Today, everyone seems to be tied to their smartphones. There is little to nothing tech companies can do to improve on these devices with battery technology not being where we would like it to be.
With Google Glass in the alpha stage of development and Apple coming out with their iWatch next year, technology companies are trying to find the next technological advancement, which is wearable technology.
Companies like Samsung have rushed out their Galaxy gear watch to see what sticks. This particular device can only be used on Samsung phones so it’s hard to know if there is a market for this device. Selling the device at $350 is also a deal breaker, but having used the device I didn’t hate. I have to admit, I wanted to before hand.
Apple incidentally had a smart watch on the market. People would take this version of the iPod Nano and put a wristband around it to make it look like a smart watch. Apple knew about this and had to redesign it. There’s no news today or leaks on iWatch but I can assure you that Apple doesn’t do products to see what sticks. When they make a product they know there’s a demand for it and most important of all, it works.
In my opinion, there’s no need for a smart watch. But, if any company has the potential for a strong use for one, its Google. If you’re not familiar with “Google Now” it’s a feature on Android devices that pretty much tells you what you need to know without needing to search for it. So in the case of having a Google smart watch, if I’m rushing to the airport and my flight has been delayed, my Google smart watch will notify on its display that I shouldn’t be running to gate number nine.
You’ve probably seen Google Glass (pictured below) mentioned in news stories but have never seen one. That’s because , one: they’re $1500 and two: should only be handled by people who are serious about developing apps for them. I’ve heard numerous cases about people using the items. The best use I’ve heard is Jason Howell attending his daughter’s dancing recital and recording it via GG. His daughter saw him in the crowd and ran up to him and gave him a hug. It’s the little moments like these that can’t be recorded from a phone. It’s way too early to know if this is just a fad. I know it won’t cost as much as $1500 dollars because the assembly parts themselves are $300 and Google likes to sell its products at cost.
In my opinion smart watches and wearable tech in general seem to fit in the first world problem category: not wanting to pull out your phone out of your pocket, but instead just look at your wrist. For someone who is always on the go, such as a Doctor, if you can’t answer your phone during a meeting, or you’re in class and casually need to dismiss the call; having a smart watch seems like an ideal product. It must come at an ideal price, though. I mean honestly, how much would you spend on a smart watch?
About Daniel Heredia
