Smart watches are the next trending devices and microsoft will be late to the party.

[AskaLangly]

I don't even care about these smart watches. I got a watch I bought back in '07 repaired recently and using that. That + the 822... who needs one?

 

[AngryNil]

Microsoft's vision is computing spreading around you, not spreading onto you.

 

[martinmc78]

The form factor is too small for a smart watch to be comfortable to consume media. Even a smart sleeve would have issues that I think are too insurmountable if you take into account the differing sizes of peoples forearms, orientation lock, getting a decent display that made the media seem flat rather than curved. Its a brilliant concept of course but I just don't see it happening or taking off

If you think about the hardware that would be involved in a proper smart watch - small display with touch, processor, ram, sim card, storage, wifi/Bluetooth, speakers and mic and battery it would be too big to be practical. Games and most apps would be pointless - without a huge leap in tech I think all a smart watch would be capable of is holding your contacts and letting you make calls linked to a Bluetooth earpiece, maybe show notifications, small amount of music storage, messaging could be done by voice at a push but that's about it. Its not really a smart watch more like a watch phone with mp3. Sony already have one that works alongside the experia phones and its ok for changing music tracks looking at messages and of course checking the time but your still end up taking your phone out of your pocket for almost everything else.

 

[gandhule]

I think smartwatches is only an attempt from device maker to make users more attached to a particular ecosystem or brand. People would likely be able to replace their smartphones and possibly mobile OS back and forth anytime they wish. It will be harder for them to switch ecosystem if they own lots of gadgets tied to the same OS. That is why Google shove Google Glass and design this so called Android@Home idea. Once your home Android-ated, and your smartphone or whatever serves as controller or hub, switching ecosystem suddenly becomes complicated.

Does microsoft late to this market? Yes if they pursue this same wearable gadget path. I reckon that Microsoft had two winning recipes that had been proven, namely PC and Xbox. I think this is why they are trying their best to link WP8 with Windows8 and Xbox.

IMO, the winning ecosystem would be the one that provides the best home-office/work-play experience. If Microsoft is lagging a step behind in creating that idea, it would be even harder for them to gain more customer.

 

[ohgood]

microsoft will still be trying to figure out how to execute tiles on a watch sized screen many years after someone makes the device in question.

yes, I think that translates to "late".

headgear isn't where its at either.

nor is clothing.

its a device, that is around 4", kind of like now. the other stuff is research, and research is GOOD. I'm for all the companies innovating, everyday. copying or patent wars drone on like whiny toddlers. let the innovators continue to own the market, as they should.


watches, I had a good laugh, thanks.

 

[sueha]

I wouldn't even wear one if Microsoft paid me 200$. I want my watch to be a watch!

 

[anon(5370748)]

This will be called the Samsung Galaxy Neck S IV 10. Also available in 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14.....

I'd sport a flava flav type smart watch round my neck and gold chains.

View attachment 31223

 

[Marute]

I have to say that while I agree smartphone will someday migrate to the wrist, I also agree that companies are too early with their smart watches. I simply don't think there is a market for it yet.

Imagine If an electronics company were to work together with the big watch brands to combine the style of a traditional watch with the features of smart watch then we are talking business. Imagine a traditional watch with a see-through touchscreen that comes to life when you tap it.

 

[omniusovermind]

The thing is though that something like the internet would have to change quite radically for these to take off I feel. There's just no way you will comfortably browse the web on a 2" watch screen. Voice commands for example can make operating these quite easy for the most parts if voice recognition etc advances alot like it probably will, but I really don't want to walk around the city talking to my hand.

Point being, I don't see these be anything more than accessories to your phone and at that point most people probably won't bother and will just dig the phone from their pocket.

Somehow having to charge a watch daily isn't that attractive idea either, but hey.. wireless charging: just lay the watch next to your 920 on the nightstand

These types of devices will take off though if they become regarded as fashionable. If both Apple and Googlesung really push these hard in marketing then yeah, people are going to start grabbing them up just to to be trendy. It'll get worse if Apple pushes them more than it would be if Google pushed them though because Apple has a legion of followers who simply just want to be seen at Starbucks with the latest bitten fruit logo on something.

Those of you forecasting a fail for these devices are forgetting that fashion > function so if they succeed in marketing the fashion, and celebrities all start wearing them, your arguments about how useful they are go straight down the toilet. I probably would never bother... ok I lied I'm addicted to gadgets. I'll probably one of the first strolling along with a smartwatch and Google glasses on. If I could hook an IV cable into my arm to integrate my central nervous system with the internet I'd do it :grincry:

 

[falconrap]

I think, ultimately, smart watches will be like bluetooth headsets; they'll be hooked into a standard, maybe bluetooth itself, and be able to hook into any mobile OS that supports the standard for displaying stuff on them that the phone controls. In other words, I see them as being platform agnostic. Maybe Apple and Google will have some that aren't, but I can easily see the industry, wanting any piece of the pie, to go this route and make it so that manufacturers can build their own flavor of smart watch that hooks into any smart phone cable of running the protocol they use. If these watches actually start becoming phones, using bluetooth headphones for making calls, then the platform won't matter.

