Tiger: Rome wasn't built in a day, and smartwatches weren't invented recently either.
The discussion about AppleWatch is in full swing, and there must be more and more manufacturers and startup teams playing with the idea of smartwatches as well.
It's time to take a look back at the evolution of the smartwatch.
This article was republished from Netflix with the original title "Buy Buy Buy! The Windy History of Smartwatches," which was edited and published by HuffPost.
Apple announced detailed information about the AppleWatch and the specific time to market at its recent spring conference, and like the iPhone and iPad, despite the AppleWatch being the most talked-about new smartwatch ever, Apple is not the first manufacturer to launch such a product, and Samsung and Sony, which have already launched several smartwatches, also weren't. In fact, the first smartwatch dates back to 1927, while there was already a larger boom in the 1980s and 1990s.
Here's a list of 19 of the more iconic and important products in the history of smartwatches, in conjunction with foreign media reports, that made the success of the AppleWatch a possibility.
(1) PlusFour Wrist Route Guide
Published: 1927
Product description: Back in the 1920s, GPS didn't exist, but the earliest of the "smartwatches" was still able to help the wearer identify a specific route from A to B. The first smartwatches, however, used the same technology to help the wearer find their way from A to B. The first smartwatches, however, used the same technology to help the wearer find their way from A to B. Of course, it used nothing more than a slot-type map box placed on the wrist, with a knob to manually adjust the content to be displayed. While this "watch" that doesn't tell the time may seem simple enough, it does serve a very specific purpose, and users don't have to think about its battery life at all.
(2) Pulsar Electronic Watch
Released: 1972
Product Description: The world's first digital electronic watch, the Pulsar, was launched by well-known American watch brand Hamilton in 1972 (or 1971), with an 18-karat gold-plated watch face. The Pulsar was equipped with an LED screen and a push button on the body to check the time. At $2,100, this advanced electronic watch was basically a bargain.
(3) Seiko TVWatch
Released: 1982
Product description: This watch was worn by James Bond in the 13th James Bond movie, Octopussy, and it was "smart" in that it connected an adapter to the watch and a button on the body to check the time. By connecting an adapter and a receiver box, it could simultaneously display the time on the top of the screen and a grainy TV image on the bottom, so the watch, which cost ￡500 at the time, was actually more like a monitor you could wear on your wrist.
(4) Seiko Data-2000 smartwatch
Released: 1983
Product description: The watch was able to store memos (albeit only two) and calendars, and also acted as a calculator, although of course you needed to use the accompanying keypad to do this. Japanese watch maker Seiko launched a number of smartwatches in the 1980s, and in addition to the Data-2000, Seiko also launched smartwatch products such as the UC-2000, RC-1000, MemoDiary and UC-3000 in the same year.
(5) Sinclair Wrist Radio
Released: 1985
Product Description: Britain's Sinclair had a huge success with an 8-bit personal computer called the ZXSpectrum, and then the company joined forces with U.S. watch maker Timex to develop a relatively strange This wrist radio consisted of three separate parts: an LCD watch, a piezoelectric speaker and an FM tuner, as well as a battery compartment built into a carabiner. Due to Sinclair's financial crisis at the time, the watch didn't make it past the prototype stage before the company called it quits, and only 11,000 were produced.
(6) Seiko MessageWatch
Released: 1995
Product Description: This watch is already quite a smartwatch, not only displaying the caller's ID (through the FM signal), but also supporting information updates on sports, stock prices, and weather forecasts, which are more similar to today's GoogleNow. These features are similar to today's GoogleNow, except that it appeared 20 years ago, and its screen is a very ordinary monochrome screen.
(7) Breitling EmergencyWatch
Released: 1995
Product Description: The watch from Swiss watch brand Breitling can send an emergency signal within 90 nautical miles to allow rescuers to determine the location of the object in distress. The watch helped two British pilots in 2003 when the helicopter they were flying crashed in the Antarctic region, and in 2013 Breitling refreshed the range with the Emergency II, priced at ￡9,000.
