14 DAY TRIAL // A smartwatch here, a smartwatch there, a smartwatch everywhere, seem to say today’s headlines, but the question actually is, do customers really need them?
The smartwatch war is certainly on. Google has launched its own dedicated OS for wearables entitled Android Wear and manufacturers like Motorola and LG have already jumped at the opportunity of being the first ones to adopt the platform.
On top of that, Samsung just unleashed a bunch of wearables and Apple is seemingly working on something of the sort, too.
It appears all the big boys of the industry are willing to play the wearable game, but is this something consumers really need device manufacturers to be pushing?
It seems gadget market has run out of ideas and the current trend is about blurring the line between existing products, offering a lot of functionalities on a single device. An apt example would be tablets and phables, with the latter already starting to be step in the shoes of the former.
Manufacturers are having increased difficulties making a distinction between product categories, so instead of innovating they tend to overstretch certain features (like display size) or add a plethora of functions. But is more better?
Is it really necessary for a tablet to have phone calling capabilities, or for a pair of glasses to have computer-like feats? Moreover, does a smartwatch really need to act as a phone?
Social media marketing consultant Lauren Sosik says smartwatches aren’t currently performing anything that other gadgets can’t do already (via TechTimes). She argues manufacturers must look beyond the current tradition and try and bring something extra to the plate.
“When my smartwatch can unlock my front door, open my garage door, start my car, turn lights on or off in any room in my home, then I see the category making headway.”
“The category is being launched prematurely as a true universal home tech protocol isn’t even in place yet. I think most people feel they can still reach in their pockets and pull out their smartphones to do the things a smartwatch does. There’s no real impetus to buy that product right now.”
Yesterday, we actually saw an indication this concept might actually come with a real-life applicability at some point. Even if it’s not a smartwatch, the Nymi wearable aims to eliminate the need for passwords, by using your unique electrocardiogram (ECG) signal in order to confirm that you are indeed you.
Applying this idea to a smartwatch is something interesting to consider and resonates with the picture Sosik paints of a “real” smartwatch.