Editor's note: Jeff Kagan is a technology industry analyst who writes on wireless, telecom, cable TV, internet, consumer electronics and tech. Follow him on Twitter.
London (CNN) -- Samsung just launched their next, new, big time product. It's the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. Are you kidding? What the heck is a smartwatch anyway? Who needs it? Are we simply going too far? Do we really need yet one more piece of technology to carry around? Well the answer is yes, and you may be surprised why.
I have been an industry analyst following the wireless industry since its beginning. I have have followed and commented on many companies and technologies over nearly 30 years. I have learned quite a bit over this time.
One of the key points I have learned is this: The wireless industry reinvents itself every few years. And the smartwatch revolution is getting ready to sweep across and transform the wireless industry once again.
Read more: Apple doesn't need to copy Samsung
Years ago the networks transformed from analog to digital, opening the door to all these amazing devices and services we use today. The smartphone was born. Back then, Blackberry and Nokia led.
Then, six years ago, the Apple iPhone and Google Android entered the picture and transformed the industry once again. The super-smart-phone was born. The tablet was next. Mixed in all that noise, the cloud was born.
Suddenly the marketplace leaders have changed. Today they are Apple with the iPhone and iPad, Google Android and Samsung with the Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
The last few years have been quiet. This year will be different. Suddenly we are seeing new thinking and new technology that will be just as popular entering the marketplace and capturing the headlines.
The Samsung smartwatch is not a stand-alone device. Rather it connects and communicates with the Galaxy phones and tablets.
Read more: The most indestructible meme in tech
Why do we need a watch? Well the smartphone is growing in importance to many of us. Yesterday we wouldn't leave the house without taking our keys, wallet and smartphone. Tomorrow all we'll have to grab is the smartphone.
It will open our doors and start our cars, it will have credit card information and drivers license and pictures and all sorts of other goodies. It will let us communicate with our doctors, our car, retail stores and so on.
In that world we'll be pulling out our smartphone all the time. It will get to be a real pain in the neck. That's where the smartwatch comes into the picture.
JK Shin, head of Samsung Mobile Communications, presents the Samsung Galaxy Gear in Berlin, Germany on Wednesday, September 4, 2013. Browse through the other contenders battling it out for a place on your wrist.
Photos: Battle of the smartwatches
Samsung introduced the first smartwatch. It will communicate with their smartphone and their tablet. You can see how many emails, text messages, postings on social sites and more you are getting. You can even read them on the watch if you choose.
You'll have access to your calendar and all sorts of apps based on what you want to see on the watch. It's up to you. But it all works together over the cloud.
Photos: Battle of the smartwatches
The smartwatch will be your remote control for your smart phone. And your smart phone will be your remote control for your life. What a beautiful world.
So let me ask you a question. If you have all these devices, where do you store your data? We used to synch everything with our laptops, but going forward we'll synch to the cloud.
That's right, like it or not, the cloud is in your future. It's the center of the universe.
Watch more: Could an iWatch make Apple cool again?
Sure there are risks. You have to protect your data like you do on your laptop. And you have to hope the bad guys don't invade the cloud services that will start popping up all over the place.
But one way or another, the cloud is in your future.
So Samsung wants you to buy a Samsung smartwatch to talk with your Samsung Galaxy smartphone that talks with your Samsung Galaxy tablet and you can store all your information on the Samsung cloud or Google cloud.
The benefit to Samsung and Google is the more pieces of the puzzle you buy from them, the more they've got you. And they want to get you.
What about Apple? They reserved the name iWatch a while back and we expected them to introduce their new device first. This time however Samsung beat Apple to the punch.
Will Apple introduce their iWatch? I say yes. Whether it's next week or in the near future I do think Apple will jump into the same smart watch space. It's the next wireless frontier.
Then, we have to ask, what's coming next? Quite a bit, actually. And it will all be linked together over the cloud.
Can the smartwatch really compete in an already crowded market of mobile devices or will customers reject it? Without hesitation, yes.
Is this a gamble on Samsung's part? Well, on one hand, every new innovative idea is a gamble. But I think this will be a big success and get bigger over time. Just like with the tablets.
The whole idea here is for companies like Samsung, Google and Apple to build an environment that both captivates and captures their audience. The cloud will be the core technology that will tie all these innovative ideas together.
I think customers will love this smartwatch, the same way they love the tablets, smartphones, computers and the cloud. This is just one more piece of the puzzle that attracts and retains more customers. And companies will love it as well because it creates a tighter relationship with each customer.
So who needs this new smartwatch? Just wait and see how successful it becomes over the next few years. You will be very surprised.
Loading weather data ...
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Most current smartwatches rely on smartphone technology paired with Bluetooth to obtain data and notifications. A long-rumored 'iWatch' from Apple could take the same approach, or put more computing power directly into the device. Although the product is yet to be announced, Apple filed for the 'iWatch' trademark on June 3.
The Italian-made aluminum 'I'm Watch,' announced at last year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is one of the pricier options at $399. It comes in seven colors and runs the Droid 2 operating system. It connects to Android smartphones using Bluetooth.
Apple's sixth-generation iPod nano was a small, square touchscreen and has since been replaced by the rectangular seventh-generation nano. Spotting the potential to turn the iPod into a watch face, companies such as Lunatik make kits that included mounts and slick straps.
The MetaWatch has a retro-looking, black-and-white screen, but it can connect to the iPhone 4s and iPhone 5, in addition to Android devices. It is also a water-resistant sports watch that tracks pace and distance. The watch starts at $179 and is available with various colored bands or in black or white leather.
The $269 Motoactv smartwatch is marketed as a fitness tracker. It acts as a heart-rate monitor and pedometer, has GPS and an MP3 player. There are also a number of off-the--wrist mount options, including a handlebar strap, arm band and chest strap.
The Pebble Watch first gained attention by pulling in more than $10 million on Kickstarter. Pebble connects to an iPhone or Android phone via Bluetooth and has a growing selection of its own apps.
Unveiled by TomTom in April, the new Nike+ Sportwatch colours have been chosen to match Nike's apparel and shoe ranges. Features include an extra-large display, a graphical training partner and a one-button control. Colors include classic black/anthracite, stylish anthracite/blue glow and high impact volt green.
Another full color touchscreen device, the $130 Sony SmartWatch only syncs with Android devices. When paired with a phone over Bluetooth, it can receive notifications for e-mail, texts, social networks and calendars.
|