(8) Linux wristwatch
Release date: 1998
Product description: 'Father of wearable computing' Steve Mann built the first Linux-powered smartwatch product in 1998, and IBM two years later produced a prototype of the watch. "Designed to communicate wirelessly with computers, cell phones and other wireless devices, the watch also has the ability to check e-mail and receive direct pager-type messages," the material from back then reads, "and in the future the watch will be equipped with a high-definition screen that will also support the installation and running of applications. The watch will also be equipped with a high-definition screen that will also support the installation and running of applications, in addition to acting as an access window to Internet services, including the latest weather information, traffic conditions, stock market changes, sports results, and more." Perhaps you can see why Mann is the "father of wearable computing".
(9) Fossil PalmPilot Smartwatch
Released: 2002
Product description: American fashion and lifestyle brand Fossil has recently revealed its intention to re-enter the wearable market, with plans to launch a smartwatch in conjunction with Intel. The company previously launched a smartwatch called the PalmPilot 12 years ago, which won the "Best Product" award at Cox in 2002. The PalmPilot comes with a 160x160 resolution screen and 2MB of storage, as well as several built-in Palm applications, including an address book. Palm applications are also built-in, including an address book, notepad, to-do list, and calculator, and it should be noted that the watch's operating system uses a visual style, which is also a highlight of the product.
(10) Microsoft SPOT devices
Release date: 2003
Product description: Recent rumors have suggested that Microsoft is currently working on a new wearable device, but more than a decade ago, Microsoft was already working on a joint development with watch makers such as Citizen, Timex, Fossil and Matsushita, which uses the "SmartPersonalObjectTechnology" (SmartPersonalObjectTechnology, referred to as SPOT) device, but Microsoft called off the project in 2008, and its proposed annual subscription fee of $59 for service updates did not really gained consumer acceptance.
(11) Canon Forerunner GPS watch
Released: 2003
Product description: U.S. GPS maker Canon has always been at the forefront of the GPS sports watch field, and the company launched a watch more than a decade ago. already had the ability to measure speed, distance, stride length and calorie expenditure, which laid a solid foundation for the powerful features of later Forerunner series watches. In addition, it's powered by two AAA batteries, which can last up to 14 hours of continuous use.
(12) Nike+Fuelband
Released: 2012
Product description: It's no exaggeration to say that the Nike+Fuelband was a hugely successful wearable that tracked the wearer's activity throughout the day, and supported Bluetooth synchronization. 2013 also saw a new version of the Nike+Fuelband. In 2013, Nike updated the product to include ambient light, making it easier for wearers to view information in low light conditions. Unfortunately, Nike disbanded the Fuelband hardware team in early 2014 to focus on software application services.
(13) Sony SmartWatch smartwatch
Released: 2012
Product introduction: the first generation of Sony SmartWatch smartwatch is actually a companion device for the Xperia smartphone, which runs a variant of Android, equipped with a 1.3-inch OLED screen. product was beloved by the major tech media back in the day, despite the fact that it often suffered from unsuspected system crashes. Sony followed up with the hugely successful SmartWatch 2 in 2013, and its third generation, the AndroidWear-powered SmartWatch 3, has already been unveiled at IFA 2014.
(14) Pebble Smartwatch
Released: 2013
Product description: To date, the Pebble smartwatch remains the most successful project on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, a product that reintroduced smartwatch functionality back on the right track of development, placing notification push functionality In addition to that feature, Pebble is also able to act as a remote controller for smartphones or GoPro sports cameras, and there are currently more than 1,000 apps in the Pebble app store, which basically meets the needs of most users.
(15) Samsung GalaxyGear smartwatch
Released: 2013
Product Description: Unveiled at IFA 2013, GalaxyGear is Samsung's entry into the smartwatch market of the opening work, and now Samsung has launched six smartwatch products, it is clear that Samsung is very hopeful that this group of competitors to win the success of the field. But as things stand now, Samsung still has a long way to go to get the same kind of following that Apple fans have for the AppleWatch.
(16) Samsung GearFit smart bracelet
Released: 2014Product introduction: If the GalaxyGear for Samsung to open up the wearables market, then the GearFit is a let Samsung to win a full house of bracelet products, this product released in MWC2014 was unveiled on the basis of its unique OLED curved screen was one of the highlights of the show.
(17) Moto360 Smartwatch
Released: 2014 Product Description: In March 2014, Google released the wearable operating system AndroidWear at the I/O conference, and among the three AndroidWear devices released at that time, the Moto360 is undoubtedly the one that has attracted the most attention, this one is equipped with a The round dial, ￡199 smartwatch is still considered one of the AppleWatch's main competitors.
