Smartwatch may lead to less tv/films in future (my theory)

[Steedeel]

Bear with me as this is something that has been bothering me for sometime now. To many, this may sound far fetched and crazy but here goes.

As a film fan I love my big screen experience! In the last few years the tablet and smartphone have become consumption devices for streaming video. I hate smaller screens for movies but it is what it is. TV sales are struggling and I started to wonder if the next gen will abandon TV sets for smartphones and tablets? Say 8-10 years time? That alone is worrying enough to a home cinema fan like me but then it dawned on me that smartwatches could replace tablets and smartphones in future, this would mean consumption of video would be on minuscule 2 inch screens. In turn, that could mean we get our entertainment in small 'nugget sized' chunks such as five minute news clips and much shorter tv shows with movies virtually unwatchable on such a small screen. To give you an idea of the screen size it's about the same as the little preview box you get of a currently playing youtube clip when you let it play in the bottom corner while searching for something else (on ipad at least). My eyes are not great now and I'm not that old. It bothers me that years from now I may not be able to enjoy a movie because the screen is too small. Is that complete madness or does anyone believe this could be the future? No TV sets in our homes, no tablets and only minuscule smartwatch screens of 2 inches?

[OI8T12]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. TV's and big screens will be here for a long time to come.

[Steedeel]

I'm becoming a bit obsessed about it. Need to get away from tech for a few weeks I think.

[blujacket]

Dude, you are losing it.Stop with all this worry. It's unhealthy. You will keep watching blu-rays on your big screen for years to come

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by blujacket

Dude, you are losing it.Stop with all this worry. It's unhealthy. You will keep watching blu-rays on your big screen for years to come

I know it. I love movies as a hobby so much. Couldn't bare not being able to enjoy them. I even consoled myself that tablets might be watchable in a future without tv but now blogs and speculators are claiming smartwatches might make tablets obsolete. I know it is mostly bollocks and tech sites just rehash the same crap but the thought is there now, niggling away!

[krazeyeyez]

I can't wait to watch mini clips on my smart watch from my new home in the shire called bag end.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

No TV sets in our homes, no tablets and only minuscule smartwatch screens of 2 inches?

This is the future.





Once they shrink this down to the size of a pair of swimmer's goggles, it's over. It won't be tiny watches. It will be tiny, and look like an 80 foot screen.

[Steedeel]

Ok guys, fair enough. Hope you all right.

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Bear with me as this is something that has been bothering me for sometime now. To many, this may sound far fetched and crazy but here goes.

As a film fan I love my big screen experience! In the last few years the tablet and smartphone have become consumption devices for streaming video. I hate smaller screens for movies but it is what it is. TV sales are struggling and I started to wonder if the next gen will abandon TV sets for smartphones and tablets? Say 8-10 years time? That alone is worrying enough to a home cinema fan like me but then it dawned on me that smartwatches could replace tablets and smartphones in future, this would mean consumption of video would be on minuscule 2 inch screens. In turn, that could mean we get our entertainment in small 'nugget sized' chunks such as five minute news clips and much shorter tv shows with movies virtually unwatchable on such a small screen. To give you an idea of the screen size it's about the same as the little preview box you get of a currently playing youtube clip when you let it play in the bottom corner while searching for something else (on ipad at least). My eyes are not great now and I'm not that old. It bothers me that years from now I may not be able to enjoy a movie because the screen is too small. Is that complete madness or does anyone believe this could be the future? No TV sets in our homes, no tablets and only minuscule smartwatch screens of 2 inches?

This will never happen. Watching a movie on a 2-inch screen? That's just insane!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

This will never happen. Watching a movie on a 2-inch screen? That's just insane!

How can it not happen though? Let's say smartwatches live up to their whole potential. Sure, they start off a notification/fitness devices. Look several years down the line and people will expect spotify, gps, video, games etc..
If a migration happens, that's people suddenly watching their smartwatches rather than their phones. I have no doubt that youtube, news feeds with video, sports highlights will be available on a watch face. Next step movies, we live in a instant access world after all. Streaming tech is tailor made for a watch face or mobile screen where Artefacts are not as obvious. If people are watching tv/movies on the go, what's the difference with watching on a phone or a watch? They are probably only watching on transport/waiting rooms lunch hour etc.. Screen size doesn't seem that important to younger people anyway. They can still follow the story via dialogue and just about make out the picture.
Now, the sheer thought of that is horrific to most of us I am sure, but 20 years ago I would never imagine people would have abandoned separates and high quality speakers to listen to highly compressed, tinny music on cheap headphones but they do. I wouldn't have imagined people watching movies on a phone or tablet when they have access to a big tv but they do.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

This will never happen. Watching a movie on a 2-inch screen? That's just insane!

Japan was enamoured with making TV screens as small as possible in the '70s and '80s (their tiny TVs often pop-up in US movies from that era). It's probably the same with other technology today, they and other tech providers will push the boundaries but it won't be for everyone.

Watching movies on small screens can be considered a diversion, something to eat-up the time. Watching on the big screen is the opposite, it's an event, a thing to savour, something to look forward too.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by chip75

Japan was enamoured with making TV screens as small as possible in the '70s and '80s (their tiny TVs often pop-up in US movies from that era). It's probably the same with other technology today, they and other tech providers will push the boundaries but it won't be for everyone.

Watching movies on small screens can be considered a diversion, something to eat-up the time. Watching on the big screen is the opposite, it's an event, a thing to savour, something to look forward too.

The question will be if these people then go home and watch their smartwatch screen in their living room?

[Tellymon]

You are forgetting the number one thing.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Tellymon

You are forgetting the number one thing.

Thing of the past mate.

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by chip75

Japan was enamoured with making TV screens as small as possible in the '70s and '80s (their tiny TVs often pop-up in US movies from that era). It's probably the same with other technology today, they and other tech providers will push the boundaries but it won't be for everyone.

Watching movies on small screens can be considered a diversion, something to eat-up the time. Watching on the big screen is the opposite, it's an event, a thing to savour, something to look forward too.

But Japan never got rid of their larger TVs. Watching a movie on a smartphone is fine, but it will never replace the larger screen. Steel was suggesting that the smartwatch would replace TV screens altogether, which I said is insane and would never happen.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

But Japan never got rid of their larger TVs. Watching a movie on a smartphone is fine, but it will never replace the larger screen. Steel was suggesting that the smartwatch would replace TV screens altogether, which I said is insane and would never happen.

I hope to goodness that never happens but my theories are not as whacky as some would have you believe. Listening to MP3 at bit rates of 128kbps anyone?
I couldn't live without my big screen movies personally. Life would be so much duller without movies.

[bhampton]

Heading back over to the projector forum...

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I hope to goodness that never happens but my theories are not as whacky as some would have you believe. Listening to MP3 at bit rates of 128kbps anyone?
I couldn't live without my big screen movies personally. Life would be so much duller without movies.

MP3? Yuck! I don't listen to anything lower quality than MP4, but I prefer FLAC and ALAC for their lossless goodness.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

But Japan never got rid of their larger TVs.

It was only a small percentage but some people did actually get rid of their larger screens (and they weren't that large to begin with). Sekio brought out a TV watch in 1982. There's probably a word with the technological movement (micro-something) where we try and make things as small as possible before realising their awful and we want bigger sizes again! Back then it was just a fad. I'd imagine now it will be more popular but it will be very unlikely that it will replace our main viewing.

[Jett Rink]

TV's will never stop being produced. There will always be a market for them. A smartwatch is not going to bully the TV out of the market, ever.