I think both Google and Apple are going to have a hard time selling the usefulness of smart watches outside of a small group of people. They seem to really appeal to some people but I'm not sure this appeal is mass appeal like a smartphone or tablet is.
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Google Launches First Android Wear Devices, Featuring Always-On Displays and Card-Based Interface
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lincolntran
macrumors 6502a
Dave.UK
macrumors 65816
But the other poster said ALL android phones - are you now just comparing it to the S5?
Dave.UK
macrumors 65816
Your making the accusation - you tell me.
I can only speak for my phone, LG G2 which is much faster then 5S.
nwcs
macrumors 68030
Yes. I agree with that. They aren't copying what doesn't exist. They may be copying rumors. Good luck to them on that.
springsup
macrumors 65816
Google are really hitting their stride.
The biggest thing today wasn't the new Android hardware platforms (wearables/TV/car), but the new "material" design language. The new design is basically what I hoped and expected Apple to do with iOS7.
It's like a mashup of Metro and iOS7. It includes the colourful, bold, intentional nature of Metro with the depth of iOS7. It also includes "palette", which allows you to extract meaningful colours from the user's content in a similar way as iTunes on OS X.
Apple's iOS redesign was not bold enough. Their thinking was clearly constrained too closely to the existing box.
The biggest thing today wasn't the new Android hardware platforms (wearables/TV/car), but the new "material" design language. The new design is basically what I hoped and expected Apple to do with iOS7.
It's like a mashup of Metro and iOS7. It includes the colourful, bold, intentional nature of Metro with the depth of iOS7. It also includes "palette", which allows you to extract meaningful colours from the user's content in a similar way as iTunes on OS X.
Apple's iOS redesign was not bold enough. Their thinking was clearly constrained too closely to the existing box.
Dave.UK
macrumors 65816
nwcs
macrumors 68030
I think it piques their interest because most of those markets are very mature and they are desperate to find something disruptive to get people to buy again. I think there is also the novelty effect going on here. What is actually useful will eventually get sifted down from all the noise and chaff. But until that happens any half-brained idea will be paraded as the next big thing.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Unfortunately, I agree. I think a watch is jewelry for people and, as such, I think 1 or 2 designs will not appeal to the masses. It would be like rolling out the iUniform. Will we all want to comply with Apple or Google's choice of clothing? Will we all want to comply with Apple or Google's choice of a watch design?
Maybe it's a core thing customized by skins, attachments, bands, etc- something like the old iPod nano. But even there, do we all want a round watch? or a square watch? or a rectangular watch? the same-sized face? and so on. And we had the iPod Nano as a watch and a thousand customizing bands & skins. How hot was that?
I see solitary design acceptance with new products like a smart phone or tablet. On the other hand, watch design variety is well established for a very long time. If you were asked (not by Apple or Google and before you had seen any rumors of an iWatch) to describe the perfect watch, how likely would it be that many others would describe the same design you do? same size? same shape? same thickness? water proof? thin or thick? elegant or durable? So much taste variety for watches- it seems hard to imagine a mass shift to 1 or 2 designs.
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nwcs
macrumors 68030
Just what am I a fan of? I haven't made a declaration for either google or the presumed apple device. In actuality I will dislike both equally almost certainly. But to satisfy your pedantry, do a google search on iwatch and see what the prognosticators have predicted. That should suffice for any reasonable person. If all you want to do is act all ignorant be my guest.
daveathall
macrumors 68020
Armen
macrumors 604
I completely agree with you. I was like "what the hell they stuck Google now cards into a tiny screen and they are marketing this?" and boy was that thing clunky and laggy.
Cod3rror
macrumors 68000
I never said coping was only one way. Apple copied lots of Android functionality. But let's not kid ourselves, companies copy each other. It's not a bad thing.
I was just comparing it to the S5 because that and the HTC One M8 are the newest but as you can see the iPhone 5S wins in most benchmarks.
skinned66
macrumors 65816
Bad reference on the watch. Rumors started by whom? Not Apple. Likewise, I would have only guessed that Google would do this because I don't recall them hinting about it either (not like I was paying attention.) But at least they have announced the platform. Good for them. I guess they saw a need based on current offerings by their partners.
Armen
macrumors 604
Really? What gave you that impression. To me it seemed like Google announced their version of what is already available by Apple.
Android Car = Apple Carplay (which started with iOS 7)
Android TV = The demo screens looked strangely familiar to Apple TV.
Google announced it's own wanna-be "hand off" feature that was already announced with Yosemite and how is this going to work if you have 3 different android devices with 3 different versions of Android because it's difficult to have the same version of Android across multiple devices.
To top it off they announced a Android watch and showed a demo of Google now cards crammed into a tiny screen. 🙄
I expected more from Google.
Wonder how long it will be before the Google watch starts popping ads as you walk by restaurants.
The one thing that made me laugh was Sundar saying how Google takes privacy seriously.
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Parise
macrumors 6502a
Guys who cares about who did what first?
It's about implementation and execution.
Let the patent attorneys worry about who's first.
The new google wearable products are a joke.
It doesn't matter if they are first
It's about implementation and execution.
Let the patent attorneys worry about who's first.
The new google wearable products are a joke.
It doesn't matter if they are first
Have you used Apple TV before? The Android TV looked nothing like Apple TV. Universal search, recent tv/movies (from any app) shown at the top, etc. They don't present the user with a grid of apps as the first option like Apple TV. Other than the fact that they used cover art for tv/movies, I don't see how it really compared. I don't know if it will be a big success (mostly because the entertainment industry tries to prevent any progress), but at least it is a much more modern look than Apple TV. And with Chromecast support (Google's answer to Airplay), it is at least compelling.
skinned66
macrumors 65816
I gotta say since I got a Pebble last year I'm hooked. It's just too damn convenient. But it did take a software update and a few weeks first.
I think your critique is accurate though - there needs to be something compelling to get it onto people's wrists. Once it's there I don't think most people will go back - so long as it's done "right."
Parise
macrumors 6502a
so you've had extensive use of it already?
here's the first impressions of the moto 360...
http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/25/5843028/up-close-with-the-moto-360-the-best-looking-smartwatch-yet
Armen
macrumors 604
It looks okay but it's still a cheap watch.
I don't know about all of you but I don't want a watch from apple or google or Motorola.
I want a new kind of a device, not just a phone accessory on my wrist (totally useless).
I prefer classical watches.
I know that's a minority opinion but the majority don't even want watches.
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I'm just speaking for myself not the market but I prefer Rolexes and Patek Philippes on my wrist.
If it's a fitness tracker I will buy but not if it's a watch.