Text by Masakazu Honda
Masakazu Honda is a well-known journalist in the field of technology. He talks about wearable devices. In this fourth installment, he discusses the challenges facing the Apple Watch as it continues to develop.
The Apple Watch Series 3 isn't perfect either.
As I've mentioned in previous articles, the Apple Watch Series 3 is an extremely well-made smartwatch. It maximizes the functionality that smartphones have brought us as a device worn on the wrist. It functions as a companion to your smartphone, and also functions as a gateway for a variety of information on its own. However, it's not perfect.
Fashion? Of course there's that. Let's start by looking at two of the fashion issues the Apple Watch has.
One issue is its uniformity. Smartwatches require interaction with their owners through apps, so the shape of the screen used for communication with humans—the shape of the watch face, as it's called—must be fixed. Adding to that the basic conventions of touch, dial, and button operation places significant constraints on the overall form. On the flip side, the Apple Watch allows for a variety of bands with different materials, mechanisms, and designs, so casually that you'll want to change them out from day to day. However, you can't expect the same depth of feel as an analog watch, which has a long history.
Another hurdle to fashion is the lifespan of the movement. Of course, this doesn't mean that the Apple Watch will break down easily. Battery replacements will be necessary, but apart from that, the lifespan of the Apple Watch is not a major issue. However, whether mechanical, quartz analog, or digital, the functionality of a typical "watch" remains constant over time. However, with smartwatches, which are also a kind of personal computer, concerns arise about how long they will be able to keep up with the times.
In terms of appearance, the original Apple Watch Edition's beautifully polished 18K gold case was crafted with meticulous precision, but the aluminum-cased Series 3 feels much better in terms of how it feels to use as a smartwatch.
If we define "fashion" as something that is governed by one's own values or the values of the entire community, including those around oneself, then perhaps in the future we will see an era in which products are judged by their functionality, without regard for the material or finish of the case. However, based on the current sense of what constitutes watch fashion, it is difficult to achieve "fashionability for smartwatches," not just the Apple Watch.
