The iPhone 14 is a good example of phone makers getting lazy with upgrades. The iPhone 14 series failed to provide a significant upgrade over the iPhone 13, leaving many disappointed with the value for money. The same could be said for this year’s smartwatch releases.
Apple is rumored to release a second generation Apple Watch Ultra with just a darker titanium color and faster processor. However, that doesn’t justify upgrading if all other aspects of the watch remain the same. I can’t comprehend why launching new colors could be considered a whole new generation for the Ultra line. What happened to launching limited edition variants?
While Samsung has a more subtle approach of releasing new models every two years, it’s still more acceptable than what their competition offers. They have the Watch 5 Pro and hopefully we’ll get the Watch 7 Pro this year since they gave us the Watch 6 Classic last year with no Watch 6 Pro.
The truth is, technological advances in hardware are not as fast as software advances. Operating systems can be updated on a yearly calendar, but hardware upgrades cannot be forced into the same rhythm. Hardware manufacturers need to focus on providing significant upgrades that actually improve the user experience instead of iterative changes just for the sake of a “new generation”.
This year’s smartwatch releases will likely follow the same trend of incremental updates and iterative “improvements” that fail to justify an upgrade. While software updates are always welcome, hardware upgrades need to offer meaningful changes to be worth your time and money. Otherwise, wait for next year’s generation when there may actually be substantial changes that make a difference.
