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.

[Steedeel]

I know it sounds far fetched but if pc's keep getting smaller and the masses adopt them it could potentially happen. If the smartwatch takes off like the smartphone, money may be spent on those devices rather than tablets.

Several years ago we had these options for movies/tv.

TV set
Projector
Tablet
Smartphone
Desktop
Laptop

If smartwatches replace smartphones in a few years, that leaves much smaller screens that are virtually useless for watching movies on.

Desktops are on a downward slope. Laptops may become tablets.

That leaves TV set
Projector
Tablet

Already in that possible future, we have much more limited options. Take away the home cinema options (tv sales are down, future gen not bothered about large screens and maybe you can see my fear? Even tablets sales are said to be slowing down as they become commodities.

[bhampton]

Watching movies on a tablet is awesome (if you are on an airplane but otherwise it sucks.)

[sk33tr]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I know it sounds far fetched but if pc's keep getting smaller and the masses adopt them it could potentially happen. If the smartwatch takes off like the smartphone, money may be spent on those devices rather than tablets.

Several years ago we had these options for movies/tv.

TV set
Projector
Tablet
Smartphone
Desktop
Laptop

If smartwatches replace smartphones in a few years, that leaves much smaller screens that are virtually useless for watching movies on.

Desktops are on a downward slope. Laptops may become tablets.

That leaves TV set
Projector
Tablet

Already in that possible future, we have much more limited options. Take away the home cinema options (tv sales are down, future gen not bothered about large screens and maybe you can see my fear? Even tablets sales are said to be slowing down as they become commodities.

computers getting smaller has nothing to do with it.

and trust me, people aren't going to want to watch a movie or tv show on a screen as small as something as a watch on their wrist. yes, it may get lots of press in the beginning. it's a new techie thing that looks and sounds cool, but that's it. watching news feeds, tv shows or movies on a smart phone is difficult enough (even with some of them the size of the htc one max at 5.9" diagonally). and i agree with bhampton that watching movies on a tablet is awesome as long as you're on an airplane (or other form of transportation without your own dedicated tv).

and can you name one person who would want to watch a big, hollywood blockbuster (or even a sappy romance flick) on a screen that's MAYBE 2" across? the viewable width of the screen on an iphone 5 is only 4" (diagonally) and that's already way too small, imo.

i just can't see this is a viable thing.

now don't get me wrong, i like the concept of a "phone" that you can wear on your wrist like a watch. it tells time like a normal watch and looks like a normal watch. but it can also store lots of music and make and receive phone calls like a phone. that much right there seems cool. well, except for the fact that you'd probably have to have a bluetooth earpiece attached to your ear to talk to callers or to listen to music. i think it'd be weird to have a cord going from your ears to your wrist since you'd be using your hands and moving your arms and the cord would probably get in the way. plus i'm not a fan of bluetooth ear pieces as i'd rather use my earbuds or headphones as they offer superior sound quality. but other than that, a watch that can do all that IS a cool idea.

[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.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

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

Well, suprise suprise. The more I read about smartwatches, the more I read about future versions having local storage and playing videos (movies). Exactly what I have been saying. Watches replace phones and bang! Kids and young people grow up watching 2 inch (max) screens. All this miniaturisation is getting beyond a joke. It also has the knock on effect of killing sales of movies at home. If someone has tried to watch a movie on their smartwatch they might have had to squint a lot but they have still 'heard' the dialogue and seen the movie even if the experience is going to be hideous for most of the population.
Smrtphone are auch a huge part of our culture, I dread to think what the impact for home cinema will be if smarteatches fulfil their sales potential.

[Jett Rink]

People really want to watch a movie on a 2 inch screen or smartphone screen. Even a tablet is too small. The bigger the better IMO.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Jett Rink

People really want to watch a movie on a 2 inch screen or smartphone screen. Even a tablet is too small. The bigger the better IMO.

That's our opinion being massive movie fans (I presume) but already many watch tv and films on a 4 or 5 inch screen. Is it much of a stretch to imagine this generation watching a 2 inch picture? Don't forget, the smarteatch will be in constant contact with the user and netflix and Hulu etc.. Will be available on the wrist given a few more versions (and years) of the Smartwatch.

[sk33tr]

i say to find out if people really want to go with a smart watch over any other form of view-able entertainment, they need to offer to give people a new smart watch in exchange for them giving up their phone, tablet and tv. not just one of them, but all of them in exchange for the watch.

i think they'd be surprised at how many people would not want to go the smart watch route.

like i said in my previous post, i think a smart watch is a cool idea. but only as long as they don't try to do too much with it.

[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.