Poll: Can the smartwatch be a success by just being an extension of your smartphone or does it need to be a stand-alone device?
We won't lie to you -- there was a short period of time when we felt like smartwatches and wearables as a whole are going to be the next big form factor. Nowadays, however, we're not quite so sure that they'll amount to too much -- even in comparison with tablets. Regardless, manufacturers seem pretty intent on pushing the envelope, whether because profits are hurting in their smartphone division or because they sincerely believe in their value proposition, and that means that these are not going anywhere and are here to stay.
But many people's initial disappointment with smartwatches in particular is owed to the fact that they perhaps expected a bit too much out of these tiny gadgets -- they expected them to be full-blown, stand-alone smartphones basically. But it's becoming quite obvious that, despite a few rare exceptions, the industry isn't particularly interested (or perhaps are limited from) in going in that particular direction, at least for now. Instead, smartwatches are, in their current shape, mostly an extension to your smartphone experience. That doesn't necessarily sit well with all, as already pointed out, but we'd like a larger data sample, so here goes.
For smartwatches to be successful, do you feel like they need to be stand-alone devices? Or do you feel like manufacturers' are going in the right direction and it's just a matter of time for their ecosystems to grow sufficiently and for technology to further catch up before they become successful in their current function as extenders of the smartphone experience? Let us know!
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