There’s always some value in getting to market first, especially in the technology and gadget game.
The world knows there’s a smart watch coming from Apple. It’s going to be big, but only time will tell how big and how enthusiastically tech culture embraces The Apple Watch when it arrives in early 2015.
Of course, I can’t write a review of the Apple Watch. It’s not here yet, and Apple is rarely in the business of letting their newest products sneak out early for media perusal. So, what should we spend our time discussing here today? Rather than write up what we can’t play with yet, why not take a look at two smart watches that got out ahead of Apple – the Samsung Gear 2 (top) and the Meta M1.
While the devices are in competition with each other, they are not evenly matched. They possess different function sets, vastly varying capabilities and slightly different price points.
Each device takes a different approach to the smart watch concept, while looking to provide similar core functions. Each syncs up to a smartphone. The Samsung is obviously designed for and partial to the Galaxy line. (We tried it out on a Galaxy S5 in this case.) The Meta M1 syncs up with an iPhone or Android device equally well.
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Both functions exist to link your smartphone to your wrist. They bring email alerts, text messages, weather status, calendar reminders, etc., to the watch via a Bluetooth connection.
The Meta M1 (below) is the better looking watch in terms of materials and overall aesthetic design. The countered base, metal bevels and band selections make it a fashionable bit of kit. Its display is more retro, though – opting for a grayscale screen and tradition side buttons over a touch sensitive surface. Without a camera or voice commands, it’s less ambitious and accomplished than the Samsung rival (or the eventual Apple Watch). But, at $249, it does its job at a lower price point.
So, the Meta’s pluses are aesthetics, materials and price.
The Samsung is the more impressive device technologically. Its screen includes more functions than just indicating data. It’s voice activated functions, speakerphone and wrist mounted camera make it essentially less a smartphone link and more of a basic phone worn on the arm.
It heads your way for $299 and scores higher in the technology and overall capability department.
The challenges both devices face (along with the Apple Watch) all revolve around consumer reaction demand. The questions are obvious: Do users want a middleman between them and their phone? Modern smartphones aren’t necessarily cumbersome, making them the preferred time piece for many users. Do users need to be alerted to check their phones when so many seem glued to them?
Then again, both watches allow you to stay directly connected to your phone without having to keep it immediately handy — making a little breathing space between the user and constant texts, tweets or email alerts. Using either watch will allow the user to take note of the incoming data and decide when it’s time to take up a phone.
It’ll be an interesting dance of the gadgets as we see how the market responds to the dawn of the smart watch. Whatever becomes of the market with the arrival of the Apple Watch and the expected Microsoft response, the market was first ignited by the Samsung Gear 2 and the Meta M1.
