Tag Heuer to Make SmartWatch to Combat Apple

 

 

 

 

 

Tony has apprised us of this article that says Tag is indeed getting into the SmartWatch act as they can't passively watch Apple take this part of the market. 

Comments

[Angelo]

Wow, don't know where to begin with this one. It smells bad to me because I think the idea of a watch replacing a tablet or I-Phone is rubbish and I think most people wear a watch for reasons that transcend utility and function. That said----a couple points must be considered. For one thing, a watch is also worn to project style and image. And well...let's face it, looking "high tech" is in fact, a style and image. I could see some people with a lot of money and no place to spend it----buying these and wearing them----even if they barely scratch the surface on features. Also, this trend can break either way---meaning Tag (and others) might want to confront it, or might not----as it might be best to leave this market segment to computer makers, not watch makers. Pro and con examples? Well, the "Pro" example is luxury SUVs. A couple decades back, when people with money started buying SUVs like the Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, etc., there was a discussion in the luxury car community: Should a luxury car maker who profits from luxury sedans, offer a truck? Will offering a 4WD truck compromise their image of selling premium cars? Lincoln took the plunge with the Navigator and it did pretty well. Cadillac, which had been resisting, went all in with the Escalade and made a lot of money on that model. Suddenly, luxury car makers were hot on the trend----then even sports car specialists like Porsche "compromised" because they saw the money to be made in the segment. It's worked out very well for all. The "Con" example? Disco. When a few groups based in Philadelphia and New York, specializing in dance music, lit up the charts with disco----suddenly established artists felt as though they had to piggyback on this trend. So instead of sticking with their own music, their own styles----they were convinced by the record companies that to stay relevant, they needed to put on the polyester and put out a disco album ASAP. Why else would someone like Peter Frampton join with the Village People (and Steve Gutenberg!)to film the Sgt. Pepper movie? He was a paraiah with rock fans for a long time after that spectacle. It was comical to watch long time R&B groups and pop rock performers try to squeeze themselves into the disco movement and fail at it. That stigma remained with some of them for a long while afterwards. Do companies like Movado, Tag, etc., really want to put out "Smart Watches" and perhaps watch the fad plummet----leaving an odd, notorious (and likely very ugly) watch in their catalogs and legacy? There are already "smart watches" from years past----that aren't even supported anymore. There was a watch that would give you the latest sports scores, news,etc. (MSN network) that can't even be used anymore, other than to tell the time. And people wouldn't want to wear it for that purpose. Better looking watches could be found in cereal boxes.

[Keith Beesley]

Do we really need "smart" everything?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/technology-firms-want-every-device-connected-to-the-internet--but-is-that-what-consumers-want-9966366.html