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What happened to smartwatches?

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I remember last year everything was smartwatches. "IT'S ON YOUR WRIST, WOWEE" and the such. Every company under the sun was releasing one and everyone was very convinced they were the next huge big thing. I personally own a Pebble. Now though? It's crickets. They dropped off the face of the earth or something. There was a giant build up and then poof, no one cares. What gives?
 
It isn't the time thing
I much prefer looking at the time on a watch, mechanical preferably, vs looking at my phone.
Even if the phone had a permanent e-paper time display I would still prefer to look at a watch.
 
They actually released.

The hype for things is always bigger than the finish line. See Gaming Side.

But like, everyone was all "wow so cool like at this wooow". Some devices even got sequels. Then Apple did one and bam, no more.

Maybe one day.

Certainly not today.

eBZnKo1.jpg
 
It isn't the time thing
I much prefer looking at the time on a watch, mechanical preferably, vs looking at my phone.
Even if the phone had a permanent e-paper time display I would still prefer to look at a watch.

You realize that most of the market doesn't give a shit about any watch? You're unusual.

You can tell because most people wore a watch before smartphones came along, and then WOOSH... gone from mainstream life.

But like, everyone was all "wow so cool like at this wooow". Some devices even got sequels. Then Apple did one and bam, no more.

Well there's gonna be an Apple watch revision, if that's what you're asking.

I'm guessing at iPhone 7 reveal event.
 
Just bought a sort-of smart watch. Has the sensors and bluetooth and stuff for fitness tracking, but just has an analog face. Battery is good for 8 months, and I really just want a way to easily track a daily goal. Really happy with it so far:

Called a Withings Activite Steel:

withings-activite-steel-l.png


The idea of a watch with a round screen on it is super appealing for about 10 seconds; basically until i realize I have to charge it every night, the screen cant stay on all the time, and its bulky as hell. Maybe in a few years they'll get better, but battery tech needs to come a long way first.
 
Until they can do what Stark industries watches can do, they're basically really small screen smartphones in an age where screens get bigger.
 
They are here and doing decently. People that want one can get one, though if you want a selection of proper designs you would have to be on Android. They aren't a huge market at any rate, but it is still a market that is slowly growing.
 
I have a Pebble Classic. I use it as a music remote. The convenience of seeing messages on my wrist is also super nice. However, the screen recently has been glitching out like crazy which kind of bothers me.
 
Because if you're gonna put something that tells time on your wrist might as well put something cool on it that comes from the tradition of beautifully intricate mechanical time-telling works of art, not a tech product made in a factory in China and sold in a white cardboard box in the mall.
 
I love my Pebble Time. I understand that not everybody wants a Smart Watch, but those saying nobody wants them are definitely wrong.
 
Pebble Classic user. I enjoy the convenience of not having to pull my phone out to do something as simple as checking the time. Not to mention check the news, weather and yes, I enjoy getting texts on my phone. It's not as fancy as an Apple Watch, but the screen stays on all the time it lasts a week on a single charge. Oh, and it can find my phone if I lose track of it. It's just really convenient to have.
 
You realize that most of the market doesn't give a shit about any watch? You're unusual..

The point being that smart watches mostly fail to be as good as mechanical auto-winding watches in terms of visibility / style / feel / luminous markings and so on..

So if they failed at that, then no surprise they fail at the more advanced funcfions. Or at least, it isn't a good base to start from.

Most people don't care about watches any more because they can't afford nice ones, preferring to put the money into their phone, and cheap ones are often inferior in one way or another. But if you actually bother to own a nice mechanical watch you find you do use it many times a day. and I say this as someone who spends too much time using apps and browser on the phone.
 
Smartwatch (Apple Watch) problems:

Better connectivity needed - cellular antenna (phone independant)

Slimmer form factor / flexi screens etc

More intuitive design / solutions needed w/o the need to look at a screen.

Better battery life / kinetic charging like traditional watches?

