When smartwatches first hit the market, many expected them to follow the same trajectory as smartphones – a slow start before blowing up and becoming an essential item on the wrist of most human beings on the planet.
This didn’t come to fruition, though, and smartwatches have instead seen a more gradual uptake. It feels like they need a way to incorporate entertainment more, but currently the small screen is a problem. Holographic technology could provide the answer to this, and act as a revolutionary upgrade to the wearables.
Smartwatches Need More Capabilities
One of the main reasons why smartwatches haven’t become as popular as smartphones is the fact that they haven’t been able to offer as many capabilities as their larger counterparts. With the small screen size, the wearables are restricted and can only provide users with simple content. The main focus has been on health and fitness up to now, but there’s an argument to suggest that there should be more entertainment integrations.
Indeed, entertainment was one of the main reasons why smartphones managed to take the world by storm in the first place. Mobile gaming was a huge factor towards the industry’s boom, with the rise of mechanically simple arcade-style games, freemium strategy games, and puzzle games being instrumental examples of the medium. The online casino industry also had an auxiliary role to play, and today most of the top jackpot games like Gold Party 2 After Hours and Links of Ra are designed primarily with the mobile user in mind, demonstrating how enduring and unchallenged the format has proved to be in the years since.
If smartwatches were able to facilitate these forms of gaming in the same way that smartphones have, they could witness a dramatic surge in interest. Holographic technology could be the solution to this problem. If smartwatch screens were able to transmit holograms of games or other forms of entertainment, it could lead to a new craze like the mobile app game boom of the 2010s.
What Are the Latest Developments?
The idea of holographic displays on smartwatches may seem like something from a sci-fi movie, but there have been some developments in this field already. For instance, LG Display recently showcased a smartwatch display with light-field technology that’s able to produce 3D, glasses-free visuals. Various researchers have also been working on low-energy holographic displays using waveguide and beamforming tech – designed specifically for small, wearable screens.
Although there has been some promising progress, the idea of holographic smartwatches is still a long way off. However, as more startups jump on this groundbreaking technology, it could speed up its commercial potential. If this comes to fruition and leading smartwatches start to integrate holographic technology, it could mean that there will no longer be such a global reliance on smartphones. Users may be able to do everything from their smartwatches, from entertainment to social media.
Holographic technology may end up hitting the smartwatch market in the 2030s, with development in this field still in its infancy. If it does end up coming, it could be a serious gamechanger for wearables. It may mean that smartwatch users will be able to do all the things that they can do currently from their smartphones, such as consumer entertainment.
