Smart watches: who's who and what's what

Paul Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm, talks about the new ''Toq'' smart watch. [Photograph by Reuters]

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The smart watch era has officially begun (again), with Samsung making the first move ahead of hot favourite Apple. Google is known to have something in the works, and third parties are busily innovating on the side. Let's take stock of what we know, and what's coming down the pike.

The smart watch concept is hardly new - we've had calculator watches since the 70s, PDA companion watches since the 80s, and PC synchronisation since the Timex Datalink debuted in 1994. We've also had contemporary efforts, like Fossil's Wrist PDA and Microsoft's SPOT technology, none of which have cracked mass adoption. But the new era of touch-screens, customisable interfaces and app stores created a market vacuum for a new generation which the mobile vendors are hastening to fill, while actual watch manufacturers don't appear to be in the running at all.

One of the first in the new generation was Pebble, which rocketed into the limelight after raising over $10 million on Kickstarter. Pebble watches use Bluetooth to communicate with Apple or Android devices, feature an e-paper display to prolong battery life, support a range of custom apps, and include a handful of sensors (gyro, accelerometer, light) for the $150 sticker price. The company says it's sold over 85 000 units so far.

Samsung's Galaxy Gear was the first model introduced by a leading smartphone manufacturer. It has little in the way of brains, needing to be paired with a Galaxy phone for all but the most basic of features (telling the time and taking photos). Besides controlling the phone, a number of special apps are also available, and more will come. It's also expensive, at $300 - first-generation products were expected to be pricy, but Pebble drew a line in the sand with its $150 price, and Samsung is firmly on the far side of that line. The Gear's battery may be a problem: it is only rated for a single day's use.

At almost the same moment as Samsung's Gear appeared, Qualcomm announced the Toq, a more generic option designed to be paired with any Android phone running v4.0.3 and up. It's not available yet, and pricing is not known but expected to also be in the $300 range. Among its features are a low-power display and a boasted week-long battery life. A downside appears to be ergonomics: it's a big chunky device with a big chunky strap.

Samsung is the first major manufacturer to enter the smart watch fray.

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Apple has yet to break cover, but it's been spotted registering the "iWatch" trademark, filing patents and lining up suppliers. And with Samsung's Galaxy Gear in play, the company may accelerate its entrance into the market. Although plenty of concept art has appeared, no images (or any details at all) have been concretely confirmed. The company did already have one toe in the water: the iPod Nano can be mounted in a wrist-band and has a small but devoted following. A full-blown iWatch is speculated to be imminent, and expected to partner with an iPhone somewhat in the manner of the Galaxy Gear or Pebble. Of all the expectations, ergonomics is top of the list: Apple is expected to raise the bar where other manufacturers are being criticised for their offerings' weight, size, and controls.

The Gear's battery may be a problem: it is only rated for a single day's use.

Google is in the game too, and not just with its Google Glass wearable technology. Google acquired WIMM Labs in 2012 - WIMM had already been selling an Android-based smart watch, the WIMM One, but pulled the plug after coyly announcing it had entered into an exclusive partnership, later revealed to be Google. The WIMM One was a standalone device of relatively meagre power - more a technology proof of concept than a complete product - also priced in the $300 range. With its existing work in wearable tech, Google is well positioned to push the boundaries of how the components can work together, but its strategy is yet to be revealed.

There is a resounding silence from Redmond. SPOT watches were discontinued in 2008, and although there are rumours of smart watch development at Microsoft, nothing is confirmed. Microsoft, struggling to reposition itself for smartphones and tablets, may well be hoping smart watches will prove to be nothing more than a fad - the company really doesn't need to find itself behind the eight ball on yet another generation of mobile technology.

Most of the smart watches coming down the line follow similar broad approaches, or pick from a limited set of options.

Most include sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, to facilitate motion detection, which means smart watches will almost universally target athletes. One of Pebble's signature roles is replacing a bicycle handlebar computer, for example.

And most will require specially designed apps, either on a host device (such as Samsung's Galaxy pairing) or on the watch itself, or both. The key design decision for each iteration will be whether to embed fully-capable smart devices into the watch (with battery/weight/heat/etc trade-offs) or to offer a display/sensor extension of a paired phone or tablet.

Expect a snowstorm of legal papers between bitter rivals like Apple, Samsung and Google.

The early generations are likely to be expensive, clunky, and limited in functionality, particularly regarding connectivity, battery life and app support. If the market does gain traction, expect to see rapid improvements and consolidation in design.

Ergonomics are going to be particularly important: a phone is an accessory, but a watch is jewellery. Bluetooth headsets have never shaken the Borg association, and the market for a new generation of calculator watches is likewise limited. The market is watching Apple closely to see whether its design mavens can crack this nut, and if they do, expect a tidal wave of imitations.

With so many players involved, you'd think it would be difficult to pick out a winner ahead of time. In fact, nothing could be easier: one group will come out ahead, and is probably already chilling the celebratory champagne: the lawyers. Expect a snowstorm of legal papers between bitter rivals like Apple, Samsung and Google.

Apple is by far the most likely to gain early mass-market appeal, simply because it is expected to produce a desirable product.

Among the manufacturers, Apple is by far the most likely to gain early mass-market appeal, simply because it is expected to produce a desirable product. Long term, the availability of apps, and the interoperability with smartphone/tablet ecosystems could prove decisive, and there Android may have an edge.

It is also possible the market will simply vote "no". Do we really want smart watches? Many young smartphone users have no watch at all - manufacturers may have to rebuild the concept of a watch from scratch. Smart watches may turn out to be the 3D TV of mobile computing.