The idea of smartwatches has become a big topic this year and is continuing to grow. Much of the discussion this year has come about because of the Pebble watch which was presented at CES this year in Ls Vegas. And that unveiling has created a lot of coverage from so many about what the Pebble was going to provide with the Bluetooth integration with your smartphone. For us, the bigger question is Will SmartWatches Make Watches Popular Again?. Watches have fallen out of favor because your smartphone has a watch on the screen available at all time to review.
But, with the revelation of Apple's iWatch Patent Filing (20130044215) from August 17, 2011 and approval, we are entering another period of discussions about smartwatches. What makes the iWatch patent filing so different is that it is a wrap around design indicating that the screen will be continuous around the wrist. We have not seen anything like that previously being talked about. And this is a patent filing from 2011, so this is not what may come to market, but rather a conceptual design. Apple has done another great job of trying to predict what the future may hold.
The idea of a flexible smartphone screen is expected to arrive this year and resulting in some great looking and functioning smartphones. Samsung has already shown prototypes of things to come. Translating the idea of a smartwatch which can worn around your wrist is not a stretch and will be seen this year. But, a wrap around screen has not been discussed in the past few months, so the iWatch is going to alter what can be possible this year. And we are already starting to see mock ups of the iWatch showing a series of small screens strung together on the band.
All of this is going to lead to competition for the smartwatch market between Apple and Samsung which is always a good thing for consumers. Whether a completely wrap around display arrives remains to be seen. But we will be seeing smartwatches which have multitouch screens. Yes, we expected to see them with 2 or 3 small square panels to provide a number of features and functions. The most notable with be the ability to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and let you know who is calling or information about the latest email or text.
As with any technology device interaction, there is the issue of providing power. And smartwatches are not going to be any different in that area. Apple's patent filing shows the idea of solar panels on the watch to attempt to supplement the battery. The bottom line is that a smartwatch is going to have to be recharged. Just how often you will have to recharge it is an unknown and too early to have any information as to potential usage between charges. This is going to be the one big item to indicate sales. If your smartphone can make it through the day before charging, that is OK. The same cannot be said for a smartwatch.
Waiting for smartwatches to arrive.
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