A challenge of smartphones

Everyone knows a group of fish is called a school. Many people know a group of crows is called a murder. There is no collective noun for smartphones.

Judging by this week’s activity—just days before Apple unveils the latest iPhone—we could call it a challenge of smartphones.

In the space of four days, there have been new phone releases from Sony, Huawei, Motorola, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung. There may have been others.

These “also-ran” smartphone makers scrambled to release their latest models before Apple takes centre stage and dominates the conversation.

Some of these phones may be impressive, innovative, or even competitive choices. Among them, there will be clever ideas. And few will be outright unusable. Yet, none will attract as much attention as Apple’s next move—even if it’s a misstep.

It’s encouraging to see companies step up to compete in the phone market. Without viable alternatives, Apple could become complacent. The market would stagnate.

But it’s also worth remembering that few, if any, of these new models will be profitable.

The same applies to the lineup of smartwatches released this week. Outside of tech enthusiast circles, smartwatches remain unproven. While early adopters say they’re happy with their “wrist-top computers,” sales are far from taking off. They’re not even taxiing down the runway; they’re still waiting in the security line.

Some smartwatch press releases have a desperate tone, almost pleading for attention. It’s a bit sad.

Like the recent smartphones, these devices will barely register if Apple releases a watch next week. The same principle applies: even an underwhelming Apple product will still make headlines.

By the end of the year there will be remainder bins full of smart watches in electronics stores.

I’m not saying smartwatches will never catch on, but the current generation remains niche. If you find such a device useful, go for it. But for most of us, it’s a matter of moving along—nothing to see here.