As Apple announces the product it has planned to compete in the watch space, all of the major and many of the minor players in technology have now checked in. Wearables are now available from Apple, Android’s vendors, Garmin, Fitbit, Shine,and more.
But the question burning in your mind is, “What would it take in order to sell Tom a smartwatch?” No? That wasn’t your question? Well, maybe you would rather answer the question at the end of the post?
I have worn a Rip Curl Tidemaster surfer watch for years. I got it on the cheap via Ebay. It tells me whether the tide is coming in or out, and whether the tide is a neap or spring tide. It tells me the date and shows me the phase of the moon. By twisting the bezel, I could even time my heat in a surf contest in the event I wanted to compete. Basically, it does everything I want a watch to do. A smartwatch would need to be at least as smart as this dumb watch – and as attractive and convenient. (I think I’ve replaced the battery twice in ten years.) If it added some features like tracking my walks and ocean swims, number of waves I caught, and surfing speed all the while looking as good as my old Tidemaster? Hmmm. I’d think very seriously about a purchase. But right now those ugly, clunky looking, do nothing, battery draining, expensive smartwatches fail to entice. What are you watching and waiting for?
