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Sunday, March 17, 2013

The wristwatch phone isn't a new idea… but is it the right time for the Apple iWatch?

Mark Bridge writes:

Apple is rumoured to be planning a wearable mobile device: the iWatch. Whether it’s an iPhone accessory or a stand-alone mobile phone… or a figment of overactive imaginations… remains to be seen, although press reports suggest it could be launched by the end of 2013.

However, the idea of a wearable communications device certainly isn’t new. Fictional detective Dick Tracy was wearing an equally fictional two-way wrist radio in 1946, yet it took another 50 years before the wrist phone entered mass production. Samsung’s SPH-WP10 hit the shops stateside a decade and a half ago, following the appearance of calculator watches in the 1970s and the programmable digital watches of the 80s. It was soon joined by the Fossil Wrist PDA, which ran the Palm OS, but neither the Wrist PDA nor the WP10 was a truly ‘smart’ watchphone.

Next came the Bluetooth-enabled watches of Sony Ericsson and others. These provided Caller ID and text message notification, enabling users to keep their phones in their pockets until they needed to make a call.

Then in 2009, LG revealed its GD910 3G-enabled watch phone with the ability to make video calls - while Hyundai chose a very similar model name for its MB-910, which had an internet browser.

Sony Ericsson’s LiveView in 2010 worked with Android-powered smartphones to bring a variety of smartphone features to your wrist. It’s since transformed into the Sony SmartWatch and has been joined by rivals including Pebble - described as an e-paper watch for iPhone and Android - and the i’m Watch, which as well as offering on-screen notifications can also be used to make and receive calls via Bluetooth.

Today, searching eBay for ‘watch phone’ offers hundreds of results with many devices priced at under £50. Yet the watchphone has failed to become anything like as popular as the smartphone or even the non-smart ‘feature phone’.

The big question is whether the Apple iWatch will become a must-have accessory for anyone who uses an iPhone - or whether it’ll be a superfluous fashion bangle for smartphone users. After all, now that everyone’s smartphone is also a timepiece, that’s arguably what the wristwatch has become!

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1 comments on article "The wristwatch phone isn't a new idea… but is it the right time for the Apple iWatch?"

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James Rosewell

3/24/2013 9:12 AM

I predicate that Apple will not release an iWatch before Samsung or another. Why? Because they have too much to loss and not enough to gain. They didn't invent the MP3 player, original Apple stores sold Diamond Rios. They didn't invent the phone, or the PC, they made them awesomely better. And that's what will happen with the iWatch. They'll improve on others 2nd generation products. If they go first and there's even something slightly wrong about it, whether it's functional, or simply having enough stock, the criticism will undermine the share price even more than current speculation. For those reason they won't go first. Samsung (or LG, Pantech, HTC, another) will as they've a business model and brand that supports more experimental products. I'm sure inside Apple there are many such products being tried and evaluated to ensure they can move quickly when the time is right. It's all good PR distraction at the moment.

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Opinion Articles

RIM boss ignores the questions when asked about BlackBerry difficulties and competitors

What went wrong? What did you learn from the iPhone?

Mark Bridge writes:

Live TV and radio interviews. They can be worrying things, even when you’re not expecting to be challenged too much. I know this from experience. So when your company is launching a much-delayed operating system, you’d expect a few difficult questions… and you’d be ready with a response.

The official response of RIM is apparently to ignore the questions.

Author: The Fonecast
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Mobile phones transform lives in Africa

Jennifer Lazuta of voanews.com writes:

Rene Mendy, a street vendor in Dakar, has never had enough money to open a bank account. But now, thanks to an emerging mobile phone banking service, he has access to many financial services.

Author: The Fonecast
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Last week at The Fonecast: 28th January 2013

Figuring out the figures

Mark Bridge writes:

I didn’t study economics at college, which is probably one of the reasons I have a very simple perspective on quarterly results. As far as I’m concerned, they fall into one of three categories: much as expected, better than expected or worse than expected. Anyway, it’s the time of year when some of the biggest names in the mobile telecoms industry publish their financial results – so here we go.

Author: The Fonecast
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Bringing personalised radio to your smartphone

We interview Shankar Meembat about the UTuneMe radio app

Mark Bridge writes:

Targeted advertising on mobile devices is something we’re all getting increasingly familiar with. Visit a web site and there’s a good chance you’ll see an advertisement that’s aimed directly at you, perhaps using information about the sites you’ve previously visited, the type of smartphone you’re using or even your location.

Yet listen to the radio or stream music on your smartphone and that same level of personalisation hasn’t been aavailable. That’s all changing now, with help from a new service called UTuneMe.

Author: The Fonecast
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Why Huawei should get out of the mobile handset market

Why Huawei should get out of the mobile handset market

or why Huawei need to spend their £1.6 billion profit on marketing

James Rosewell writes:

Huawei is a company one can’t miss at Mobile World Congress. They bring their own building!  Plus last year a wonderful “Pegasus” flying horse sculpture made using Ascend handsets was proudly displayed next to the main fountain to hail the launch of the Ascend series of handsets.

Huawei has been busy following MWC12. They now run major parts of Everything Everywhere, Three and O2’s network in the UK. On a less positive note they’re not welcome in the US.

But how has the devices side of the business performed?

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Recent Podcasts

Reviewing our 2015 mobile industry predictions... and looking forward to 2016

Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Author: The Fonecast
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Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Podcast - 6th March 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

Author: The Fonecast
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Looking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

Podcast - 27th February 2015

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

Author: The Fonecast
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Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

Author: The Fonecast
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A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

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