(18) Samsung GearS smartwatch
Released: 2014Product description: Samsung GearS has a built-in 3G module, so it can be used independently without pairing with a smartphone, this product reflects Samsung's knowledge of the smartwatch market has been relatively deep, in addition to the built-in 3G module, which is used in the 2-inch SuperAMOLED curved screen, up to 360 * 480 resolution are eye-catching.
(19) AppleWatch smartwatch
Launch time: 2015
Product introduction: in September 2014, Apple launched the long-rumored smartwatch product AppleWatch at the launch of the new iPhone, the design, configuration and price of the product has no need to repeat, this is scheduled to be April The smartwatch, which is scheduled to go on sale on April 24, has attracted a lot of attention since its inception, so regardless of its future success, it will be a colorful chapter in the history of smartwatch development.
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Smart phones make full use of the fragmented time of human beings, and bring value to the individual and the enterprise, but the more fragmented time the phone can't do, and the deeper personal needs, the phone can't do either. Smart watch due to have a closer to the human body, wear longer these two characteristics, more in line with people's habits of use, as the body's most important data collection terminal, which is the realization of any single function of the smart watch, are not the most professional and efficient under the premise of the user and the capital is still full of expectations.
Smartphone can not meet the needs of a more personalized
From Maslow's 5 levels of needs, the past industrial era, more to meet the needs of human physiology and safety. To the Internet and mobile Internet era, human social and respect needs began to be met, the smartphone has become an important terminal and entrance, the smartphone to make full use of the human fragmented time, the individual to the enterprise has brought value, but more fragmented time cell phone can not do, the deeper personal needs, the cell phone also can not do. With the development of IoT technology, it is difficult for the two-eight theory and the long tail theory to continue to work, because everyone's needs can be targeted to meet. Smartwatches are more in line with people's habits and will bring more value to mankind as they have the two features of being closer to the human body and being worn for longer periods of time.
The human wrist has always occupied a very critical position, smart watches as the body's most important data collection terminal, which is the realization of any single function of the smart watch, are not the most professional and efficient premise, the user and the capital is still full of expectations of the reason. In the future, when every device has the value of data collection, it will generate a new business model and business environment, and will surely give birth to new great enterprises.
Business changes brought by the Internet of Things mindset
Sensors are the most basic and lowest level part of the Internet of Things, and are the basis for the realization of all Internet of Things upper level applications. The application of sensors will be the biggest difference between the Internet of Things and the Internet, leading to Internet thinking to the Internet of Things era is no longer applicable. Internet thinking itself is based on connecting the terminal to the network, for Internet thinking, the terminal is the entrance, is the user. Enterprises under the influence of Internet thinking will work on the interaction with the user terminal, which is the traditional entrance thinking, traffic thinking. Such as UGC, participation, fan economy, crowdfunding economy, etc. are essentially the product of Internet thinking. Accurately speaking, the Internet is a human-based network, information in a sense rely on people to collect and analyze.
The biggest difference of the Internet of Things technology is the change of the information transmission method, the process of demand expression will be weakened. Things can communicate with each other, will communicate is an important feature of the Internet of Things, this process no longer need to be involved in the process. For example, the smart watch I wear on my hand, no matter where I am, as long as I wear him, he will be 24 hours uninterrupted automatic collection of my body's silent data, including sleep detection, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and other dimensions to measure my health indicators.
If my body temperature exceeds the normal value within a trend range, the watch will warn and prompt me to go to the doctor, the APP backstage connected to the smartwatch will utilize AI algorithms to help me book the right doctors and hospitals for me based on my location and medical preferences, and on the way to the hospital I'll selectively open up the data stored in the cloud to my recent body to my doctor, and when I arrive at the hospital, the doctor No need to look and smell, no need for a variety of blood tests, filming to help me formulate a complete medical treatment program and medication measures. Such a life scenario is attributed to sensors and machine intelligence, allowing more people to enjoy a better experience and get a better life efficiency. The Internet of Things (IoT) mindset, due to the fragmentation and diversification of information transmission channels, new business models will be generated on this basis.
The next "battlefield" of the smartwatch: upstream manufacturers to increase the sensor technology competition
Recently, IDC released the "Quarterly Tracking Report on China's Wearable Devices Market, Second Quarter of 2021" report, which shows that China's wearable devices market shipments in the second quarter of 2021 amounted to 3, 6.14 million units, up 33% year-on-year. 6.14 million units, a year-over-year growth of 33.7%.
