Apple Watch-ing this space
The iPod, the original iPhone and the iPad. These devices changed their respective markets.
The iPod revolutionised a world of clunky CD players and slow, frustrating MP3 players. The clickwheel and sleek design was something that was needed, the iPod made portable music a seriously real thing. Portable music was around before the iPod, but no one remembers their first CD player.
The original iPhone blew up the mobile market, it sparked into life a booming market, full of competition, cutting edge technology and imitators. The slate form factor and full touch screen interface was quite literally an game changer.
Then the iPad, this long rumoured mythical device that was being manufactured deep in the bowels of Apple HQ. The billions of mock-ups and rumours of what this legendary device might look like took the internet by storm. It certainly wasn't the first tablet produced, but it changed that market, for the better if we're honest here.
Then the updates began, iteration after iteration of these devices, each one thinner, faster and shinier than the one that came before it. These updates sold like wildfire again and again. Apple could probably keep doing this and still keep building on their billions.
But they haven't.
Apple's announcement of their new product category, the Apple Watch was their first entry into a new line of products since the iPad. The iPad seemed like a natural transition from the phone's we had grown used to, the same form factor, same ways to interact and a very similar experience. All the while having a different focus and market.
The question I'm stuck on about the Apple Watch are the same ones I guess that were asked when the original iPad came out.
- Is this a natural transition of how we use devices?
- What is the point of this? The iPad was dubbed a "large iPod touch" at times and I can't help but feel the Watch will be branded an iPod nano for your wrist.
- And simply, why would I want one?
We don't really need to question how well the thing will run off the shelves...or the late delivery trucks judging by things so far. Pre-orders on opening day blew up and gave Apple a bit of trouble with getting everyone their new devices. The thing will sell.
Natural transition?
Is the smart-watch a natural transition and the normal next step in our digital lives? I'm divided about this one. Consuming important information quickly and unintrusivly is fast becoming what we expect from our devices, Apple especially likes quick information. From the quick reply notifications and granular control over what notifications we actually receive on our phones, to the glances view on the Apple Watch. All this is designed to give you the vital, or mundane, information we need quickly. It's all about consuming information so I guess in that respect, if the Apple Watch can make that process quicker and less intrusive then maybe it is a next natural step to bring the information to our wrists. If the iPad was media consumption, Apple Watch and Smart-watches as products, are information consumption.
What the point?
Like above, I think the Apple Watch, or all smart-watches for that matter, will live and die on how well it can integrate into our every day lives with no extra hassle. The problem is always going to be, but I can use my phone to do this? That's true but smart-watch designers know this too, which is why the watch is designed to give you information in a different kind of way. For me, the smart-watch isn't so much about having fully functional powerhouse on your wrist, it's about unintrusive, simple and useful information consumption. I could use my phone to see the weather, but that comes with having to pull my phone out, unlock it, open the weather app and then find the information we're after. Using your smartwatch for the same process would probably only save you seconds of time. But things are getting faster these days, we're after ways to be more efficient and wipe away the white noise.
Why would I want one?
Maybe right now you're still in the camp of 'my phone does everything my smart-watch does' and that's fine, I'm still not completely sold on the idea. But the smartwatch category isn't a developed product line yet. Back when phones were still bricks with two pixel screens and a electrical generator at the back, people probably thought 'why do I need this? My home phone does the same things!'. But Phones evolved, so did what they can do and how they can influence our lives. This is what I believe the smart-watch is right now. It's a brick phone from the nineties. It's hip, new and not the best product, yet.
- Sent from my Moto 360