A couple days before its official release, photos of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch were leaked on the Internet causing plenty of fashion related questions.
In an attempt to make the Galaxy Gear more cutting-edge, Samsung collaborated with designer Dana Lorenz to make accessories and jewelry to accompany the items at New York Fashion Week. The jewelry consists of dark metal chains and spiked cuffs that attach to the watch. Embellished leather cases were also created for the Galaxy Note 3 tablet.
Although Samsung is going to great lengths to make the Galaxy Gear stylish, it could be either hit or miss. At the steep price of $299, the watch needs to “wow” consumers on more than one level.
“There’s the market of early adopters, who will rush to buy any new gadget. That’s the minority of consumers. For the rest of us, the device has to provide real functional value, or it has to be perceived as so hip that it’s worth the investment,” says Venture Beat’s Christina Farr.
Samsung also teamed up with designer Nicholas Kirkwood to make accessories for the Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Note 3.
“They will be the first in a series of accessories to be launched by Samsung and Nicholas Kirkwood, featuring the same chevron design, with other GALAXY products to follow” says Tech Digest blogger shinychris.
Collaborating with a designer is a step in the right direction. However the items should also be able make an impact by themselves. Relying on accessories to make the smartwatch fashionable won’t fool consumers. It will need to be both user-friendly and fashion forward to be considered a must-have.