Smart hardware devices are emerging endlessly

The news that Xiaomi is going to launch smart shoes has sparked heated discussions in the industry over the past two days. As the fastest-growing company in China, the smartphones of Xiaomi are currently in the top three in China, and the diversified layout around smartphones It has gradually penetrated into daily consumer products, including blood pressure monitors, weight scales, light bulbs, sockets, etc. Today, Xiaomi is no longer a traditional mobile phone manufacturer, and the mobile phone business is only the cornerstone of its smart ecological layout.

     For ordinary consumer groups, although smart devices seem to have been on the Kangzhuang Avenue in the past two years, the official career has not been smooth. For the long-term layout consideration, major manufacturers have launched various types of smart accessory devices, trying to create a smart ecosystem based on mobile phones. However, users' perception and understanding of smart devices have always been on the sidelines of wait-and-see and early adopters. What is the current development status of smart devices? Is it necessary for ordinary users to buy a smart device?

     First, let's take a look at the current development status of smart devices, specifically, non-mobile smart devices (hardware). At present, well-known companies are involved in this area, including traditional mobile phone companies and Internet companies, there is a trend of blooming flowers, but the two methods are actually very different. The definition of smart devices by traditional mobile phone manufacturers often starts from mobile phones and creates auxiliary hardware with mobile phones as the core, including smart bracelets and smart watches. Relying on their own manufacturing background and perfect market channels, it is easy to push Go to market and sell together.

     For new Internet companies, smart devices are obviously still a test, but their product definitions have also evolved from smart watches and bracelets to all aspects, such as smart routers, smart scales, smart light bulbs, smart sockets, etc. Build all traditional appliances into smart devices in one time. However, its disadvantages are also very obvious. Due to the lack of manufacturing knowledge and technical precipitation of related products, the user experience is not good. In addition, the lack of perfect distribution channels makes it difficult to purchase. There are even a lot of people still in the crowdfunding stage, and it seems that it is still unknown whether they can be mass produced. For new enterprises, the development and prosperity of smart devices seem to be struggling.

     Implemented to the user experience level, although traditional mobile phone manufacturers are relatively cautious on smart devices, their product concepts and experiences are relatively mature, and follow-up services can also be guaranteed. This is also the most popular product on the market. That being the case, we might as well look at the related performance of the major mobile phone brands in terms of smart devices.

     Although Apple is not the first manufacturer to introduce smart hardware, and its progress in launching related products is far behind other international brands. But considering the current tens of millions of iPhone users, iWatch has become the best smart wearable watch in the minds of many users. But even though iWatch has received many favorable reviews, he still can't escape the current bottleneck of mobile phone smart hardware, that is, these smart hardware is basically an expansion of the original mobile phone function, not a replacement, even after leaving the mobile phone carrier, it is difficult to become a Used by independent individuals. Further reminiscent of iWatch's current poor battery performance, it is difficult for you to give it a high score.

     So it is not difficult to understand why the notification center is the core function of iWatch. Because iWatch is mainly to allow users to perform simple operations on their wrists anytime, anywhere, in order to read various information on iOS devices or make calls, in simple terms, it is to liberate users from frequent operations on mobile devices, but in essence It is also attached to the mobile phone's "remote control".

     In the Android camp, Sony / Samsung is a brand that has launched smart hardware relatively early. In fact, Sony launched the first mobile assistant hardware device Live View as early as 2012. At that time, it already had the form of a smart watch. Samsung only brought its first smart watch, the Galaxy Gear, in September 2013, and LG's speed was slower. After several years of development, the ideology of Japanese and Korean manufacturers on smart watches has been very perfect, and the concept has gradually developed from early mobile phone accessories to current independent smart devices.

     For example, Samsung ’s previously launched Gear S already has independent communication and data functions, and LG Urbane LTE is the first smart watch to support 4G networks. Sony is also continuing to follow up. But in fact, this brings another problem. The smart watch with data and communication functions has already become an independent communication device, but it has to integrate all the content in such a small volume. People worried.

In fact, this is not the idea of Sony / Samsung. At present, most of the traditional manufacturers are caught in this contradiction. On the one hand, in order to quickly bring the smart hardware to the market, it is inevitable that the smart phone will be used to think about the smart hardware, but the problem Because the core of traditional mobile phone manufacturers is still in the mobile terminal area, it will not conduct independent research in this subdivided field, or even create a product line as important as mobile phones. Therefore, the similarity of function and experience has become a common solution for international manufacturers. 1

In fact, this is not the idea of Sony / Samsung. At present, most of the traditional manufacturers are caught in this contradiction. On the one hand, in order to quickly bring the smart hardware to the market, it is inevitable that the smart phone will be used to think about the smart hardware, but the problem Because the core of traditional mobile phone manufacturers is still in the mobile terminal area, it will not conduct independent research in this subdivided field, or even create a product line as important as mobile phones. Therefore, the similarity of function and experience has become a common solution for international manufacturers.

