Samsung to Debut Smart Watch Prior to iPhone Event
The latest trend to beat Apple to the punch on any single technology relating to smartphones or tablets prior to Apple's classic iPhone Event held every September is gaining another entrant, Samsung.
On July ninth we reported that LG was out to steal Apple's thunder regarding a fingerprint scanner for the iPhone and then on the seventeenth we pointed out that Sony is planning to reveal a new smartphone in early September touting a new 20MP camera that is likely to beat Apple's next iPhone camera at 12MP.
This trend is now set to continue with Samsung planning to release their new Galaxy Note III on September 6 alongside the debut of their new smart watch which is noted as a being a "Samsung Gear" smartphone accessory. While it's likely to be another cheesy product, the goal of course is to simply beat Apple to market with a smart watch so that Apple will look like a follower rather than a leader when and if they release such a product in the future. Yet Samsung mistakenly equates beating Apple to market with something and actually delivering real innovation.
The other news out this morning is that Samsung will be releasing their new Exynos 5 Octa application processor later this week. The updated processor has supposedly fixed its initial heat problems. Whether the new processor will be aimed for the updated Galaxy Note III or for Samsung's Tizen based smartphone due to be released in Q4 is unknown at this time - though it's likely to be the latter.
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Name me one smash hit in the market in the last 5 years from Samsung that didn't copy Apple's iPhone or iPad. Answer: 0
I don't expect Samsung to do anything worth noting in a watch.
Posted by: Dan | July 24, 2013 at 09:27 AM
The fact that Samsung is doing it first doesn't mean that it can not be better than Apple. Apple is not the only innovator we know in the market.
Posted by: Olumide | July 24, 2013 at 09:22 AM
Thanks for the comment Clay but I disagree.
Number one, competitors actually do care. Stopping a competitor from being able to say that they're first to market with a feature is important in business. It's a psychological game of marketing gamesmanship. It's something you can sell to the public.
Secondly, if Fingerprint scanning ends up being for e-commerce, then yes it's really a big deal. The unlock feature you refer to isn't even in the same ballpark.
Posted by: Jack Purcher | July 23, 2013 at 05:59 PM
Nobody cares who releases what first.
Fingerprint scanner. Are you REALLY going to use it? Its like the useless feature on android called face unlock.
Posted by: Clay | July 23, 2013 at 03:02 PM
And you can bet every dollar in the bank that Samsungs "smart watch" will look and function mighty different after Apple releases theirs, if and when they do.
Posted by: James | July 22, 2013 at 09:36 AM
I just want to know one thing how is Samsung going to copy all the features of a Apple watch if they bring it out first. I think I will wait for the Apple watch myself!
Posted by: stanmoonie | July 22, 2013 at 06:02 AM
None of Apple's competitors really know what to do with fingerprint scanning, NFC, eye tracking, a 'smart watch' etc, they just like to add these 'features', talk them up and move on. It takes Apple's patience, focus and thought to integrate these kind of technologies in a meaningful way that actually shifts things forward. Take a look at history - Apple are rarely the first to debut new technologies, they just nail them when they do.
Incidentally, the iWatch will not be a watch. It will be a remarkable new device for your wrist that just happens to tell the time.
Posted by: Hm | July 22, 2013 at 01:45 AM
Number one, Samsung is obsessed at trying to beat Apple to market with anything. Who are you kidding? An article from Korea stated that LG was trying to beat Apple's thunder. We didn't just make up that line. In Korea, that's how it's being played up.
Pebble? Okay, now I know that you're off base and foolish. Apple's older iPod nano offered more in terms of being a watch with a 3rd party wrist band than Pebble could every dream of and that goes for Sony's watch. These are not serious innovative next generation watch-like devices. Get real.
As for the cameras. You're mixing things up. We posted a report (noted below) about higher-end cameras.
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/07/thoughts-on-apple-and-google-talks-new-camera-trends.html
That's not the same as upgrading a standard smartphone camera to 20MP. Cameras that double as smartphones is a different category, especially when you add a camera grip. Sony's timing is most definitely trying to be close to Apple's iPhone event. Are you dreaming that it's not? Ha!
Fingerprint sensors will be a security measure for a future iWallet application and a way to lock out thieves. How LG will market it is unknown at this time.
Posted by: Jack Purcher | July 21, 2013 at 06:26 PM
It would be fun to see Samsung come out with a watch first and then observe how long it takes for it to morph into a clone of an iWatch once Apple releases theirs.
To the Real Deal, I believe you meant to say "copies" not "beats".
Posted by: Eric Brady | July 21, 2013 at 06:25 PM
What a compliment to apple that their competitors entire strategy revolves around Apple. Microsoft, Samsung, Google, etc, sure apple hit a speed bump, with its restructuring, which delayed new product releases, but they'll be back itch a bang. Samsung have admitted to being fast followers, and even though they're making good phones, it's all built around apple. On aggregate the pole package is better, the ecosystem superior. So lets wait for the 5s and see what happens.
Posted by: Mark | July 21, 2013 at 02:15 PM
hardware is not where the magic happens, it is in the software.
LG, Sony and Samsung do not have any of that magic.
Posted by: RI Waterman | July 21, 2013 at 11:43 AM
All these companies are not trying to beat apple. They're trying to beat the trend, and when they can't lead, they're following.
Beating Apple's supposed smartwatch? But Pebble already had a successful launch which demonstrated demand, Sony is already on their second gen smartwatch.
Same goes for higher mega pixels, where we have the 41MP by Nokia, and Apple is actually behind in this meaningless race.
Fingerprint scanning? Yet another unrequested feature, which may or may not be useful on a phone, but being developed by numerous companies, including Apple.
Posted by: joe anonymous | July 21, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Samsung beats apple anytime anywhere
Posted by: The Real Deal | July 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM