for what I need it to be.

 

[bearxor]

The Pebble is the one I'm eyeing the most. The hardware may be "lacking" but it does everything I expect a watch to do. It even lasts a week on one charge.

When I showed my wife one, however, she simply said it was "not nice looking". I expect to see an Apple watch next year really try and nail down the 'functional and pretty' aspect of things, with Google, Samsung, Sony to follow that lead.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Um, it does less than a smartphone, costs nearly as much, short battery life, seeing what time it is really isn't that important.

I see where you are coming from, but I disagree. Personally I would pay $200+ just to have a way to check my notifications and quick reply to texts without taking my phone out of my pocket.

I think smartphone tech has matured. I fully expect to be using my current smartphone like 10 years from now. It's more than good enough for what I need it to be.

I think in 10 years I will be wearing a mature version of glass and a flat glass slate will seem primitive.

 

[Oyeve]

I really see no need ever for a smart watch. I really dont see the draw.

I also cant believe the Gear is NOT waterproof! WTF?!?!?!?

 

[Ravynmagi]

I think the technology is still lacking. We need better displays that can stay on 24/7 and better batteries.

 

[vshah]

HTC is supposedly working on one. With them, the design aspect will probably be good. Battery life on the other hand....

I'm sure apple is working on something as well.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Unnecessary features. You do NOT need a browser on a smart watch.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I really see no need ever for a smart watch. I really dont see the draw.

Moto X's Active Notifications basically showed me that notifications on a smartphone sucks. Active Notifications are a little better, but the real answer is getting notified via a wearable device outside of my pocket.

I also cant believe the Gear is NOT waterproof! WTF?!?!?!?

I know. I totally would have wasted the money and gotten one otherwise.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I think the technology is still lacking. We need better displays that can stay on 24/7 and better batteries.

I think all the pieces are there though.

I don't need a 24/7 display, just one that turns on consistently with motion (Pebble works great here). AMOLED works. Just execute better.

Battery is not a big deal if they would just use some underclocked single core A7. That is enough power for a watch, but "we gotta have margin" Samsung stuck to crap binned A9s instead. Plus make it Qi chargeable and I don't mind charging nightly or every other day.

The problem is not the pieces, it is the execution. I mean if Qualcomm can almost nail it as a demo, why can't a Sony, Samsung or Moto put out real product?

 

[Ravynmagi]

I think all the pieces are there though.

I don't need a 24/7 display, just one that turns on consistently with motion (Pebble works great here). AMOLED works. Just execute better.

Battery is not a big deal if they would just use some underclocked single core A7. That is enough power for a watch, but "we gotta have margin" Samsung stuck to crap binned A9s instead. Plus make it Qi chargeable and I don't mind charging nightly or every other day.

The problem is not the pieces, it is the execution. I mean if Qualcomm can almost nail it as a demo, why can't a Sony, Samsung or Moto put out real product?

For me an always on display like the Mirsol is a requirement. I don't want to have to shake me arm to wake up my watch or reach over and tap it or something else.

And I think a battery that can last a few days, preferably at least a week, would be ideal. Because I don't want yet another device that I need to remember to plug in every night.

The technology is almost here. But I don't think it's quite polished yet and it's definitely not affordable yet.

Maybe this time next year there might be something worth buying.

 

[nOOky]

I see a watch emulating a smart phone's functions as redundant. It's just something else to charge or run out of juice. The screen by design will be too small to convey much information of any real use. It has to pair with the phone to be of any use, which requires power no matter how small.

I personally don't think it's too difficult to take my phone out of my pocket to check the time or my messages, and if I do want to reply it's right there.

It's a solution searching for a problem imho, just another device we are told we need to make it through our day so we can spend more of our money.

 

[zerogear]

The Qualcomm Toq seems pretty decent, but generally, I find Smartwatches to be gaudy.

 

[destrekor]

Not one company has really managed to capture all of the wishes and demands of the market. This can change, and hopefully it will soon, but I am in the same boat - if the right watch catches my eye, I'll want it - but outside of the MotoACTV I use (only while running), I haven't seen one device really hit that "this is the one" point.
And I'm really hoping Apple isn't the one to capitalize and take the market by storm with the watch that is "just right." I don't want anything to do with their ecosystem, considering I have zero products of Apple's and don't care to ever worry about double-dipping in two markets. I'll especially demand an open compatibility, or at least Android compatibility.
If it's Apple but it's an open tech, if it hits the rest of the points I might still be interested.

I gotta believe it should be soon, that some company will finally have one that just appeals to a large number of watch fans.

