What Exactly Is a Smartwatch?

[WavyDavey]

There's been some interesting discussion about whether the Ionic is actually a smartwatch or not. So let's discuss this.

We can start at Wikipedia, which defines a later-model smartwatch as:

2010s smartwatches are effectively wearable computers. Many run mobile apps, using a mobile operating system. Some smartwatches function as portable media players, with FM radio and playback of digital audio and video files via a Bluetooth or USB headset. "

So in terms of this definition, The Ionic has mobile apps (limited until the app store deploys), and has its own operating system. It functions as a media player for audio files via Bluetooth headset. It would seem to fit the bill. 

Have some decided that the Ionic isn't a smartwatch, and are looking for examples to prove that? The things I see mentioned are fairly specific features-- like ability to respond to texts, heart rate while swimming, or a built-in speaker.

I realize the lack of some features may be a deal-breaker for some people. But I'd suggest that none of those features are essential for a device to be considered a smartwatch.

What do you think a smartwatch is? What features are absolutely essential in order for a device to be considered a smartwatch?

[EvKo]

It should be thought of as a programmable and configurable watch, which is what the Ionic is. Some people may think that we all ought to get the Apple Watch and I dare to say that some are stunned by how well received and successful the Ionic has been in the pas few weeks. In the last couple of hours Amazon took down 2/3 of the reviews driving the average much lower. Personally I think that the Ionic is a wonderful product that is going to get even better when the App Store/Gallery will launch and some updates are applied. Call it smartwatch, call it fitness tracker, call it Cornelius... It does not matter - it is what it is and it has the potential of helping you manage your fitness if you embrace it and use it the right way.

Happy fitbiting!

[datalore]

That's a very interesting question. It looks like the "killer app" for smartwatches is going to be health and fitness. When you think about it they really are just accessories if the health and fitness component is missing. I think the days of dedicated fitness trackers are numbered. The AW is now a fitness device/smartwatch. I think some people are disappointed because the ionic isn't an AW clone. Fitbit can't out apple apple and shouldn't try. People really like responding to text via their watches. I'm not one of those people; I don't text anyone not even my wife. I realize I don't represent the market and I'm somewhat of an outlier. If fitbit had included a microphone on the ionic I think the number of complaints about the "smartwatch" features would be lower. Fitbit had to know that and their exclusion of a microphone was not a good business decision. I don't care about responding to text, but most customers do. You have to give the market what they want. I don't know if there was some kind of technical reason that a microphone would not have been feasible for the ionic, but they should be more transparent. I'll bet dollars to donuts that the Ionic 2 will have a speaker and microphone. I think the whole LTE calling from your wrist is simply not feasible with today's technology, but again I don't represent the market. The Ionic will be perfect for me, and I understand that different people have different needs, so it won't be for everyone. I have a programming background and have already started on a few apps using a friends watch. I predict a $250 Black Friday sale and I'll pick one up then. I think they'll have most of the software issues sorted by then. 

[Martinefski]

I see the Ionic in the same boat as a feature phone.

Its lacking too much power and has far to few of apps. I know apps are supposed to be coming, but technology moves too fast to not have more things lined up, waiting 6 months with technology is like waiting an eternity.   

[datalore]

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@Martinefski wrote:

I see the Ionic in the same boat as a feature phone.

Its lacking too much power and has far to few of apps. I know apps are supposed to be coming, but technology moves too fast to not have more things lined up, waiting 6 months with technology is like waiting an eternity.   

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You could very well be right, we'll just have to wait and see what the sell numbers are. If I was an executive at Fitbit I'd be working around the clock to get that app gallery finished by Thanksgiving. 

[bbarrera]

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@datalore wrote:

 You could very well be right, we'll just have to wait and see what the sell numbers are. 

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The sell numbers only matter if you are an investor. 

The smartwatch question has nothing to do how it sells. 

In the past, and going forward in near term, Fitbit has a network effect (upgrades) and healthcare arrangements that will drive numbers. 

[datalore]

Sales have quiet a bit to do with the smart watch question. If by smart watch you mean apps; which was the implication. If sales are low developers won’t waste time coding for an unpopular platform. Windows phones don't have the same number of apps as Android or Iphone. 

