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The demise of the watch

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coyote

The demise of the watch
« on: January 20, 2017, 10:18:26 am »
First, let me say that I think the smart watch is a cool gadget. Kudos to the folks who have brought us this technology.

That said, the watch form factor is falling into obsolescence. With your car and your computer and your smartphone and your toaster etc all telling you the atomic time of day now, you no longer need to have a watch strapped to your wrist to do that basic job. So watches have to do something else.

That something else is APPs. But the problem is that you can only fit so much data on the screen, which severely limits the usefulness of the watch for running apps. I've known folks who got iWatch and Android watches who have essentially abandoned wearing them because they are big and clunky on the wrist, and therefore subject to damage, while being too small to be useful for most apps.

That leaves but one function: STATUS. You know, an exercise in vanity. And the newer generations are less obsessed with vanity-status than older generations. They are more likely to spend their disposable income on a tattoo, something that makes them more grungy, than on an expensive watch. I personally always found it a bit silly for someone in ordinary suburbia to spend thousands of dollars on a watch; a nice-looking Timex can be had for $50, and when it gets too battered you get another. But again, with your coffee machine and treadmill giving you precise time you don't even need that clunky thing on your wrist anymore.

So I'm guessing the form factor of the watch will be doing a slow fade into obscurity in this century.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 10:20:15 am by coyote »

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2017, 12:09:09 pm »
I have to agree somewhat.
Since retiring I've stopped wearing a watch however with Alexa now available on some I'm starting to contemplate one again. ??? ::)
I can see them getting smaller and losing the display.
Amazon may have given new life to the watch or at least prolonged their demise. ;)

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2017, 01:01:05 pm »
I have not worn a watch for years but when the gear s2 classic came out I got it and it does come in handy.  instead of pulling the phone, a quick look at notifications will tell me who is calling, email, or whatever.  I am able to forward the echos shopping list to it and able to make payments through it with samsung pay.   I do agree that it is too small for most other uses.  the watch itself is not that thick when compared to most so it is not like wearing a box.  I let it count steps but all the other features are disable.   

kilofox

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2017, 08:39:52 am »
So I'm guessing the form factor of the watch will be doing a slow fade into obscurity in this century.

As long as there is class in this world...... no way in hell thats going to happen.


coyote

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2017, 09:57:25 am »
So I'm guessing the form factor of the watch will be doing a slow fade into obscurity in this century.
As long as there is class in this world...... no way in hell thats going to happen.

Sorry kilo, but aren't you referring to STATUS??

Status is something you purchase and display on your wrist, usually in an ostentatious attempt to impress others. You know, like an expensive watch.

Class is the opposite of that.

kilofox

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2017, 08:07:29 pm »
Fine time pieces can run time pieces can run from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

Status? I really don't care what people think if I wear my $700 dollar Shinola or $100 Timex. I wear them because I like them. At age 59 I have been over that status thing for a long long time. I have earned my luxuries.

Watches will go away when jewelry goes away... I just found your prognostication a little silly.

Its totally cool if you don't like watches...... but I wouldn't be surprised if you change your tune someday.

coyote

Re: The demise of the watch
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2017, 09:41:41 pm »
Fine time pieces can run time pieces can run from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

Status? I really don't care what people think if I wear my $700 dollar Shinola or $100 Timex. I wear them because I like them. At age 59 I have been over that status thing for a long long time. I have earned my luxuries.

Watches will go away when jewelry goes away... I just found your prognostication a little silly.

Its totally cool if you don't like watches...... but I wouldn't be surprised if you change your tune someday.
I wore an expensive watch, and a 2-karat pinky ring, when I was in high school. It was when I recognized that some of the girls attracted by those things were attracted ONLY by those things - and what those things perhaps implied about me
- that I ceased caring about status symbols.

That was nearly 40 years ago.