 

[s44]

Possible reasons:
(1) technical -- battery life, waiting for process shrink, evolving display tech (flex LED or Mirasol)
(2) market -- not all that much demand, or (for Google) Glass is closer/cheaper than we may expect
(3) conspiracy -- bogged down in negotiations relating to the Rockstar patent assault or some crap like that

Actually, I think (3) is the reason we haven't seen those Bay Trail/Celeron Android laptops/hybrids that Intel promised 6+ months back. Screw you, Microsoft.

 

[jpiniero]

The industry needs Apple to come up with theirs so they can copy it.

 

[s44]

The industry needs Apple to come up with theirs so they can copy it.

I can't wait for Apple to invent the 5.5" phone.

 

[Imp]

Battery life is a big one for me.

Biggest one is I don't see a point and I hate wearing watches. A short while back, I saw a smart ring. Now, that was impressive.

 

[tsupersonic]

I don't see the point of smartwatches. I don't want to spend more money on another device when my smartphone can do everything just fine. Having said that, the only "smartwatch" to catch my attention is the Basis B1. Not your traditional smartwatch, it's more a health monitor tool.

 

[s44]

I can't wait for Apple to invent the 5.5" phone.

Actually, this time Samsung may buy/license the next pointless UI tech before Apple does.

http://www.sammobile.com/2013/12/16...rence-to-help-foster-growth-of-wearable-tech/

 

[openwheel]

Because mechanical watches will always be better than any dig it any
watch.

 

[destrekor]

Because mechanical watches will always be better than any dig it any
watch.

I think that can only be said because the original mechanical watch has not been surpassed by a superior, well-rounded digital device.

I absolutely love the classic automatic movement mechanical watch, and want a really nice one to wear when dressed up. But somewhat due to engineering and technology limitations, and somewhat due to bad design, no one has made a digital watch that has that "this is class" statement. I, frankly, don't believe anyone who says it cannot be done. We may need technology to help shrink things down (the entire [classically-styled] watch strap houses battery cells, perhaps?), but if not now, it will eventually be possible to move the timeless design of classical watches into the world of digital watches.

With the right display tech, it'll also be entirely possible to emulate the mechanical hands, so you don't necessarily have to worry about the actual digital clocks. I'd like a lot of the conveniences that such a device could offer, but you are right, so far the mechanical watch is not threatened at all when it comes to style.

 

[lothar]

...
Anyone have a theory of why this category that was supposed to explode this year didn't?

Because the reality is that most people don't wear watches, period. Not even the geeks of Anandtech.
Another majority are not interested because they already have a watch and a smart watch won't do anything extra for them.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2302761

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Because the reality is that most people don't wear watches, period. Not even the geeks of Anandtech.
Another majority are not interested because they already have a watch and a smart watch won't do anything extra for them.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2302761

This is true. Only us old bastards wear watches and use pockets to put things in. The industry keeps trying to load all the functionality of a smartphone into a watch format. That's simply the wrong direction to go. We don't need browsers, we don't need color screens, we don't need bluetooth, we need useful apps, gps, the time and, no ads.

 

[destrekor]

This is true. Only us old bastards wear watches and use pockets to put things in. The industry keeps trying to load all the functionality of a smartphone into a watch format. That's simply the wrong direction to go. We don't need browsers, we don't need color screens, we don't need bluetooth, we need useful apps, gps, the time and, no ads.

Well, the bluetooth is rather important. Half the point of the smart watch, imho, is to keep you informed when desired. If it's not communicating with whatever watch you have (and, ideally if it's a BT smart watch, it is compatible with any phone), then it's not getting any information.
It doesn't need to function as a bluetooth communicator, roger.

Low Energy BT 4 profiles use a tiny, tiny amount of energy. They are slower at data transfer, but they function for basic data. A tiny battery can power a 4.0 Low Energy beacon for either 6 or 12 months.

A color screen is appreciated, but it shouldn't be a battery drain or overbearing. I like the idea of Mirasol and previous demonstrations of "color e-ink" - personally, I anticipate and look forward to having many devices that have a screen that looks like a printed magazine page. Some tech demos had that exact look, that sheen to the colors (the reflective display tech). I might hate it in person, but I love the idea. Especially because it's super easy on the eyes - but I like the idea of watching what appears to be printed ink showing motion video and otherwise rapid refreshes.
Same tech can make the B&W look.
Also, if the display is housed in a crystal viewing piece like regular watches, that with the color e-ink approach could really help sell the appearance of a basic watch on initial viewing.

If a manufacturer can take the Pebble concept, make it a little smaller, and improve on it in every way imaginable, and utilize crystal (or glass cut like the basic crystal-cut glass pieces), I might be interested. I definitely want something small, even if that's like a larger watch. It shouldn't be some bulky block.