- The tech is only just getting there.
 
Few people need it. For telling time people are using their cellphones. Some people use watches as fashion accessory, but for this purpose smartwatches are terrible. And the only functionality people really care about is fitness, which can be achieved better and cheaper with dedicated fitness band.
 
My Garmin Fenix 3 is awesome. Not sure if it's a smart watch with fitness features or a fitness tracker with smart watch features...
 
There is demand for this gen of watches. They do more now and advances are being made. Some allow you to take and make calls through the watch itself. Just because there isn't a loud advertisement for them doesn't mean they're gone with the wind. They ARE a bit pricey for most people though, but so are smartphones.
 
I like my LG Watch R once I got a decent band for it and find it really handy, but there's no way I could recommend one to anyone. The functionality is just not there.
 
There is demand for this gen of watches. They do more now and advances are being made. Some allow you to take and make calls through the watch itself. Just because there isn't a loud advertisement for them doesn't mean they're gone with the wind. They ARE a bit pricey for most people though, but so are smartphones.
I would argue affordable smartphones provide a much better experience being phones than affordable smartwatches provide being watches.

Smartwatches ain't going anywhere. I think anyone could tell you the initial hype was overblown. It was a bit weird seeing them featured so often on tech sites and business articles. It was like when people were trying to make google glass a thing. Although unlike google glass, smartwatches have been moderately successful. They're in the wild. Some of them work quite well, despite the obvious room for improvement.
 
I would argue affordable smartphones provide a much better experience being phones than affordable smartwatches provide being watches.

Smartwatches ain't going anywhere. I think anyone could tell you the initial hype was overblown. It was a bit weird seeing them featured so often on tech sites and business articles. It was like when people were trying to make google glass a thing. Although unlike google glass, smartwatches have been moderately successful. They're in the wild. Some of them work quite well, despite the obvious room for improvement.

It's just gonna take time and recognition. It's always had the potential, but never the platform proper.
 
I have a vivosmart HR which is great as I can get notifications to my wrist. I don't need a smart watch but id love an Apple Watch. That would be cool.
I get free Starbucks from walking so many steps so it's beneficial to have a fitness watch

Batteries are the problem though. My vivosmart has a 6 day battery life which is fine. But having to charge an Apple Watch every night is rubbish
 
I'm of the opinion that most of them are focusing on the wrong features. Long battery life and always on display are a must for a watch.
 
I have a student who wears one every day. He is in 3rd grade. He never has a fucking pencil but he has an apple watch. I want to scream.
 
A lot was promised and it totally failed to live up to the hype.
Low battery charge is bullshit, when a normal watch will be fine for years!


Also this.
This is like saying "my phone lasts weeks without charging it unlike those dumb smartphones. What do I need a smartphone for, anyway? Just to make and take calls!"

Life was better when my OG iPhone first arrived. No one else had one. It was special. Now every grandmother and gaffer has one. Yet they fail to see the appeal of new, developing things smh
 
The only watch anyone ever needs:

cas.jpg


Costs a fiver, classic design, water-resistant, backlight, stopwatch. I've had mine over 10 years and not changed the battery once.

Better than an Apple Watch in every way.
 
I bought a Huawei Watch at the end of last year. It's overpriced but I love it. It's best for checking messages and notifications at work (retail), so I don't get in trouble for pulling out my phone lol

Just look how attractive it makes you
 
I have a Zenwatch. It's handy at work for notifications when I can't use my phone. It also looks pretty nice I reckon and I use it as a step counter. The battery is OK I can get two days from it and I can also store music on it if u wanted to and use Bluetooth headphones to listen without a phone. Honestly though I got it cheap so I can't complain.
 
The only watch anyone ever needs:

cas.jpg


Costs a fiver, classic design, water-resistant, backlight, stopwatch. I've had mine over 10 years and not changed the battery once.

Better than an Apple Watch in every way.

amen brother

wearing one right now
 
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