{"id":5550,"date":"2015-03-12T12:32:59","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T16:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kasperskydaily.com\/uk\/?p=5550"},"modified":"2019-11-22T10:14:59","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T10:14:59","slug":"apple-watch-and-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/5550\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple watch&#8230; and the others."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s always fun to observe commodity, non-vertically integrated tech manufacturers toss and twitch as distant rumours start rumbling about Apple entering yet another product category. Those companies don\u2019t completely own their platforms and thus, their user experience. Moreover, when they try to come up with something completely in-house they usually fail spectacularly and, pardon the schadenfreude, hilariously.<\/p>\n<p>Apple Watch was a perfect example of this cycle: the moment the rumour mill started churning all those Samsung\u2019s and Alcatel\u2019s threw everything to the ground and rushed to release another bit of half-baked wristband products. Sometimes Apple allows them two or three iterations that may look notably better yet still bear all the signs of Just Not Getting It.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In this respect, it\u2019s worth mentioning two smart-watches at MWC 2015 that have attracted the most attention and generated lots of positive feedback: LG Urbane LTE and Huawei Watch. Some people even went as far as calling the latter the greatest looking Android Wear gizmo. Unfortunately, from the design perspective it\u2019s also an utter failure.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ICYMI: The Best Gadgets of Mobile World Congress 2015 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hsVtijFia0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/hsVtijFia0<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MWC15?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">#MWC15<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kaspersky (@kaspersky) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kaspersky\/status\/574562870282817536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">March 8, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s really depressing how often many people need to be reminded that design isn\u2019t just about how something looks, but how it also feels, how it is perceived, and how it\u2019s interacted with. If you look at Huawei Watch from this perspective and take into account the underlying layer of Android Wear you\u2019ll instantly see a few flaws.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-pCZDLLdbzo?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It recently took Jony Ive to remind people that a round screen isn\u2019t the best idea when your interface contains lists as a lot of screen space simply gets wasted. A possible solution would be magnifying the selected item, much like the way Dock works in Mac OS X. But a) Google\u2019s Material Design shuns <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Skeuomorph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">skeuomorphism<\/a>; b) this solution won\u2019t apply to a bunch of other scenarios like showing a boarding pass with a QR code.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>LG\u2019s Urbane is in much better position here since the Koreans chose to employ their webOS resources and came up with a circular interface that looks more thought out and adapted to particular hardware. Unfortunately, some functions like texting and dialling still look constrained on a round screen. And why would one need cellular connectivity in your smart-watch? Omate, anyone? The batteries aren\u2019t nearly large enough in those things.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6tdfW8dnifk?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The main failure that both products share is having been designed in the classic, non-smart paradigm. Things like jutting rims and massive strap braces look very masculine and draw attention\u2026 away from what\u2019s actually happening on the screen! But wait, what are you doing!? It\u2019s a smart-watch, it\u2019s ALL ABOUT what\u2019s happening on the screen!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some reviewers use the pic below as a proof of how much cooler Huawei Watch looks compared to Moto 360. Unfortunately, to me it\u2019s a proof of the exact opposite: Motorola has better designers with deeper understanding of what a smart-watch really is and how it\u2019s not ye ole traditional watch at all. But, again, Apple has even better designers who ruthlessly slash every bit of legacy that\u2019s not applicable to the product vision they\u2019re trying to implement.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gizmag?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">@gizmag<\/a> Huawei Watch vs. Moto 360: Huawei is jumping into smartwatches in a big way, with th\u2026 <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/Rj1Aq6fnqS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">http:\/\/t.co\/Rj1Aq6fnqS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Technologic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">#Technologic<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/New?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">#New<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ZTechnologic (@ZTechnologic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZTechnologic\/status\/574441183604174848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">March 8, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The design of the current crop of Android Wear and other smart-watch gadgets is defined by them being aimed at geeks, people who need no explanations of value, capabilities, and potential of the product category. It looks like it will again take Apple to perform its marcom duties for the entire market, carefully and patiently iSplaining it to ordinary people and thus greatly expanding the addressable market. There\u2019s a benefit to that: even if Apple ends up capturing only 10% of the resulting audience, you can bet it\u2019s going to\u00a0be the top 10% which bring over half of all profits.