Forrester’s Epps: Samsung Pursuing ‘Spagetti-On-The-Wall’ Product Strategy
“Samsung is pursuing a spaghetti-on-the-wall product strategy: Launch a smartwatch, and maybe it will stick,” writes Forrester Senior Analyst Sarah Rotman Epps in a new blog post regarding the Galaxy Gear smartwatch launched today in Berlin. “Maybe Samsung will tap into unmet demand with this product, disproving naysayers as it did with the Galaxy Note (which succeeded after many 5-inch competitors failed, from the Sony Milo to the Dell Streak). But my bet is that smartwatches are sci-fi inventions that are already anachronisms in this modern world.”
Epps goes on to note that she’s skeptical of Samsung’s smartwatch, as there are very few functions that can be performed better on a watch than on a phone.
Also launched at the Samsung event: the Galaxy Note III. “What’s happening is that device makers are still figuring out consumer need and use models for the spectrum of devices from smartphone to tablet,” argues Principal Analyst Charles Golvin regarding the new device. “A specific device like the Note III is not a mainstream device like the Galaxy S4 but may very well suit a segment of users who see the benefit of a larger screen, pen input, and simultaneous multitasking across applications. We’ll continue to see manufacturers experiment and innovate with form factors and further segment the market.”
To read Forrester’s full take on the Samsung event, particularly the Galaxy Gear, visit the Marketing Leadership blog here.