Say what you will, but the question is certainly a valid one. Until recently, smartwatches have essentially been tailored for the tech-minded. That would include geeks, tech-enthusiasts and sci-fi nerds alike. I mean who wouldn’t want to tap into a wearable device on your wrist that you could check email, read text messages and answer calls with? Apparently, the average consumer because they have yet to catch-on when it comes to such a device.
It’s probably because most smartwatches are designed to complement a smartphone directly. That is, they pretty much just pair up with the phone and collect all data from it instead of getting it on their own. In that respect, most smartwatches don’t really do anything extraordinary, at least not of their own accord.
Recently we’ve seen devices like the Pebble Steel and the Razer Nabu unveiled which look increasingly more attractive than previous smartwatches on the market. I mean the original Pebble is definitely cool, but when it comes to aesthetics it’s hard to deny that it’s not the most attractive design ever.
All of that is changing however, and with each passing day more and more devices are coming to market that are aesthetically pleasing. The Samsung Galaxy Gear is a great example of an attractive smartwatch. Even though Samsung screwed up bigtime by locking down device support to a select few Samsung handsets, the design is certainly a head-turner.
Unfortunately, there are still very few models available on the market that women would be caught dead wearing. It’s clear that a lot of these devices were designed by geeky men, for geeky men. If a smartwatch is going to earn itself universal appeal it needs to look good to and for everyone. Will Apple or Google be the ones to succeed at a such a thing? Only time will tell.
To Become a Believer, You First Need to Wear a Smartwatch
When smartphones first arrived on the market, most people who used regular cell phones would scoff and sneer at those with a feature phone. This is because at the time few could imagine why such a powerful device would be necessary. Now look at the market, nearly everyone has a smartphone in their hand.
While the idea of a smartphone is much more acceptable in this day and age, the idea of wearing a smartwatch still lags behind. It really is difficult to imagine what a smartwatch could offer you in terms of benefits, especially when you have a powerful computer tucked away in your pocket.
Sadly, what seems to be holding back most smartwatches is that you first need to use and wear a smartwatch before you can truly understand how useful they are. The practical application of such a device is quite difficult to fathom, unless you experience it for yourself. For instance, when someone tells you that a smartwatch will pair with your phone and deliver notifications in real-time the first thing you’re probably thinking is: “why the hell would I need that?” Until you actually put the device on your own wrist and start using it in your everyday life that question will always linger. Once you’re able to quickly glance at your wrist and see who’s calling during your morning commute, or you can read a text from your significant other while you walk to the kitchen for a snack – you’ll instantly fall in love. It’s the little things that smartwatches can do that win us all over. Every day they help us save time and effort. They turn interaction with a smartphone into something different, something other than constant work (and if you don’t think it’s work glancing at your smartphone every few minutes for hundreds of times throughout your day, then we don’t know what to tell you).
We live in a world today where nearly everyone is checking their smartphone or device constantly throughout their day. Some people perceive this as rude and anti-social but it is what it is. That is what the world has evolved into. People can be sitting right next to each other now, and instead they choose to talk through text or via their smartphones – believe it, because it really happens.
The smartwatch is an extension of that world, and that lifestyle. One thing any smartwatch offers is peace of mind so that you don’t have to check your phone every so often. It’s not just the geeks that do such a thing, at least not anymore.
Keep an Eye Out Because the Market is Evolving
At one time I would agree that yes, smartwatches were mostly for geeks and techies. That is changing, and if you keep your eyes on the wearable device market you’ll see that plainly.
Admittedly, the Pebble Steel is one of the first smartwatches to hit the market with a general aesthetic appeal. Smartwatch makers still have a long way to go before they make something that women would be caught dead wearing, but that time is coming fast.
The Sony Smartwatch 2, Qualcomm Toq, and Samsung Galaxy Gear are all pleasing to the eye. Although not everyone would love their design, and not everyone has to have one. The first successful smartwatch will not only have a killer app, it will also have a remarkable design – one that takes our breath away.
Right now, very few smartwatches on the market do that. Does that necessarily mean smartwatches are only for geeks? No, it doesn’t.
Fitness is Kind of a Big Deal
Devices like the Razer Nabu and the Fitbit are expanding upon the wearable tech features that we see by offering fitness tracking tools and apps. Even the Pebble has a whole slew of fitness related apps to help you track miles run, calories burned and a bunch more stats.
Of course, a lot of fitness devices will also connect directly with a smartphone and let you control them from your wrist. Primarily it’s to do things like pause and play music, dismiss texts while you’re exercising and perform similar activities.
Regardless, fitness has become something of a big deal in the wearable tech sphere. There is definitely something quite alluring about wearing a device on your person that offers all kind of shortcuts and access points. For example, some devices will allow you to check-in to various places using GPS without the need to pull your phone out of your pocket. Others will track the miles you’ve run – or walked – during an exercise routine.
The idea that such a small device can be used for nearly anything is amazing. Once you take a moment and look at all of the possibilities it’s difficult to confine such a thing to a single niche or group.
Give a Smartwatch a Try
It sounds a bit silly, but why don’t you give smartwatches a try. Once you actually secure the device to your wrist and start using it for a few days you will understand why they are going to be the next big thing. Even though smartwatches have a long way to go before we see a perfect device, there’s a lot that they can do now. Don’t write them off just yet.
Nearly everyone that has ever tried a smartwatch, and used one for an extended period of time has become a believer. What about you?