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Apple took a record high 89% of smartphone profits last quarter <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/fLVpOI0Bdn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">http:\/\/t.co\/fLVpOI0Bdn<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/nyLTzOKkLo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/nyLTzOKkLo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FortuneMagazine\/status\/570986818549751808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">February 26, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Another good thing about non-geek customer base is that they normally don\u2019t demand every imaginable feature in one $19.99 product right then and there. Instead they are ready to wait until the said features are mature, i.e. work well, don\u2019t degrade overall experience, and simply make sense. Among other things, this is about building LTE into smartwatches: it\u2019s obviously too early for that, considering the current density of cell coverage and the state of gadget battery tech. WiFi is a bit of a golden mean here, and Google is already taking that route, enabling WiFi in Android Wear gadgets with the next update.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-pullquote\"><p>#AppleWatch And The Others<\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkas.pr%2F9bJU&amp;text=%23AppleWatch+And+The+Others\" class=\"btn btn-twhite\" data-lang=\"en\" data-count=\"0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Tweet<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<p>However, it\u2019s not to say cellular module will never emerge in Apple Watch at some future point. Quite the opposite, Apple has a track record of first wiring every new product category to another, more capable one, then gradually spinning it off. At first, one needed a personal computer with a full-blown operating system to own and use a pocket device from Apple. Now iPod touch, iPhone, iPad can all be activated, set up, and run completely independently, with a little help from iCloud.<\/p>\n<p>And this makes iPad a perfect MacBook replacement for a whole lot of people who primarily consume content. But one thing Apple is never afraid of is cannibalizing its own products, and there\u2019s no reason to deny that Watch may one day become a self-sufficient solution that eclipses iPhone and renders it obsolete. This is Apple\u2019s evolution path: Personal -&gt; Mobile, Mobile -&gt; Wearable.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Loving the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AppleWatch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">#AppleWatch<\/a> but hating the price? This startup will let you rent one for $45 <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/iLJyKYYtLj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">http:\/\/t.co\/iLJyKYYtLj<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/9rV3TZa8g3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/9rV3TZa8g3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mashable (@mashable) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mashable\/status\/575415460713349121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">March 10, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>One bonus opportunity that the latter transition provides is setting a foot in the biotech door. It\u2019s already quite clear that biotech as an industry will outshine IT and surpass it in terms of improvements in global quality of life, making some people and businesses very, very rich. The current set of built-in sensors and the move to open-source Research-Kit are both signs that Apple understands this well and has a fair shot at surviving the coming revolution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s always fun to observe commodity, non-vertically integrated tech manufacturers toss and twitch as distant rumours start rumbling about Apple entering yet another product category. Those companies don\u2019t completely own<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":5551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1623],"tags":[14,800,140,842,22,636,770,434,940,939],"class_list":{"0":"post-5550","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-technology","9":"tag-apple","10":"tag-apple-watch","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-future","13":"tag-google","14":"tag-internet-of-things","15":"tag-iot","16":"tag-mobile-devices","17":"tag-smart-watch","18":"tag-wearable"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"en-gb","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/5550\/"},{"hreflang":"ru","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.ru\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/7174\/"},{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/7920\/"},{"hreflang":"ja","url":"https:\/\/blog.kaspersky.co.jp\/apple-watch-and-others\/7073\/"},{"hreflang":"ru-kz","url":"https:\/\/blog.kaspersky.kz\/apple-watch-and-others\/7174\/"},{"hreflang":"en-au","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.au\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/7920\/"},{"hreflang":"en-za","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.za\/blog\/apple-watch-and-others\/7920\/"}],"acf":[],"banners":"","maintag":{"url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/tag\/apple\/","name":"apple"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5550"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17952,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550\/revisions\/17952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}