It's going to remain a fundamental problem for the smart watch market: watches are primarily fashion items, and every single person has an often quite different preference from the next person. I have a very specific style of watch I like to wear, and there's zero chance Apple or Samsung is just going to happen to make that style.
That said, I'm sure they can sell millions of watches per year. It's just not going to move the needle on their $170 billion in sales.
I think even now, the smart watch market is very, very, very early. As in, these products are ten years too early, at least. The technology needs to get so small, the watch stays primarily what it will always be about: fashion, and the technology becomes so small, cheap, and hidden away you don't notice that first and it doesn't get in the way of the primary role of a watch.
>> "watches are primarily fashion items, and every single person has an often quite different preference from the next person. I have a very specific style of watch I like to wear, and there's zero chance Apple or Samsung is just going to happen to make that style."
I think it's important to remember than most people under around 30 years old do not wear a wrist watch. So they probably don't have a specific strap or face style they like. They want something cool something that makes it easier to take selfies or send stuff to Facebook.
I think that we will look back on this like the first iPhone. Very cool but missing lots of obvious features. If they can sell enough of them they can afford to push the research to make them smaller, faster, and better and in a few years we'll have the equivalent of the iPhone 4 which is when I think the iPhone finally nailed it. But to get there you have to start somewhere. I think this is the right place to start. It's good enough, it's better than what's out there, and lots of people will buy it.
That said, I'm sure they can sell millions of watches per year. It's just not going to move the needle on their $170 billion in sales.
I think even now, the smart watch market is very, very, very early. As in, these products are ten years too early, at least. The technology needs to get so small, the watch stays primarily what it will always be about: fashion, and the technology becomes so small, cheap, and hidden away you don't notice that first and it doesn't get in the way of the primary role of a watch.