Five years ago, a collective mania overtook the industry. Nobody could think of a clear reason why consumers needed an expensive "smart" watch when they already had a smartphone in their hand, pocket or bag. What value could it deliver? Even Google didn't seem sure: in its now notorious launch video, a punter used a watch simply to replicate features on their phone. But the industry convinced itself that wearables were another platform, and nobody wanted to be a sad second in this race. So the giants entered the market. Not because they wanted to, but as a hedge. Someone else might take a lead.
As we predicted in 2014, this was a solution looking for a problem. And an expensive one, at that.
Are wearable devices whose OS wakes up only when needed for smart features the answer?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 18 2018, @11:38PM (1 child)
that's it, I know what they need to get the hipster market: Smart Pocket Watches.
I know, you're welcome. Send my checks care of this station.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday July 19 2018, @07:08AM
Sounds like a cell phone on a chain...
Come to think of it, that might actually be handy - a compact clam-shell two-screen phone. Big enough when open to get the basics taken care of, with a USB-drive style mini-loop to attach it to a chain, lanyard, etc. to protect it from being dropped or misplaced