Friday view: Watching Appleâs next move
With reviews of the first tranche of smartwatches to market hardly setting the world alight, wearables might need Appleâs touch to spark them into life
Rumours around Appleâs much anticipated iWatch have really kicked up a gear recently, with a host of patent applications emerging for wearables devices. The patents covered modular designed watches with a âsmart strapâ and the possibility for gesture controls as well as a more straightforward sounding smartwatch.
Although Apple has confirmed a press event to take place on 9 September, this is widely expected to feature the latest generation of iPhone and the release of any wearable device from Apple is not expected until late this year at the earliest. We will have to wait some time to see what their final plans are, but the wearables market could really use Apple to make its move soon. Travel, fitness, music, and, naturally, gambling operators have all begun investing into wearable applications in recent months but consumers have been slower to catch on.
Smartwatches in particular offer some tantalising opportunities for more personalised and immediate communication never mind one more crank of the incremental revenue handle. And the recent move by Google to make developing for its Android platform far easier on wearables removed one major hurdle, while the iOS8 beta hinted at a more wearable-focused future for Apple.
But there is no doubt the early smartwatches, much like the early iPod style music devices, have been somewhat underwhelming. Andy Daniel, managing director of degree 53, said in this issue many of his staff are sporting Android watches, but outside of hardcore geek chic you will struggle to see many on the high street. And the reviews of LGâs most recent attempt to crack the market wonât be heartening for anyone hoping for a breakthrough.
TheNextWeb described the LG G as the watch you want to leave at home, with a poor screen, ugly design and limited battery life. Depressingly it went on to say it was the best smartwatch currently available. The Motorola M360 might change things when it launches, but you get the feeling the world is waiting for Apple to come along and show everyone how itâs done.
Until then, or until Samsung makes a watch people want to buy, wearables look like remaining firmly in the âhas potentialâ column and gambling operators can happily spend their development dollars elsewhere. But make no mistake, that potential is huge and the feeling persists we are the killer device away from a radical market shift. The question then becomes can you afford to miss out?