However, due to changes in market demand and the accumulation of its own brand technology, international brands are currently in the process of trying and changing smart hardware. At present, Samsung / Sony / LG have begun planning the next stage of smart hardware products, and the degree of competition has even turned into a battle for upstream manufacturing advantages.

Domestic users have low recognition of smart hardware, and design is still the first factor

In addition to Samsung / Sony / LG, in fact, domestic brands also have these problems, including Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, etc. It is worth mentioning that the old mobile phone manufacturers are basically independent in the research and development of smart hardware, but there are also Some manufacturers conduct ODM directly from third-party companies, and basically regard smart hardware as a high-end accessory attached to mobile phones, which will be discounted in effect. For traditional mobile phone manufacturers, the ideology of smart hardware is basically the same. Although after several years of market feedback, mass users have long been familiar with smart hardware, there are still many users who feel that the use value is not great.

According to a third-party agency investigation, it is found that most users still have the first major elements of smart hardware (watches / bracelets) are appearance and design, and operation and function are inferior, which is obviously the next stage of smart hardware One of the development goals. It is certainly a good idea to build smart hardware as a notification center for smartphones, but if consumers are not motivated to lose Casio, it is still not perfect.

     Among many mobile phone manufacturers, the development speed of Xiaomi and Meizu is very rapid. As the two most popular domestic kings, the two also show different approaches to smart hardware. Meizu started earlier than Xiaomi. It started with music. It has always focused on the product level. However, after MX4, Meizu began to lay out a smart ecosystem. It encourages third-party companies to cooperate with Meizu to build smart products. With the help of Meizu ’s platform, the product promotion and Sales, to achieve a win-win process for both parties. We can also know one or two from Meizu's official website. At present, several products have landed in Meizu's online store and provide sales services.

     Although Xiaomi is a mobile phone manufacturer halfway through the development, the development of these years has made it a world-class dark horse, and the sales of smartphones this year are expected to reach 80 million. In terms of smart hardware, Xiaomi also shows the same line of thinking. Taking the price as an impact point, using Xiaomi series mobile phones as a carrier, it expands smart hardware products from a simple bracelet to routers, blood pressure monitors, air purifiers, sockets, etc In terms of aspects, the huge millet empire is presenting step by step. Unlike Meizu, Xiaomi's smart hardware devices mostly come from the Xiaomi smart ecological chain team, including Zimi, Zhimi, Huami, Femi, Yunmi and other companies.

      However, we can still see that Xiaomi and Meizu actually have a great similarity in their core ideas. For example, both of them focus on ecological cards and cooperate with third-party teams. What is different is that Meizu provides a platform and sales, and Xiaomi builds an ecological chain team through various methods such as shareholding and wholly-owned purchases to build a huge Xiaomi empire. As for the question of which one is the winner, it may be difficult to conclude, but it is inconclusive that the completion of the Xiaomi ecosystem is even more powerful than the capital chain.

    Both domestic and foreign manufacturers face a similar situation in terms of smart hardware: smart hardware is not short of ideas and ideas, but the problem is that it is difficult to obtain support from raw material suppliers and hardware processing. This is fatal for the emerging Internet companies. Marketing cannot be implemented, production capacity and sales are insufficient, and funding in the later stage is tight. Any one is enough to make a company face a huge crisis. Traditional mobile phone manufacturers have a comparative advantage, but considering the influence of the market and brand, the smart hardware products launched often do not have much new ideas, and the price is not close to the people. Eventually, the sales of smart hardware are bleak, and they are reduced to accessories for smart phones. .

     Therefore, when Xiaomi launched smart sports shoes and smart sockets, it is not difficult to understand why there are many domestic and foreign brands. In the fast-growing domestic smart market, any smart hardware is an opportunity. Regardless of whether the experience can be innovated, Xiaomi has taken the lead and won on the starting line. As for the consumer issue of whether the product is overvalued, I believe that manufacturers will continue to adjust the software and hardware through current market feedback. After all, not every product can be a blockbuster, as is the case with the iPhone, as is the Xiaomi series. 0

      For ordinary users, is it the best time to start with a smart device? If you prefer smart products with high cost performance, you need some basic life experience (similar to pedometer, sleep monitoring, health reminder, etc.), whether it is Xiaomi , Samsung, Huawei, etc., I believe that can meet your basic needs, the difference is that the brand's heritage determines the attributes of the product will vary. But if you want to truly experience artificial hardware devices similar to artificial ones, from the current development status of the industry, it is obviously not the best time.