Teylor Feliz

Why I Won’t Be Buying a Smartwatch…yet.

Not long ago, Apple released their smartwatch called “iWatch,” which failed to impress me, as the previous smart watches on the market did in the past. I still believe that all smart watches are just expensive fitbits that connect to smartphones. So, if the main purpose of the smartwatch is to present the data from your phone, are we so lazy that we cannot take the phone itself from our pockets and see the info there?

These are the reasons why I believe that smart watches are not ready for prime time (at least yet):

Screens are too small, but they cannot be bigger

The screens of the Smart watches are not big enough for most common tasks. Don’t tell me that it is big enough to see pictures or even type and send a message to a friend. Moreover, in most cases one finger can cover half of the screen, which can be very difficult to accomplish tasks. Another problem that I see with the screen size is that it cannot be bigger. You cannot create a phablet version of the watch, because it would be heavy and probably would affect the natural mobility of the wrist. Thus, the screen is essentially a double edged sword.

They are not that smart

All smart watches depend on a compatible smartphone, thus the real functionality depends on your phone. If you decide to get another phone, you need to check the compatibility with your watch or you would have a very expensive “dumb” watch. People really need to think what their needs really are. Most people get the expensive laptop to replace their desktop, then the expensive tablet to replace their tablet, then the expensive phablet to replace their phone and tablet, and now you are adding another gadget that is not going to replace any of the above.

Another device to charge

We already have to charge too many devices; cell phones, tablets, laptops, and now you’re adding a watch. Some smart watches’ batteries only last a day. Do you think that you would like to be charging your watch every single night? Compare the battery life of a smartwatch with a traditional watch. (Yes, I compare them because that is what they are trying to replace.)

Limited amount of useful apps

As smart watches are new on the market, it is expected to have a limited amount of apps. However, if you are investing hundreds of dollars in a device, you would like to get the most out of it. Currently, there are not enough apps that make me think that I need to replace my traditional watch.

Conclusion

No matter what, the hype alone will drive people to buy this new piece of technology. Bloggers will blog about it, advertisers will shove it down our throat, and there will be thousands of people lined up just to be the first to buy a smart watch. If you don’t believe me, enjoy this video from Jimmy Kimmel Live about the iTime smartwatch (Its hilarious).