Huawei CEO says he doesn't know why we need smartwatches

[midian182]

The case against smartwatches is usually a simple one: what’s the point? It’s a valid argument; most of us have our smartphones nearby at all times, so does anyone really need one of the pricey wearables? What’s surprising is that the CEO of Huawei, which has launched two Android Wear smartwatches, feels the same way.

Speaking at the company's Analyst Summit 2017 in Shenzhen, current Huawei CEO Eric Xu Zhijun (the position is rotated between three men every six months) responded to an analyst question about whether the smartwatch is dying with: "I'm not a man who wears watches, and I've never been optimistic about this market. In fact, I've never figured out why we need to wear smartwatches when everything we need is on our phones."

Xu Zhijun added that whenever the company’s smartwatch designers make a presentation, he asks the team to “consider whether there are tangible needs in the market” for the device.

Huawei revealed the successor to its popular smartwatch at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Even though smartwatch sales declined last year, companies are continuing to put out new wearable devices. Sales are expected to increase around 18 percent in 2017, but manufacturers will be disappointed the figure isn't higher.

Some firms have been taking a different approach to smartwatch design. The MyKronoz ZeTime, which was one of our top picks from MWC, is a hybrid smartwatch that features physical hands sticking through the TFT display. There’s also Tag Heuer’s gorgeous but pricey ($1600) Connected Modular 45, which lets wearers swap out the digital smart module for a traditional, mechanical head.

Whether Xu Zhijun’s comments have any lasting effects on the smartwatch market remains to be seen. But it’s certainly interesting to hear the CEO of a company that produces the devices express his indifference toward the wearables.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/68914-huawei-ceo-doesnt-know-why-need-smartwatches.html

 

[yRaz]

They don't do anything useful. Some marketing genius put "smart" in front of watch and now *****s can't get enough of them. It's basically just a positive reinforcement marketing. Only useful thing I saw someone do with a smart watch is use it to open his garage door, but he had one of the door openers on his car keys and a keypad outside anyway so.....

 

[Uncle Al]

Yeah, since everything they do can be packed into my phone I see no need to upgrade from my old Timex Chronograph ....... at all of $30 .....

 

[Trillionsin]

To add to that, I don't know why anybody needs a regular watch. Just to look fancy...

 

[veLa]

He's right. None of us technically need a watch at all.

 

[stewi0001]

I'm still using my same G - Shock for over 6 years, and never changed the battery either lol. I would say that smart watches could have a better market in the future if batteries ever drastically improve.

 

[rvnwlfdroid]

I love my smart watch. It's not a matter of it being able to do something my phone can't do. It's primary function is to display specific notifications or allow me to answer/ignore a phone call. I don't carry my phone with me all day. The phone sits in a central location at work and I'm able to stay connected to it and still get the information I need. I can even skip a song or two.

 

[Mtyson8]

Its because consumers are dumb. They waste money on anything without purpose.

Now I know that sounds like a very immature comment, but there is logic about it. See, when Ipads are big, they make a smaller one and say "you need this small one, look how it fits better!" And people buy. When a device is small to begin with and a company makes a larger version, then everyone buys the bigger one... wasteful wasteful......

Now if someone wants a nice watch to go with a suit, for style, thats different, maybe they never look at the time off of it, but it goes with style.....like french cufflinks..... thats different

 

[Nobina]

He should've kept his mouth shut and took the money.

 

[Seraphim401]

Don't need one.
Just want one.
Don't need a reason.

 

[p51d007]

I'm "old" (average age around here probably below mid 30's)... in my mid/late 50's. Have worn a watch since the early 70's. (had one of the first LED Pulsar watches). It "feels weird" to not have a watch on.
As for the smart watches. Unless their battery life DRASTICALLY improves to 30 days or more, the price comes down to a semi traditional watch (under 75 dollars)...forget it. I'll stick with my Casio waveceptor watch that sets the time automatically DAILY with WWV. I could by 4 or 5 of those, for one smartwatch, and, they are more rugged than these smart watches.

 

[Tanstar]

Its because consumers are dumb. They waste money on anything without purpose.

Now I know that sounds like a very immature comment, but there is logic about it. See, when Ipads are big, they make a smaller one and say "you need this small one, look how it fits better!" And people buy. When a device is small to begin with and a company makes a larger version, then everyone buys the bigger one... wasteful wasteful......

Now if someone wants a nice watch to go with a suit, for style, thats different, maybe they never look at the time off of it, but it goes with style.....like french cufflinks..... thats different

I'd put my IQ and life choices against yours any day. I live way beneath my means and can spend money on things I like. Before getting my LG Urbane last year I hadn't worn a watch for more than a day or two for years. Now I hate going out without it. Do I need it? No. I also don't need a smartphone. Being 40, I remember only getting phone calls when at home. Unless you are in an emergency situation (car wreck, broken leg in the forest, etc.), a smartphone is a luxury.

Why do I like it? It looks good (compliments on it all the time). It lets me discretely check texts and phone calls while in a meeting, so I can then decide if it is important enough to disrupt the meeting over and pull out my phone. It gives me access to Google voice controls from my watch, which is great when I'm driving. Endless posts like this about how "no one needs a smartwatch" are stupid, miss the point, and show a limited worldview that says "if I don't need/want it no on else should". Get over yourselves. That's for everyone posting replies to this story (and TechSpot writers as well) who think they should tell everyone else what they do/do not need/want, not specifically Mtyson8.

 

[Trillionsin]

I'd put my IQ and life choices against yours any day. .............. Get over yourselves. That's for everyone posting replies to this story (and TechSpot writers as well) who think they should tell everyone else what they do/do not need/want, not specifically Mtyson8.

I'm not defending what Mtyson8 said... but...... get over OURselves? Yea, Okay.... lol

 

[turismozilla]

The tiny screen is the bottleneck, you can have all the power in the world packed around your wrist, and that tiny friggin screen is still not going to let you do much, other than seeing what time it is.

 

[Tanstar]

I'm not defending what Mtyson8 said... but...... get over OURselves? Yea, Okay.... lol

If "yourselves" are among the people that constantly need to post that since you don't want/need one then no one should, YEP!

 

[Tanstar]

The tiny screen is the bottleneck, you can have all the power in the world packed around your wrist, and that tiny friggin screen is still not going to let you do much, other than seeing what time it is.

It can't replace a smartphone or tablet for mobile content consumption, but it can let you read texts, see who's calling and do everything the Fitbits do.

 

[Mtyson8]

If "yourselves" are among the people that constantly need to post that since you don't want/need one then no one should, YEP!

Your right! you can buy what you want when you want it.....its what keeps the world going. Will I buy a Sony XBR 65" 4k TV soon? YOU BET...Do I need it? NO. But not before I sell my 2011 Panasonic THX Plasma for a good price, and then I will use that money to make the first payment on my Amazon bought 4k TV, or besy buy financing on Black Friday. Could I pay it off with one Credit Card payment? Yes... Im just saying most consumers aren't smart, but hey, if we all were, companies would go bankrupt......and I dont even mean smart watches specifically. Just explaining that companies bank on people buying whatever they say to buy. You NEED NEED NEED This!!!! Tanstar.....im sure your a smart comsumer (not being sarcastic either )

And, I never really comment on things like comment threads. I probably type on a public comment thread about 2-3 times per year, whether its technology or sports or whatever.

 

[DelJo63]

Hey - - at least the shoes will now have SOMETHING smart to carry around!