Surface Ripples

Smart Watch?

From almost nothing at the start of the second decade of the 21st century, the Smart Watch is becoming the must-have accessory. 

Smart watches range from low priced models to high end offerings by Europe’s premiere watch houses. Everybody has realised they need to jump on the proverbial bandwagon.

I first became aware of the smart watch round about 2010-2011. Functionality then was basic.  As time went on, technology, processes and functionality improved in power and deliverables. Smart watches can now check our health, time exercise and its intensity and alert someone if we take a nasty fall.  We can listen to music, we can find our mislaid smart phone, we can see weather forecasts - all on our wrists.

I went down the smart watch “rabbit hole” some years ago when I was given an Apple Watch as a Christmas gift. I loved it!  As usual, Apple had entered the smart watch market late, but when they did, they produced the smart watch to define all smart watches in terms of aesthetic, functionality and accessories.  

After three years of continuous wear, I discovered the inherent flaw in the smart watch.  Apart from a battery that needs charging every 24-36 hours, it needs two essential ingredients to operate: processor and operating system.  After about three years, when I wanted to update my watch’s operating system, I had to reset the watch as the processor and memory were no longer able to handle the new upgrades.  By the fourth year my watch had become an expensive bracelet.  

I have watches that are 25 to 30 years old.  They aren’t smart watches but they still fulfil their primary function of telling the time. This is why one buys a watch in the first place.  Everything else is a “nice to have”. 

Just like computers, laptops and smart phones, the smart watch is designed with “built-in obsolescence”.  Unless operating systems and the processors that run them evolve to the degree that they no longer need to be changed every few years, we will have to buy a new smart watch. 

Compare this with one of my favourite automatic watches: a Rolex GMT Master 2.  I purchased it just over 30 years ago.  Apart from the odd service, it continues to perform admirably.  It has also increased in value.  One can’t say the same for a smart watch.

The smart watch is here to stay. There’s no denying that it has a place in the fitness and health monitoring industries.   However, there will probably come a point for most smart watches where the incremental gains of replacing it every 3 to 4 years are outweighed by the costs of doing so.  Contrast my Rolex which, if amortised over the 30+ years I have owned it, has turned out to be a better investment.  I know I can sell it for far more than I could sell an out of date, smart watch!

Where does this leave us?  Those who value the benefits that the various models and types of smart watch can provide will provide a market for it.  Doubtless, technology will continue to improve and smart watches may last longer, not require charging every 24 to 36 hours, and be recyclable into the bargain.

Until then, I will continue to rely on my old-fashioned automatic and quartz analogue and digital watch collection for the function I need: to tell me what time it is.

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website  provides a full picture of my portfolio of services. 

Labels: Leisure, Productivity

posted by William Martin @ 09:33