EnVy_CaLiBeR
Member
This CNET article states there will be about 1000 apps available at launch.
http://www.cnet.com/news/gear-s2-propels-samsung-into-sleeker-design-focus-on-apps/
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Android Wear |OT| 2nd Gen is Here
- Thread starter Jzero
- Start date
This CNET article states there will be about 1000 apps available at launch.
http://www.cnet.com/news/gear-s2-propels-samsung-into-sleeker-design-focus-on-apps/
Jazzy Network
Member
Hmm I knew I read that somewhere.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Interesting. One says 70, one says 1,000. Guess we gotta wait and see.
If it's already saturated, might as well pack it up and call it quits.
The number of Android Wear devices sold is still in the single-digit millions.
There were over 1 billion Android phones sold last year alone.
So the attach rate is literally less than 0.01%.
It's still absurdly early days for smartwatches and wearables.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Well they could improve the attach rate by not charging an arm and a leg for the things.
There are/have been Android Wear watches you can buy for $100. I'm not really sure what you expect.
My point is simply that the platforms still have a lot of time to evolve. I wouldn't write off Samsung's Tizen so quickly. The Gear S2 looks like a much better device than any Android Wear watch released thus far.
AngmarsKing701
Member
I think the Gear S2 looks pretty good. I do like the rotating bezel. The question on what apps it's actually going to have for its proprietary system will be an important factor. For instance, will my Fitbit sync to it? I don't know. I see Nike Running app, but that's not important to me.
Huawei and Motorola 360 2nd gen are both looking pretty good, imo. They're both leagues ahead of the Urbane (again, my opinion) on looks. That fat bezel on the Urbane looks ugly as fuck after seeing the sleeker Moto 2 and Huawei.
And yes, you can get a cheaper watch, but looking at what's available via Amazon at least for Android Wear watches, we've already come a long way. All those butt ugly rectangles... ugh.
My point on price is this. I can get a nice Skagen steel mesh watch that looks great and can be worn for business, a night out, etc. for about $100. So ok, for the watch itself, I'm willing to spend $100. Now, what is the value of an AW on top of $100? The manufacturers are thinking it's worth an additional $200+ for you to check notifications, steps, etc. via your wrist instead of pulling your phone out. It's not surprising the attach rate is so low.
Anyway, I'll be interested in seeing what the Gear S2 price is... and I'll be looking at Black Friday deals on these things, because my ceiling is probably $200-$250 for one of these newer models.
This is the big difference between Android Wear and the Gear S2.
Android Wear is just extending your Android phone to your wrist; the Gear S2 is far more complex and could even be a stand-alone smartphone replacement. And that's really the big question: is the smartwatch always going to a simple companion device? Or does it eventually emerge as something similar but distinct, like a tablet?
As always, it will depend on developer buy-in, but the sort of apps the Gear S2 can run look a lot more complex than what Android Wear offers. The interface and design of Android Wear is inherently limiting.
Tizen will be impossible sell... there is simply no way you can get support for it same as Android Wear where it is built into Android. I wonder why they even spent their resources on it.
There are plenty of other cheaper android wear watches coming out like Huawei one.
Jazzy Network
Member
It's Samsung. If it gets legs, there will absolutely get support for it. AW right now is garbage and its implementation of circular displays is garbage. The Gear S2's implementation seems really good right now. Time will tell, but it's alot more interesting right now than any AW watch.
Chance Hale
Member
Will the Huawei watch be sold in any stores? Tempted to order but I just want to make sure it looks good on my wrist before I drop the 400 for the steel mesh version.
Jazzy Network
Member
Yea brah shit being cut off on my Moto 360 is sweet. Perfect implementation. My mistake.
So something being not perfect is equivalent to being garbage? If you say so.
SirMossyBloke
Member
You said AW, not Motorola. They're the only ones messing up circular displays.
Jazzy Network
Member
Oh no it's garbage in how it implements other shit too, but the circular issue is one that stands out.
Jzero
Member
Really now? Worked really well for their first watches.
