So the big Apple Event came, it saw, it conquered, more-or-less and left its faithful fan base clamoring for more. Now that the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iPhone X and the Apple watch, all set to drop either later this month or first part of November, have been unveiled, color me somewhat impressed but highly confused . All the while, during the marketing, excuse me, press event…Freudian Slip; I kept asking myself a multitude of questions such as: 1) Would anyone really pay $999.00 plus tax for a phone? Come on, that’s like six or seven months worth of groceries. 2) Why is Apple making it seem like they were the first one to do many of these features? I mean (fill in the blank) did this like (fill in the blank) years ago. But the most important was, 3) Will the Apple watch actually do well; I mean, are wearables still a thing? Apparently, Apple still thinks wearables are a thing, and based on previous years sales, they would be foolish not continuing the offering. However, a question such as this requires more than surface viewing of sales in ascertaining whether wearables are still relevant.
In understanding the essence of this quandary, we must first be honest with ourselves in addressing that the mobile technology industry is utterly stagnant right now. No longer are the days of 2007 to 2015, where breakthroughs and advancements define whether a device is cutting edge and worthy of consideration. Now, mobile devices have become more about novelty, convenience, and fashion. As such, companies are cashing in by placating more to our desires to have the “latest trends” as opposed to a device’s innovations and added value in our lives. Don’t get me wrong, the usefulness of your cellphone remains a stable, as it is our life line in staying in touch with others, browsing the web for useful (or nonsense) information, or merely conducting your daily business affairs. And that remains my point, ONE device should be the backbone of our productivity. Believe me, wearables are slowly becoming their own stand alone entities, but can they replace the array of uses a cellphone offers? My opinion is these are more a fashionable augmentations, but not necessities, and as such, definitely do not seem overtly relevant. Doing this article made me think about Google Glass, one of the first major wearable, and how that was supposed to revolutionize the tech industry. And it did, for a time, but the novelty wore thin as its pragmatism was superseded by the the more multi-purpose smartphone. Let’s play the anecdote game, if you had a good car, would you buy a motorcycle? I think many would answer “yes”, but what would be your reason? Many would probably say, “Because having a motorcycle would be cool and fun.” That is exactly the point, the motorcycle would be desired more for its novelty and enjoyment, less for its practical replacement of the automobile. Some situation may cause this to vary, but overall, most would claim this to be the case.
Building off the notion of novelty versus necessity, we find ourselves at the corner of price and usefulness, while walking through these rough city streets searching for answers. At launch, the Apple Watch 3 will debut with a $399 price tag, respectively, while its iPhone counterparts will start at $699 and $799. As stellar and impressive as the Apple Watch 3 may be, is it overall utility equal or greater than its phone brethren, and the resounding answer of “no” seems obvious to me. Though it can make/receive calls, play music, view/send text messages, can you honestly see yourself doing more? Does writing or responding to an email seem plausible? Watching video content for any period of time? Playing a graphic-demanding game? You probably found yourself with the conclusion of “no” to all or any combination of these questions. And as such, the $399 price point proves disproportionate to usefulness/functionality comparative to its phone alternatives. A more feasible price point for wearables would start at $15 (for items such as fitness trackers) and maxing out at the $200 price (for smart watches). This is just my humble opinion, as it does not make sense for their pricing to be anywhere near that of a more encompassing phone. My stance remains that until we reach a point when wearable pricing is comparable to its added value in our daily lives, I will continue seeing these as secondary technology, bought only if our wants outweigh our needs. Or if a rich uncle just kicked the bucket and left us billions of dollars; whichever comes first.
After investigating the facts, the posed question still remains, “Are wearables a thing?” For me, the conclusion is this; they are a thing, but not a very relevant thing. I have two smart watches still sitting in their packaging, and after playing with them a few times, found no practical uses in my daily grind. But they do look hella cool! Due to this, my beastly Huawei Mate 9 and sleek-as-hell LG G6 will continue being two pillars of productivity, sans making money and paying bills. Oh, wouldn’t that be great if they could (sighs)? Depending on which economist you read, we are either slowly recovering from a long recession or heading towards a great depression, meaning money is tight. Spend your money sensibly on the items that have more value adds in your life. For me, wearables are a novelty you acquire for the style, the convenience, or the simple enjoyment. Not something that will make or break you!
JA3Tech 