Wearable: Has the Age of Smartwatches Finally Arrived?

Rawassizadeh, R., Price, B. A., & Petre, M. (2015). Wearables: Has the age of smartwatches finally arrived?. Communications of the ACM, 58(1), 45-47.

In summary, his article discusses the market and demands of Smartwatches as well as the constraints and advantages. The article states that idea of Smartwatches is not new, it has been around since the middle of the 20th century. The idea of Smartwatches started in science fiction and then in the 1970s we saw the first LED and LCD watches. At this time, technology was too expensive and not powerful enough to provide the needed functionality so the idea failed. The article goes on to discuss the market for Smartwatches, that while they won't replace Smartphones they will coexist just as the tablet has not replaced the laptop. Two major constraints for Smartwatches mentioned in the article are screen size and battery life. Developers are still working to improve this areas including exploration into curved screens that would curve around the wrist. The article also gave two major advantages for Smartwatches. Smartwatches are body mounted, therefore users can free up their hands. Another benefit of being body mounted is that the device is located in the same consistent location for sensors to measure physical activity. Constant skin contact is another advantage listed, with constant contact your Smartwatch can better read your physical activities and location.

In reflection, the advances in technology are truly amazing. An idea that began in science fiction has now become a reality. I personally own an Apple Smartwatch, I have previously owned a Fitbit as well. As the article mentions, these devices do persuade users to live a more healthy lifestyle. The devices allow users to set goals, challenge peers, and track their every movement, heart rate, and workouts. Something I found to be interesting was that most Smartwatches have the capability to record your private information such as sensitive medical information and your weaknesses. As discussed in class today, it's a little scary to think about what developers are doing with this sensitive information and who it's being shared with.