Analysis of the latest trends in smart watches from Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft

Samsung has confirmed that it will release the Galaxy Gear smartwatch on September 4, but it is obviously not the only competitor in this market. The British Guardian published an article on September 2, pointing out that according to the current media reports, major manufacturers including Apple, Google, and Microsoft are planning to develop their own smartwatches. So, what news do major manufacturers have about smartwatch products?

　　1. Apple

　　Rumors about Apple's iWatch have never stopped. As early as February this year, Bloomberg and The New York Times reported that Apple was developing a product similar to a smart watch. In June, Apple applied for the iWatch trademark in many countries, but it was not able to catch up in the United States and Europe because other companies applied first. By July, it was reported that Apple was hiring employees for the development of the iWatch, and analysts expected Apple to release the iWatch in late 2014. In August, Taiwanese media reported that two local companies, Quanta Computer and Inventec, had established a partnership with Apple to produce the iWatch, and expected to produce 38 million units in 2014.

　　2. Samsung

　　We already know a lot of details about Samsung's smartwatch: it's called Galaxy Gear, and it will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show and Home Appliances Show in Berlin, Germany on September 4. On September 1, VentureBeat published a prototype image of Galaxy Gear, calling it a "fitness tracker with a camera."

　　Regarding Galaxy Gear, the industry expects it to be a companion to Samsung's Galaxy series smartphones, rather than simply compressing a smartphone into a watch. It is reported that Galaxy Gear will use a 2.5-inch 320×320 OLED screen, a dual-core processor, a camera, support NFC and Bluetooth 4.0, and be available in a variety of colors.

　　3. Google

　　It is reported that Google quietly acquired a smart watch company WIMMLabs in 2012. The company released its own smart watch WIMMOne in 2011, but closed in 2012 and "signed an exclusive confidentiality agreement on technology."

　　WIMMLabs provides Google with an Android application platform tailored for consumer smartwatch products. The smartwatch WIMMOne is an independently run Android device with its own unique applications, rather than just being able to run control applications on Android phones.

　　Last October, Google applied for a patent for a "smart watch with a flip-up screen". In March this year, the Financial Times confirmed that Google is developing a smart watch, and the Android team is leading the development plan. The Wall Street Journal reported in June that Google is developing an Android-based game console while developing a smart watch. Reporter Amir Efrati said that Google will release at least one of the two products this fall.

　　4. Microsoft

　　This is not the first time Microsoft has tried to develop a smartwatch product. In 2004, Microsoft launched a product called SPOT, which sent users instant messages from MSN, as well as news, stock quotes and weather forecasts based on their subscription to paid services. However, Microsoft stopped producing this product in 2008 and finally canceled the project last year.

　　Citing supply chain sources, the Wall Street Journal reported in April that technology giant Microsoft is also developing a smartwatch with touch functions. According to the sources, Microsoft has asked Asian suppliers to supply components for the smartwatch, requiring the production of a 1.5-inch display.

　　In July, TheVerge reported that Microsoft's smartwatch is currently in the testing phase, equipped with the Windows operating system, and will be compatible with all Windows devices.

　　5. Others

　　Pebble, which is crowdfunded, is one of the most famous smart watches. According to Pebble's website, Pebble has sold/pre-ordered 85,000 units so far. Sony has also launched its second smart watch, SmartWatch 2.

　　High-end smartwatch brand Hyetis Crossbow has sold more than 300 units, each priced at $1,200 (about RMB 7,344). Intel is also testing its smartwatch devices.

　　Consumer electronics manufacturers are eager to try their hand in the smart watch market, and traditional watch manufacturers are no exception. Casio has always had a place in the digital watch market. In recent years, Casio has also released a number of smart watches, such as the CasioG-ShockGB6900AA watch, which has smartphone synchronization function and supports Bluetooth technology.

　　Will these smartwatches be more like smartphone remote controls or standalone devices? Will smartwatches take over the fitness tracker market or add a new product line for fitness tracker companies? These are questions that can be answered in the coming year.

　　The ecosystem has not been established and smart watches are still in the exploratory stage

　　At present, smart watches are still in the exploratory stage. Wang Jialiang, CEO of Chubao Technology, said on Weibo yesterday: Wearing such a big and ugly watch and charging it every day (or every few days) is just for the convenience of answering calls or reading text messages and WeChat? In fact, the real purpose of smart watches should be to detect pulse, health indicators and other physical senses. These are things that mobile phones cannot do, and they are the unique value that smart watches can bring to us. Just like Google Glass can only be regarded as a high-end toy before AR (augmented reality technology) is realized.

　　Wei Wuhui, a lecturer at the School of Media Design at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said yesterday that smart watches still have some defects, such as being too heavy, too large, not easy to carry, and the screen not being curved. But the most important thing is that the ecosystem around smart watches has not been established. The iOS or Android systems of mobile phones have millions of applications and a large number of developers to support them, so they can develop in full swing.