Smartwatches – Smartphones for Your Wrist (Updated with News on the new Swatch Smartwatch)


Sony SmartWatches

After smartphones come the smartwatches: IT companies — and, perhaps, even some traditional watch companies — are bringing intelligent watches onto the market, and the demand for them is growing. Scroll down for a primer on these groundbreaking devices, including the latest news on the long-rumored Apple smartwatch which was finally launched on September 09, 2014.

What can smartwatches do?
The smartwatch, which is worn on the wrist like a normal watch, connects with the smartphone in your pocket using Bluetooth and sometimes NFC. From there, the watch receives both important and less important data: On the display, the buyer can check the time, of course, as well as data such as the current weather situation. However, notifications regarding incoming emails can be much more important, for example. The smartwatch can also be used as an additional control unit for some mobile phone functions: Music can be controlled using the watch without the smartphone having to be removed from the pocket, and calls can be received just by raising the arm to the ear.

Small problems that muddy the overall picture
Of course, smartwatches can’t do everything, and the products from the various manufacturers are subject to many limitations. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, introduced in 2013, can only be paired with a few available devices, including the Note 3 and Note 10.1. The very small size is also troublesome for the company: An integrated camera can, for example, take 720p videos, but due to the limited storage space, these cannot exceed a maximum length of ten seconds. The watch also loses all of its “smartness” if there is no compatible device nearby; the Galaxy Gear then only displays the time – an expensive affair given the recommended retail price of $299. Samsung has since introduced newer models such as the Gear2 and Gear2 Neo, which offer standalone music players.

Samsung Galaxy Gear watches
Samsung Galaxy Gear

Time to charge my watch…
There’s obviously a big problem in terms of the battery life. People who have only had to charge their cell phone in the evenings will have to do the same with their smartwatch in future. The Galaxy Gear battery only lasts for one day, after which the device, which has a 1.6-inch touchscreen, must be recharged. This fact did not go down too well with the South Korean company’s customers. It doesn’t have to be like this though: A smartwatch called Toq from chip manufacturer Qualcomm can last for several days thanks to energy-saving display technology and can also be recharged wirelessly. When compared with the Samsung watch, the slightly smaller display (1.55 inches) must be taken into consideration.

Devices offered by other manufacturers
Samsung and Qualcomm aren’t the only companies with smartwatches on the market. Other companies are also following suit. We will introduce you to some of the most interesting products in the following smartwatch overview. The list will continue to grow in the future as other interesting electronic watches hit the market.

• The Sony SmartWatch 2
This Japanese company introduced the SmartWatch 2 in 2013; its predecessor has been on the market for some time. This watch is rather compact compared to other devices and is made of aluminum and stainless steel. The 1.6-inch display offers a resolution of 220 x 176 pixels, and the watch can be linked to compatible Android smartphones per Bluetooth or NFC. Depending on usage, the battery can power the watch for 3-4 days on a single charge. Not bad compared to the 24 hours of battery life offered by the Samsung Galaxy Gear. A Sony SmartWatch 3 is also planned.

 Sony SmartWatch 2
Sony SmartWatches

• The car watch: Nissan’s Nismo
The automobile manufacturer Nissan of all companies has an interesting smartwatch: Dubbed Nismo, the watch “connects the car to the driver”, according to the advertising brochure. For this reason, it mainly displays information that is (more or less) relevant to the car driver: For example, the driver’s current heart rate is shown as well as the average speed, fuel consumption, and other vehicle-related information.

The Nismo must be connected to a smartphone per Bluetooth. The Nissan smartwatch is also somewhat reminiscent of a navigation device in that it warns the driver of traffic jams ahead. Its seven-day battery life and a comparatively stylish design make the Nismo the surprise product of this year’s smartwatch hype.

• The Pebble E-Paper smartwatch
This relatively affordable smartwatch is equipped with e-ink technology, a 144 x 168 pixel display, and a battery that lasts for seven days. What’s special about it: The device can communicate with both Android devices and iPhones. It is compatible with all models running iOS 5 or later. A slight disadvantage is found in its current availability; the Pebble E-Paper smartwatch is currently only offered in the USA. Anyone looking to import the $150 device is likely to find themselves left out in the cold instead of looking at a watch. Customs is not (yet?) allowing this watch to be shipped.

