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posted by martyb on Wednesday October 26 2016, @09:38PM   Printer-friendly
from the tick-tock-tech dept.

Apple is the captain of a sinking ship:

Maybe not everyone is convinced they need a smartwatch? According to a new industry report from IDC out this morning, smartwatch shipments experienced "significant" declines in the third quarter, as total shipments were down 51.6 percent from the same time last year. Just 2.7 million units were shipped in Q3 2016 versus 5.6 million in Q3 2015. While IDC offers several explanations as to why sales are dropping – including issues related to launch timings, Android Wear delays, and more – the numbers still indicate how smartwatches are having a hard time finding traction among a majority of consumers.

Of course, we need to keep in mind that Apple Watch is the market leader among smartwatches – its Series One device accounted for the majority of shipments in the quarter (1.1 million units shipped, a 72 percent year-over-year decline). That means its ups and downs will have an outsize impact on the industry's numbers at large.

Another factor mentioned: potential Apple Watch customers may have been waiting for second generation version.

On the heels of Misfit announcing the Phase, its first hybrid smartwatch, a bunch of other Fossil Group brands want in on that action. Chaps, Diesel, Emporio Armani, and Michael Kors have all added hybrid smartwatches to their connected devices lineup. All of of their smarthwatches use traditional, analog watch displays, but you can track fitness and delivery notifications on them with just a few taps.

Those brands join other Fossil Group-owned brands that have put their spin on smartwatches and fitness trackers. The Fossil brand launched its Q line of wearables last year, which now includes Android Wear watches, discreet fitness trackers, and hybrid smartwatches. Fossil dabbled in wearables years ago, well before modern fitness trackers or the Apple Watch existed. But the company really began its push into that marketplace after acquiring Misfit last year. Since then, not only has Fossil adapted some of Misfit's technology into its wearables, but Misfit has also taken pages out of its parent company's playbook, particularly with the launch of its Phase hybrid smartwatch.

If smartwatches don't have this feature, I'm just not interested.


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  • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday October 26 2016, @10:53PM

    by MostCynical (2589) on Wednesday October 26 2016, @10:53PM (#419193) Journal

    I wear a match. Analogue, date, day, self, winding.
    I have a "smart" phone.

    Everything the smart watch can do, my phone can do, usually better.
    I don't want to wear two watches.

    I don't think I am the target market.

    I have seen many people who are wearing there watches, and fitbits, as some form of self-delusional attempt to "get fit" or "lose weight" These are the people paying $500 or $1200 - the more you pay, the better it must be, right?

    --
    "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
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  • (Score: 1) by gauauu on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:30PM

    by gauauu (3693) on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:30PM (#419418)

    I wear a match. Analogue, date, day, self, winding. I have a "smart" phone. Everything the smart watch can do, my phone can do, usually better. I don't want to wear two watches. I don't think I am the target market. I have seen many people who are wearing there watches, and fitbits, as some form of self-delusional attempt to "get fit" or "lose weight" These are the people paying $500 or $1200 - the more you pay, the better it must be, right?

    You're right, you're not the target market. I like having:

    • The weather and my next calendar appointment easily viewable without taking my phone out of my pocket and turning it on
    • Text messages easily viewable without taking my phone out
    • The ability to see who's calling and decline a call without taking my phone out
    • The additional vibration notification for calls -- if I'm outside in a busy loud place, sometimes I don't notice my phone ringing, but I do with the watch

    These might not be important to you (maybe your phone is always sitting out, or you don't care about those things), but I find them useful, and will happily pay the $100 for a mid-level smartwatch to do them.