Watching the emergence of wearables
There has been a lively buzz around I’m Watch, the Italian manufacturer claiming to have launched the world’s first ‘smart watch’ here at MWC.
What does the photo make you think of? A watch? A smartphone on a strap? A 1990s era PDA?
The concept of small, connected and wearable digital touchpoints has potential and will lead to the creation of new user experiences. The ‘smart watch’, however, is unlikely to achieve this in its current form.
I spent some time playing with I’m Watch and, while the build quality and materials are attractive, the overall experience feels like it is missing the point. They have essentially recreated a miniature smartphone UI and put it on a wrist strap. It looks and feels like a standard icon and list driven interface.
This new form factor has a role to play in creating an overall multi-touchpoint UX, but it won’t be replicating smartphone functions on your wrist. The real potential here is for manufacturers who can understand where small, wearable devices can add new interactions possibilities to broader digital experiences.
Location:Le Collecteur,Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère,France
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About the author
Marek Pawlowski is the founder of MEX. Since 1995, he has focused the MEX business on helping digital industries to develop better, more profitable products through improved understanding of user behaviour with mobile devices and wireless networks. MEX is best known for its events, research and consulting, which balance commercial, technical and user insights to define the future of mobile user experience. Web http://www.pmn.co.uk/mex/ | Email mp@pmn.co.uk
Posted on
26 February 2013
Categories
MWC 2013
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