Pebble E-Paper smartwatches
Pebble smartwatches

 

• The rumor mill is in full swing
The mobile phone veteran Nokia can’t be left out of the mix when it comes to communications technology. Rumors persist that the company will introduce some sort of wearable technology this year, possibly something that incorporates the vibrant colors of its Lumia smartphones and most likely would interface with the Windows phone ecosystem. Whether or not the Finnish company will limit itself to devices with the Windows phone remains to be seen.

• “Traditional” Swiss watchmakers weigh in

Last fall, TAG Heuer teamed up with America’s Cup champion Oracle Team U.S.A. to develop the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer 72, which TAG is calling “the first-ever Swiss sports smartwatch dedicated to competitive sailing.” The watch, which is a product of the R&D departments of both TAG Heuer and Oracle, made its debut on the wrists of Oracle Team USA sailors at this year’s 34th America’s Cup, won by Oracle Team USA in thrilling come-from-behind fashion on September 25. It is, TAG says, the first watch designed both for and by a professional sailing team, specifically engineered to provide every crew member access to crucial race condition data in real time. (Click here to read more about this invention and the commercialized version that TAG Heuer plans to release.)

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Oracle Team USA smartwatch
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Oracle Team USA smartwatch

In addition, Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of all LVMH watch brands (including TAG Heuer) has announced intentions to create another “connected timepiece,” i.e., a more “pure” smartwatch in cooperation with an as-yet-unnamed tech company. It is also unclear which of the LVMH watch brands would be chosen for such a project, though the smart money is on TAG Heuer.

And just last week, Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek, at one point a smartwatch skeptic (click here for his commentary on the subject to WatchTime), has announced that the first Swatch smartwatch will be introduced in the next few months. In an interview with Bloomberg, Hayek said that the watch will feature functions for communication, mobile payments, and applications that work with Windows and Android, and that it will not require a battery charge.

No Responses to “Smartwatches – Smartphones for Your Wrist (Updated with News on the new Swatch Smartwatch)”

Show all responses
  1. Frank Gilbert

    Why do traditional watch enthusiasts feel so threatened by smartwatches? Both types of watch have their place and both will still be around in the future. By the way, although this article has supposedly been updated, the information on Pebble availability is woefully inaccurate.

    Reply
  2. The smart watch will more than likely replace the smartphone than tradisional watches, think about it our lifes is more and more focused on convenience, what can be more convienent that a watch with voice control and a blue tooth device on your ear doing every thing your phone does? It can notify u through your ear piece of calls , email, texts, social feeds and u can respond with voice comands to every thing, as for battery life? Well if they put a man on the moon I am dead sure they can make the watch solar powered or even perpetual, relegating the need to charge the watch at all, but thats all in the distant future. For now I will stick with my Rolex

    Reply
  3. christopher

    These new smart watches will last 5 minutes if they are lucky, the research and innovation by the serious watch makers of this world such as the Germans and the Swiss will relegate this new fad to the bin where they belong.

    Reply
  4. Sometimes i also used to wear my Smart watch but this is not suitable for our day to day need because we often do work in that circumstances where we are afraid of having the damage on the Watch. This results to great loss.
    Sell Patek Philippe Nautilus

    Reply
  5. Robert Redinger

    Yes, my Rolex on my left wrist and my smart watch/phone on my right. I am wearing a Jawbone now that tracks my movements and my sleep. This is logged on my IPhone and tracked. Love it and so does my Doctor. He checks out the sleep pattern and my excerise. It will get better yet to come. I hope in my lifetime.
    Robert

    Reply
  6. Will Ambrose

    I’m tired of reading all the arm chair pundit putdowns of smart watches. There is a good reason to have a phone on my wrist, I’m old, I forget my 5″ cellphone but the watch will be with me no matter where I am.

    At first it looked strange when people first started using a bluetooth headset, as if they were a crazy person talking to the ethers. However, it caught on and is hardly noticed now. I think the same thing will happen with a person talking while their wrist is up to their ear; strange at first, then after a time not even perceived.

    Stand alone stylish voice-controlled smart watches with cameras, gps, ir remote control ability, web browsers, push email and news, fm radio, fall down alert, nfc, are coming. Over time just as the pda transformed into the multi-use smartphones we take for granted now, the smart watch will just be there on your wrist to serve you no matter where you are.

    Reply
  7. Debashish

    These are smartwatches are nothing but gimmicks! Maybe some kids will buy some of these and when they get bored after sometime, they will just throw these out!

    These gimmicks will neither replace our Rolexes nor our Omegas! As the classical watches will last forever!

    Reply
Leave a Reply