[Escodaiichi]

For me, interactivity is the key to smartwatches. I think of it in terms of televisions verses computers. The TV might pump out information, but it doesn't receive very much information from the viewer. One might make choices based on that info, but doesn't do much to influence that info. Fitness trackers are like that in a way: they tell you what's going on with you to a degree, but you can't tell them very much back. 

A smartwatch (being a computer) acts more like a computer in that the end user has a lot more influence on the input. They are programmable, interactive, and customizable. It doesn't just give stats and data, they allow the user to input data as well. 

The open SDK puts the Ionic in the smartwatch category in that end users can modify, add, and create apps. If fitbit adds the ability to interact with messages, that and the open, programmable nature of the watch will silence most naysayers, including myself. 

[soguilk]

Your defining smartwatch too much from an academic perspective. A good analogy for this is comparing a blackberry phone to an iphone 8. They are both technically smartphones. You are not looking at it as a consumer. In 2017, A smartwatch by its lowest standard should be able to do many basic tasks that a smartphone from 2017 should be able to. ex. Text replies, calendar, reminders, other music providers, apps, etc. Its not about copying an apple watch its about realizing the market you are in.

[bbarrera]

Starts with the OS, hardware, and what’s possible. Even on niche platforms you’ll find interesting apps. 

[jresnick]

I would consider the Ionic in part to be a smartwatch....just not a very good one.

[SunsetRunner]

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@soguilk wrote:

Your defining smartwatch too much from an academic perspective. A good analogy for this is comparing a blackberry phone to an iphone 8. They are both technically smartphones. You are not looking at it as a consumer. In 2017, A smartwatch by its lowest standard should be able to do many basic tasks that a smartphone from 2017 should be able to. ex. Text replies, calendar, reminders, other music providers, apps, etc. Its not about copying an apple watch its about realizing the market you are in.

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You are answering another question  then.."what is expected from a smartwatch in 2017".

[SunsetRunner]

IMHO most digital Casio watches from the 70's are smart.

[EvKo]

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@soguilk wrote:

Your defining smartwatch too much from an academic perspective. A good analogy for this is comparing a blackberry phone to an iphone 8. They are both technically smartphones. You are not looking at it as a consumer. In 2017, A smartwatch by its lowest standard should be able to do many basic tasks that a smartphone from 2017 should be able to. ex. Text replies, calendar, reminders, other music providers, apps, etc. Its not about copying an apple watch its about realizing the market you are in.

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It seems to me that more and more people want their tablet to be a full computer, their phone to be a tablet and their watch to be a phone. Personally, I don't think this is the right approach. The Ionic is first a fitness tracker and then a smartwatch. Anybody who purchases the Ionic as a smart watch without the intention of changing their lifestyle in order to become more fit, I think that they are making the wrong choice. In terms of smartwatches, there is no way that Fitbit can compete with Apple. The whole Fitbit budget is what Apple spends in office supplies - not to mention the talent concentration and the volume of the research. Having said that, the Fitbit products and the orientation of the company are quite unique and the Ionic is their best product yet.

Happy fitbiting!

[Andrew103]

Personally I'm happy to call the Ionic a smartwatch - I think it meets all the criteria.

The problem is that by going with a proprietary operating system, there are hardly any apps for it, especially if (like me) you live in a country that's not on Fitbit's radar (so apps like Starbucks and Pay are useless). Right now it doesn't offer me much more funtionality than the Surge HR. I'm sure this will get better with successive firmware releases and the availability of more apps from Fitbit and third parties, but how long do we have to wait for this? It's not like there's a big developer community, like for Android Wear. I really hope the Ionic will be a great smartwatch. Right now it's a very expensive fitness band.

[bbarrera]

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@EvKo wrote:

It seems to me that more and more people want their tablet to be a full computer, their phone to be a tablet and their watch to be a phone.

Having worn the Apple Watch for 2+ years now I somewhat agree, but think its missing the real point. Like almost everyone I know, its easy to get lost in my phone when a notification comes in. I start out dealing with a notification, and then get lost in that app and other apps.