Shipments in this quarter were still dominated by the contribution of ear-wear devices, followed by smartwatches and smart bracelets, with shipments of 19.96 million units, 9.66 million units, and 6.41 million units, respectively. Among them, adult and children's watches all showed a rising trend, and the market share of smart bracelets was squeezed out by smartwatches, with shipments down 5.0% year-on-year.
On the development trend of the smartwatch market, IDC believes that in the second half of this year, the middle and high-end market will usher in the ushering in of rich sensor technology and functions, health monitoring function will usher in more broad application scenarios under the upgrade of sensor technology. The market will enter a period of structural adjustment from the "volume era", with more emphasis on product experience and user conversion.
From the release of the first smartwatch by Nutshell Electronics in 2013 to the present, smartwatches have experienced the development trend of intellectualization and medical treatment in the past 8 years. Driven by market demand, smart watches will usher in a new market turn. Sunrise Big Data believes that the future smartwatch must be the consumer's intelligent "housekeeper", which can be divided into six categories: health housekeeper, mobile housekeeper, Internet of Things housekeeper, medical housekeeper, dietary housekeeper, shopping housekeeper. For example, when the medical housekeeper is really realized, the smart watch automatically monitors the user's heartbeat, atrial fibrillation and other functions are not normal, you can through the smart watch will be the most recent week's monitoring records sent to the background, and then let the doctor for the user to make a diagnosis.
"Smart housekeeper" may be a huge consumer market, but it is certain that behind the powerful smart housekeeper is a wealth of sensor technology, including motion sensors, blood glucose, blood pressure, ECG temperature and other biosensors, as well as location sensors. From the current smart watch form, mainly still consumer-grade, blood sugar, cardiac and other higher technical requirements of the medical grade product form has not yet really entered the market, consumers are still in the habit of cultivation stage.
Just before medical-grade products have not really entered the market, sensor manufacturers, terminal manufacturers have long sniffed the latest market developments, Samsung launched a new biosensor and 5nm ExynosW920 processor in August this year, the first time equipped with a GalaxyWatch4 series, which can measure a number of health indicators, the domestic manufacturers Beiteler also launched for smart wearable products The BL7XX3 series of touch chips with strong anti-jamming ability can reduce noise by 41dB, and at the same time reduce interference with other chips.
In the terminal market, a number of domestic manufacturers have made breakthroughs, taking the lead in launching non-invasive blood glucose monitoring smartwatch, forehead temperature smartwatch and other medical-grade products. For example, Shu sugar message released Glutrac Rui sugar blood glucose watch, based on ppg signal for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring; Youhong medical launched the forehead temperature smartwatch
Waterward Wang Shengping believes that there are three areas of difficulty and breakthroughs in smartwatches, the first is medical and health care, the second is space and standby time, and the third is the high threshold of research and development and production, including product research and development, certification, and production. Electronic enthusiast network found that the current domestic entry into the medical-grade smart wearable market is in the stage of a hundred competitions, many manufacturers have entered the product registration certification, production license certification stage. This can also indicate that the medical-grade market is in a period of strength, once the product certification and so on through, will usher in the explosive period.
Despite the fact that many people are optimistic about the medical-grade smart wearable market, there is also another kind of voice. In the terminal market, industry insiders pointed out that medical-grade certification when the certification is the technology rather than the terminal, the certification method is mainly through the form of papers and third-party medical product testing organizations and other clinical trials, many consumers are still concerned about the accuracy of the product performance, the cultivation of user habits may require a longer period of time than expected.
Medical-grade products really enter the market, facing a variety of challenges, but before that, the iteration of sensor technology is an important stage of development. As IDC mentioned, who can take the lead in the watch sensing technology breakthroughs, and successful productization and promotion of the manufacturers will have a head start in the market competition, but also conducive to the establishment of competitive barriers through the reinforcement of the product's technological leadership.
What is the space for smartwatch development?
In fact, the sports watch is best to have a strong technological power to support music offline playback, and support for MP3, AAC mode, but also support for cell phone AAP deletion, add music song list management, such a convenient operation of the intelligent music mode, so that you exercise to avoid the burden of the phone. You can go to pay attention to the wrist treasure, the value is also very good.