智能手表要实现商用化，复制手机功能不可行

ABI Research调查报告指出，受惠于几款「智能手表」(smart watch)在近几个月来陆续上市，预计2013年智能手表出货量将突破120万只。 根据ABI表示，「智能手表」其实已经上市大约十年之久了，但由于在外观设计上欠缺吸引力、体积庞大、功能不多且电池寿命又差，这一市场一直未能起飞。然而，过去九个月来，由于好几款新型智能手机纷纷上市，这些新颖的智能设备设计改变了消费者的看法。 ABI公司资深分析师Joshua Flood表示，强劲的智能手机崛起潜力可归纳于几项因素，「包括智能手机在全球许多市场的高渗透率、 MEMS 感测器与高效能连接技术(如蓝牙4.0)的成本降低与普及，以及应用程式(app)生态系统持续蓬勃发展。」 例如，市场上盛传苹果公司已经准备好推出 iWatch 的可穿戴式运算设备了，它可提供类似智能手机般的功能。而最近的媒体报导也指称微软有意推出自家产品，加入智能手机战场。

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在功能上复制手机，实现商用化有待时日 智能手表可分为四类，包括通知型、语音功能型、混合型以及完全独立型的智能手表。通知型智能手表如已上市的MetaWatch 和 Cookoo智能手表，可在用户接到来电、简讯与通知时提醒用户。而像 Martian语音业务型智能手表则能让用户进行通话以及发出语音命令。 ABI表示，搭载自有作业系统的独立型智能手表也不再是智能手机的附属品了。这种类型的智能手表提供更高度的功能性，而且还能连接到其它消费电子设备上，如音响喇叭，因而能够被单独贩售，而不必与智能手机搭售。 例如，意大利I'm Watch公司提供的独立型智能手表。另外，传闻中的 iWatch 、微软的智能手表以及三星的 Galaxy Altius 等都属于这一类的智能手表。 Joshua Flood补充说，“智能手表在功能上复制手机与智能手机，虽然在技术上看来已经发展成熟，但要能实现商用化还不太可行。” 编译：Susan Hong 參考原文：Smart watch sales expected to surge，by Dylan McGrath

相关阅读：
• [拆拆看]21世纪的第一支智能手表Pebble Watch
• 苹果将推出iWatch？事情没那么简单
• IMS Research：可穿戴技术市场的四个重要发展领域Qvwesmc

{pagination} More than 1.2 million so-called smart watches are expected to ship in 2013 thanks to a number of new models that have emerged in recent months, according to market research firm ABI Research. Smart watches have been around for a decade, but have largely failed to take off due to lack of visual appeal, bulkiness, weak functionality and battery life, according to ABI. But over the past nine months, a number of new smart watches have emerged that could change consumers' perceptions, ABI said. Joshua Flood, a senior analyst at ABI, said the strong potential emergence of smart watches can be attributed to several factors. "Contributing factors include the high penetration of smartphones in many world markets, the wide availability and low cost of MEMS sensors, energy efficient connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth 4.0, and a flourishing app ecosystem," Flood said. Apple Inc. is widely rumored to be preparing an "iWatch" wearable computing device that offers smartphone-like functionality. On Monday (April 15), it was widely reported that Microsoft Inc. is also prepping a smart watch of its own. According to ABI, smart watches can be split into four categories: notification types, voice operational smart watches, hybrid smart watches and completely independent smart watches. Notification type devices are the MetaWatch and Cookoo smart watches, for example, offering alerts for incoming calls, messages and other notifications, ABI said. Voice operational smart watches enable users to conduct calls and speak some commands via the device such as Martian’s smart watch, the firm said. Standalone smart watches with their own OS are moving beyond a smartphone accessory, ABI said. With the potential to be purchased as a standalone product without the need for a smartphone, they offer high functionality and can connect to other consumer devices like audio speakers, the firm said. An example of a standalone smart watch is offered by the Italian firm I'm Watch, ABI said. The rumored iWatch, the rumored Microsoft watch and Samsung’s Galaxy Altius also fit into this category, ABI said. "Smart watches that replicate the functionality of a mobile handset or smartphone are not yet commercially feasible, though the technologies are certainly being prepared," adds Flood.

相关阅读：
• [拆拆看]21世纪的第一支智能手表Pebble Watch
• 苹果将推出iWatch？事情没那么简单
• IMS Research：可穿戴技术市场的四个重要发展领域Qvwesmc