Do you think smart watches are going to survive?

[Joe Passineau]

Bonus points haha

But seriously, I was thinking today how I haven't had a smart watch in a long time, and I really do like them. But it seems that people aren't really buying them, as prices are still super high, and companies aren't really making new ones, such as Motorola still on the 2nd Gen Moto 360.

 

[MrMobile]

Round 2: Fight!

Smartwatches are kind of in a tragic phase right now and while I'm not sure they'll survive (at least not in their current form), I hope they do. I think fitness bands (most of them, anyway) are among the ugliest and most boring wearables in existence, and those super-minimal analog watches that only tell you how many steps you've taken, or give you only the barest hint of notification support (green=gmail, blue=facebook) are just so meh.

The problem with smartwatches is the same as the one VR is facing: until you've actually used one, you're not likely to see the utility – and even if you're among the converted, you probably think they're too expensive on the whole. You're right. So there's plenty of fixing to do in the world of the smartwatch – here's hoping it happens soon, but I won't be holding my breath.

 

[Joe Passineau]

I feel you there, fitness bands are boring, although they really are intended for fitness. And those super minimal watches with just a few notifications are cool if you like a traditional watch, but I would find it more annoying than anything, when trying to decipher the different colors to notifications.

If I am honest, I love smart watches. I wanted to go purchase a new one after work today. But as I was browsing Best Buy's website, and then Amazon, and Swappa, I see that even the Moto 360, from 2015, is still selling for $300+ on Amazon! That, to me, is why they are failing. No one wants to spend money on a device that gives notifications and some other functionality from a device that is typically in their hand/pocket anyways.

Customers of mine would always marvel over my 'Round Apple Watch' when I had my Huawei watch, and loved that you could make phone calls with it, and do other things. But then I told them how much it cost me, and they wanted nothing to do with it.

 

[Mike Dee]

I think for me the killer is longevity compared to a traditional watch. That said traditional watches only tell time. The ones in my drawer that need batteries are right twice a day.