About two years ago I decided that it was time to get a smart watch. I’m a developer, I’m a geek, I love my smart phone — a smart watch is the perfect accessory, right?
Well, actually it’s not. After spending quite a lot of time looking at the different options out there, I realised that a smart watch is a dumb purchase: it’s another computer with a 3-year lifespan, but a price tag like a luxury watch.
So I ended up buying some automatic watches instead. They’re less expensive and sharper-looking.
After looking at the watches shown off in this article: I made the right call. I’m fairly certain that in a decade we’re going to look back on smart watches the way we do digital watches: as an odd fad that noöne will be able to explain later on.
I bought an Apple Watch last fall in what I assumed was a silly, tech-geek pursuit of getting in shape. Surprisingly, the Activity app (the one with the rings) has completely transformed my body. I know all the tricks it's using to motivate me, but damn it, it works. I make sure to close my rings every single day and it shows: I've lost weight, gained noticeable muscle, and went down a notch in my belt. Oh, and I've heard it also tells time.
> we’re going to look back on smart watches the way we do digital watches: as an odd fad that noöne will be able to explain later on
I think you've achieved that rare state of being both right and wrong.
My experience with smart watches: great for showing reminders, glancing at the weather before going out to work/lunch, seeing/feeling messages that I didn't hear on my phone or while I'm standing at the urinal etc, tracking my fitness, controlling the music playing on my headphones or home stereo.
But...these functions will move from the wrist to a different interface that we'll wear. So yes, it'll be a fad if only because the next phase is a non-existent form of wearable computer. It'll be a fad in the same way that a traditional watch is - a set of limited functions that can be migrated to a more advanced multipurpose device.
Right. I think that I agree that in 10-15 years we may look back at these watches with the same curiosity that we look back on digital watches with. There will still be some around, but probably won't be talked about as much.
The thing that I found about it is that watches have such little real-estate, and I have my phone on me anyway, that having a computer with poor connectivity and a tiny screen on my wrist wasn't really doing it for me. I mean the magic in a watch isn't even the functionality. It's the engineering and art and story. Having a halfway-functional computer from the largest company in the world on my wrist just wasn't that interesting to me.
Yes, the Apple Watch is really not a good timepiece or a traditional watches. Really what it does best is fitness tracking and helping you out with your general health. You can see this in the cancellation of the high priced solid gold watches. Sure you can buy one made out of ceramic but I have never seen one wear it (it seems to be a halo unit to prototype designs in ceramic IMHO). Also there are expensive bands but comparatively any other watch will be much more attractive given $300.
"luxury watch"? I've never seen any particularly compelling sub-$1000 mechanical watches, and I'd say the "luxury" segment for watches starts at more than $2000.
> I've never seen any particularly compelling sub-$1000 mechanical watches
I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘compelling.’ Ævig, Lew & Huey, Nivrel, Hamilton, Christopher Ward, Melbourne and many, many more have some very attractive options for under $1,000.
You do have a point about the word ‘luxury’ though — I should have just stuck with ‘mechanical’ or ‘automatic.’
maybe more like $4000 where you can get a low-end Rolex. The $1000-4000 price range seems to be dominated by nice looking watches that use swatch (ETA) movements. At least the sub-$1000 watches are honest about what they are, so you're mostly buying them for aesthetics anyway.
Well, actually it’s not. After spending quite a lot of time looking at the different options out there, I realised that a smart watch is a dumb purchase: it’s another computer with a 3-year lifespan, but a price tag like a luxury watch.
So I ended up buying some automatic watches instead. They’re less expensive and sharper-looking.
After looking at the watches shown off in this article: I made the right call. I’m fairly certain that in a decade we’re going to look back on smart watches the way we do digital watches: as an odd fad that noöne will be able to explain later on.