Jazzy Network
Member
Because the first watches didn't get legs? Did you not read?
It's completely beta. It's incredible how apps show up cut off and how sometimes the apps don't even show up at all. Hey lemme fast forward to next tra....oh wait the music card doesn't show up? Awesome!
Jzero
Member
You didn't even mention the first gen watches. What makes you think this watch will actually "get legs"
Jazzy Network
Member
Aaaaaand I never said it would. I said if it did. Even the biggest cynic can see the S2 is better than any garbage they've put out in the past.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
I hope they force more effort on designing for a circular display. Square watchfaces are so tacky, and I don't feel like the watch face should be an extension of my phone display in terms of usability. I want a much more streamlined/simplified experience that covers the big stuff.
brotkasten
Member
That's not the point. No one remembers Samsung for their Tizen phones and neither do developers.
brotkasten
Member
Android Pay just came out and none of the watches were built to support it. Just wait for watches with official support, if you intend to use it.
I know it just came out, but you'd think manufacturers would have a bit of foresight (with Apple Pay being out and Google Wallet being around for years).
It's probably going to be a couple of years before we actually get Android Pay in the UK, but I don't intend on upgrading watches very often.
Chance Hale
Member
Jazzy Network
Member
Samsung obviously doesn't give a crap about their Tizen phones. I mean have they even released a high end one? You can't compare the Tizen on the phone vs Tizen on the watch. I mean would you compare Android on the phone vs Android on the watch? Of course not.
... you're not making any sense
Jazzy Network
Member
What doesn't make sense? I'll try to make sense of it.
BootlegSnackz
Member
This man is 100% correct. Nfc should have been in all of these 2nd gen watches in anticipation of the feature being available. Not expensive to implement that. The thing is it makes me wonder if Google has not made their partners aware of the intent to even have this be a feature? Makes me more mad at Google. It's basically just like the WiFi situation. The early watches couldn't even take advantage of the new WiFi features. LG G Watch R took forever to get support I assume because LG didn't even know this was coming.
I refuse to believe that Google hasn't at least been talking about the possibility of NFC.
Will the new moto 360 work with the old bands for the old 360? I bought the Tylt sport band last month and am really tempted to get the new 360, but hope the band works.
I also have the black steel for the old 360. I'm reading that those are 23nm and the new 360 (mens large size) uses 22nm?
I also have the black steel for the old 360. I'm reading that those are 23nm and the new 360 (mens large size) uses 22nm?
brotkasten
Member
How do we not have a firm release date for the new Moto 360 yet? Why is announcing something without a fixed release date still a thing?
Jzero
Member
The new Moto will have traditional clasps for bands, so no. Good news is the variety one can buy should be far, far greater. Aside from the size mentioned above.
Jzero
Member
We don't need one, this one is already dead.
We just need a mod to change the title.
Edit: I updated the OT with the newer watches.
I'm thinking of getting a smart watch mostly so I can do memos since I'm rather forgetful. I don't like carrying my phone around the house or the hassle of unlocking my phone and starting a memo app. Is there a watch that can do one button (preferably hardware) voice memos from any screen?
Any Android Wear watch will do this. Don't even need a button press, just say "OK Google, take a note <note>"
There's a chance some newer ones do, but they're not talking about it until the M event, much like WiFi.
Can I turn that off and just press a physical button to start Google Now from any screen? I'd rather not have the watch always listening to me or people I'm around for privacy and battery concerns. If any watch can do this, which is the best value or the favorite?
Jazzy Network
Member
The Gear S2 supposed to launch in US and Canada on October 2nd. Hopefully we get reviews soon and see how it will really perform especially when connected to a non Samsung device.
Not that I'm aware unless there's 3rd party apps. It doesn't listen until the screen is fully on (there's a power saving mode that always shows the time on the screen, so you can use it as an actual watch and always look at it), so either you can have it so when you raise your wrist the screen comes on and then it will listen, but if you want more security, you can turn wrist gestures off and press the button/screen to bring the full screen up and then it'll listen.
You can even have a screen lock on, but I've never tried it.