We think it’s finally happening. Samsung, Sony, and possibly Apple, are all looking into launching smartwatches. They’re nothing new, but the market for them is sure to grow if these major companies all push them to their respective audiences.
That got me thinking: what do I actually want from a smartwatch? Who do I want to make it? So here’s what I think, and I’d love to hear from you guys in the comments.
The screen needs to be a capacitive touch screen so that I can interact with it directly, and not just via button on the side. Don’t worry about it being flexible, but if it is, that’s even better. The screen needs to be big enough — perhaps.. 2-inches or more — to allow this, and it also needs to be bright enough so that I can see it in sunlight. Which leads me to my next point: battery.
A smartwatch is undoubtedly going to become another device you have to charge each and every night to ensure you get an entire days battery life out of it. Sadly, given the size of a possible smartwatch, you’re not going to get a very large battery in it. Something like 1000mAh would be the dream.
Now, what do I actually want to do with it? Give me alerts for all my notifications. Perhaps let me customise them as well — 2 vibrations for text messages, 1 for everything else, heavy vibrations for a call. Let me answer and end that call using the watch as well.
It can also show me text messages I have received, but don’t make me reply using the watch, instead let me hit a button on the watch so that now when I grab my phone it will open straight to that message so I can reply ASAP. This needs to be the global option for all notifications.
Tell the time! Yes, believe it or not, I would actually like to know what time it is right now. An AMOLED screen would make it very easy to display the time whilst not having to power all the pixels. Also show any notifications below the clock — perhaps current alarms which are active.
Personally, I’d like to get a Samsung smartwatch because I know they it will work better with the Galaxy S4 than any other smartwatch will.
Overall, I want something that’s super stylish; don’t make it look like something futuristic and stupid. Make the UI clean and simple, there’s no need for overcomplicating this at all. And finally — and I know this is an impossible dream — make it so that Company X’s smartwatch also works on Company Y’s phone because they both run Android.
That’s enough from me! What do you guys want from your smartwatch?
My $1000 worth. 1. it must be elegant and stylish. This is a big issue. For me that would be soft metal curves with a metal bracelet band. for you it might be a massive two tones diver’s watch with 45 hands. my watch is my only piece or “jewellery” (except my wedding ring) so remember that. 2. if its not color (screen) I don’t want it. that doesn’t mean it cant have a hybrid LED/ Epaper display and switch between them. 3. it it doesn’t last a full 18 hour day minimum, of heavy usage, Fail. 4. charging should… Read more »
Two words: Dick Tracy.
As an avid texter a smart watch would definitely be welcomed by me. I’m constantly checking my phone at work (which I shouldn’t) this might make it easier for me to read texts if I can do it straight from a watch.
As an avid texter a smart watch would definitely be welcomed by me. I’m constantly checking my phone at work (which I shouldn’t) this might make it easier for me to read texts if I can do it straight from a watch.
The sony smart watch is out now and seems to do all this.
Most important thing for me is that it is waterproof and you can make calls/send texts with it. I want to be able to keep my phone in a dry box while on a boat or in my pocket when it is raining and still be able to recieve a call or check a text at a moments notice without having to worry about drying my fingers etc…
oh also I would like to be able to control my music from it aswell.
My Casio watch tells me the time and the date. And the battery never needs to charged or changed (solar rechargeable). That’s all I want from a watch! The rest can be handled by my phone!
It sounds strange, but the design needs to be spot on for me to even consider this. Not only does it have to look great but the construction needs to be second-to-none with great materials. The level of detail I see in most phones would be unacceptable for something I wear on my wrist. It has to be a watch first (in all uses of a watch, being to tell the time and a status symbol) and feature technology integration second. I’d wear one if it just had very basic functions. Multiple clock widgets with various styles, stopwatch, MMS/SMS viewing,… Read more »
With battery life in mind, all I would like a SmartWatch to do is display time, display notifications and ability to dismiss, display appointments in my calendar, display whose calling with the ability to send call to voicemail and finally, display my texts. Everything else is what I have the smartphone in my pocket for.
I’d like Google to make one along with a smartwatch API to set a standard that the other watches could use. I’d like to use Light Flow to determine which notifications I get on my watch.