In other words, I don't see this impacting eco-systems at all unless a standard isn't developed, which I believe it will.

 

[Peter Boev]

The general opinion appears to be, that watches of this type would not become mainstream anytime soon. While the majority of your arguments are mostly valid, you seem heavily biased by your personal liking of the idea.
If you take a closer look at the smartphone development trends during the last couple of years you?ll see exactly what people seem to be interested in ? bigger and better displays and cameras, powerful hardware and faster data transfer. That being said, I feel it?s only logical to assume that the smart watch, which trades off all of those important trending features for compactness and convenience, can never be considered seriously as the immediate successor of the smartphone.

 

[Simon Tupper]

The general opinion appears to be, that watches of this type would not become mainstream anytime soon. While the majority of your arguments are mostly valid, you seem heavily biased by your personal liking of the idea.
If you take a closer look at the smartphone development trends during the last couple of years you?ll see exactly what people seem to be interested in ? bigger and better displays and cameras, powerful hardware and faster data transfer. That being said, I feel it?s only logical to assume that the smart watch, which trades off all of those important trending features for compactness and convenience, can never be considered seriously as the immediate successor of the smartphone.

i'm not even sure that people know what they want... a lot of people chose their phone by making a status update saying, "What's the best phone?" and inevitably they will chose an iPhone 5 or a GS3. the techies have specific needs, while most people would use anything as long as it's good and that they look cool with it.

People seek acceptance and they want the others to appreciate what they own. In the end it's all about trends, fashion and the need to be look at. The quality of the devices is secondary... people prefer a trending device to a device that no one know but is high quality. (I'm speaking in general, I'm not making a judgment on anyone)

 

[ag1986]

The general opinion appears to be, that watches of this type would not become mainstream anytime soon. While the majority of your arguments are mostly valid, you seem heavily biased by your personal liking of the idea.
If you take a closer look at the smartphone development trends during the last couple of years you?ll see exactly what people seem to be interested in ? bigger and better displays and cameras, powerful hardware and faster data transfer. That being said, I feel it?s only logical to assume that the smart watch, which trades off all of those important trending features for compactness and convenience, can never be considered seriously as the immediate successor of the smartphone.

You're missing the point. Look at current products like the Pebble smartwatch, MotoACTV and that one Sony released. I've tried all these products and I find it very convenient to be able to see notifications, change tracks and check my calendar without having to take my phone out of my jeans pocket (which can be tough if I'm sitting down or have my hands full). I wouldn't even need to see entire emails or texts - just the SMS sender or email header is enough for me to decide if its something I want to read immediately or if it can wait for later. I would pay at least $150 for this utility, and I value functionality over form, so I don't much care how it looks. Besides, I've always worn digital watches anyway.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

How about hard coding the silicone into the brain. So then just by thinking about it, your eyes project a hud in front of you to look at, giving at a glance information, plus because of the nature of it, it could probably also be built to have augmented reality. We then become half human half machine.

 

[Simon Tupper]

How about hard coding the silicone into the brain. So then just by thinking about it, your eyes project a hud in front of you to look at, giving at a glance information, plus because of the nature of it, it could probably also be built to have augmented reality. We then become half human half machine.

Brain tumors everywhere.

 

[berty6294]

I don't like wearing watches... I prefer just checking my phone for the time.

 

[MFmonster]

How do we know MS is not working on something similar, or if they are late to a party that has yet to start? The watches and google glasses are far from release. Personally I am not interested a "phone watch". However, if the phone watches were James Bond'ish I am game. I would be using the tranq darts with my new watch before I make my first phone call with it!

 

[Old_Cus]

You're missing the point. Look at current products like the Pebble smartwatch, MotoACTV and that one Sony released. I've tried all these products and I find it very convenient to be able to see notifications, change tracks and check my calendar without having to take my phone out of my jeans pocket (which can be tough if I'm sitting down or have my hands full). I wouldn't even need to see entire emails or texts - just the SMS sender or email header is enough for me to decide if its something I want to read immediately or if it can wait for later. I would pay at least $150 for this utility, and I value functionality over form, so I don't much care how it looks. Besides, I've always worn digital watches anyway.

I think you hit the nail on the head. The key word is FUNCTIONALITY. Come up with a concept that is functional to most and people will buy it, it's just a matter come coming up with the right conbination of features. I wear a watch, always have and always will. I'd rather look at my wrist than pull out my cell phone. Start off my making my watch a notification hub for my phone and I'd see you have the start of something. Add the "find my phone" function to it so I don't have to look for a computer if I need to find my phone.

But the way it's nice to read a thread that is civil, fun and actually full of different ideas.

 

[JerseySal]

What's the next gimmick..a Google- House Arrest Ankle Bracelet?

 

[Simon Tupper]

What's the next gimmick..a Google- House Arrest Ankle Bracelet?

A gimmick isnt supposed to be practical. A gimmick would be a regular watch with a screen made of sapphire and a 4k resolution to see the details in the numbers. Then you add an apple somewhere, gimmick.