LG: Apple has it right -- smartwatches should be a fashion item first, gadget second
During the Wearable Technology Show in London, LG’s head of business development Justin Jungsup Lee spoke about smartwatches, early adopters and sales.
Speaking in front of a packed out room in the LG keynote, Lee said that smartwatches should be more of a fashion item, and less of a gadget. And least of all, a smartphone accessory.
"It’s a mindset change, making the watch a fashion item, rather than a gadget", Lee explained. "The challenge is to align the smart devices with the watch world. When you switch from a functional device to a fashion device, it becomes very different. When you position the smartwatch as fashion, the marketing message becomes very easy".
He continued, commending Apple’s new device and hinting that LG will use a similar marketing strategy for their upcoming LG Watch Urbane.
"Apple’s on the right path on with its marketing, using Vogue and making it a fashion item", he said, "which is in line with our own strategy".
He also said that new developers will face flat sales and lots of problems in the first few years.
"Not that many wearable devices have been sold. 20 million devices -- that’s just 0.04 percent penetration, and just 1 percent of the innovator segment. Crossing the chasm is the next step", said Lee. "There are lots of technical barriers. Battery life is still close to smartphones, and the screen size is too small. Input is near impossible other than the voice, and it’s still seen as an accessory to the smartphone," Lee added.
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