Talk To The Wrist

Since February, customers of AT&T and T-Mobile wireless have been able to purchase a cell phone watch. The cell phone watch was billed as a high-tech mobile multimedia device with Bluetooth, speakerphone, mp3, video player, digital/video camera, and touch screen.

I understand the motivation from a supplier viewpoint. Globally, watch sales are down and the culprit, if you haven’t already guessed is the mighty cell phone. According to a survey by Seiko Watches, the proportion of Japanese aged between 16-49 wearing wristwatches has plummeted from 70% in 1997 to 46% today. Granted, the drop is more pronounced in Japan, where mobile phone ownership passed 81 million in 2004, and gizmo-jammed handsets rule the roost.

I can see this having a market in Japan. But with all the US fears about the safety of cell phone use including a slew of new headlines this week, I have to think that adoption in the US is limited at best.