A smart watch lets you be 'in the moment' and quickly/easily:

- view/respond to notifications including photos, videos, emojis

- receive directions when in a rental car

- request stuff, my favorites are weather updates and Shazam'ing a song

- guided weights workout and logging of sets/reps/weight

- view health/fitness stuff

- start a timer by voice command

- control music playback on indoor/outdoor 

- take a quick call when my hands are full

The key point is that its either a quick interaction, more easily done without pulling out phone and risk getting distracted ("be in the moment"), or done when I don't have access to my phone (driving, working in the yard, hand full). 

Is a smart watch necessary? No. Is a fitness tracker necessary? No. If you want an fitness tracker, is the Ionic necessary versus an Alta HR or Charge 2? No. Is Ionic more flexible/useful versus Alta/Charge? Yes. Is a full smart watch more flexible/useful than Ionic? Yes.

The reason I like wearing a smart watch is because I spend less time with my phone now, yet still stay connected. A smart watch has made me more productive during the day while at work, and on the weekends when outside working on home projects.

[datalore]

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@EvKo wrote:

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@soguilk wrote:

Your defining smartwatch too much from an academic perspective. A good analogy for this is comparing a blackberry phone to an iphone 8. They are both technically smartphones. You are not looking at it as a consumer. In 2017, A smartwatch by its lowest standard should be able to do many basic tasks that a smartphone from 2017 should be able to. ex. Text replies, calendar, reminders, other music providers, apps, etc. Its not about copying an apple watch its about realizing the market you are in.

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It seems to me that more and more people want their tablet to be a full computer, their phone to be a tablet and their watch to be a phone. Personally, I don't think this is the right approach. The Ionic is first a fitness tracker and then a smartwatch. Anybody who purchases the Ionic as a smart watch without the intention of changing their lifestyle in order to become more fit, I think that they are making the wrong choice. In terms of smartwatches, there is no way that Fitbit can compete with Apple. The whole Fitbit budget is what Apple spends in office supplies - not to mention the talent concentration and the volume of the research. Having said that, the Fitbit products and the orientation of the company are quite unique and the Ionic is their best product yet.

Happy fitbiting!

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I realize I'm the odd man out here, but I detest being constantly connected. I have a cell phone becuaue I just take whatever phone my wife gives me when she upgrades the family plan we have. I honestly can't remmber if I've ever even sent a text, I'm sure I have at some point, I just can't remember it. I don't take my phone with me into the office and it spends most of the day in the glove compartment of my car. I use the cell phone as a way to make emergency calls if needed. Thankfully, I haven't had any emergencies and the only time I use it is when my wife calls me. I still have a landline I use to call friends. I've become "get off my lawn I just seeded" guy at an early age. I just don't get the obsession with staying connected all the time. I don't think anything is wrong with it; I'm just not wired that way. An LTE watch has no appeal to me. I realize I'm not the target market for an LTE watch, but thankfully products exist for all kinds of tastes. 

[bbarrera]

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@datalore wrote:

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I realize I'm the odd man out here, but I detest being constantly connected. I have a cell phone becuaue I just take whatever phone my wife gives me when she upgrades the family plan we have. I honestly can't remmber if I've ever even sent a text, I'm sure I have at some point, I just can't remember it. I don't take my phone with me into the office and it spends most of the day in the glove compartment of my car. I use the cell phone as a way to make emergency calls if needed.  

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@datalore Given that, and no offense, how is it possible that you have something to add to the topic of "what exactly is a smartwatch?" Beyond telling us your smartphone is really only used as a basic cellular phone.

[datalore]

LOL, good point, but I don't think notifications in and of themselves is what constitutes a smartwatch. I think apps are far more important in that regard, but I see your point. I guess I was making a philosophical point that notifications are not synonymous with smartwatches for all customers. If your Apple Watch was just LTE and handled notifications and Siri really well but had no app choices would you consider that a smartwatch? While I understand your point, and actually see the humor in it, I don't think you got mine. 

[bbarrera]

Feature phones had apps back in 2001, about 4 years later BREW developers had been paid over $300M for "apps" (mostly ringtones, some simple games, etc). But apps didn't magically turn those Verizon feature phones into smartphones. 

I think its easier to just agree that Samsung Gear and Apple Watch are smartwatches in a category above the Ionic. Basic smartwatch versus full featured smartwatch.