Why is this product, which Samsung markets as the future, failing so hard? There are quite a few reasons, but I’ll focus on the main three. First, there’s the price. It’s $299, which is an incredible investment to make for something that’s not tested, especially something that’s supposed to be worn as a fashion accessory. Second, the limited compatibility. You need to own a Samsung phone running Android 4.3 or higher to use the Gear. That’s an incredibly short list of devices. And finally third, it’s simply a bad product. Every review of the Gear has said the same thing: Battery life is terrible. The notifications are useless. The camera makes the watch look ugly. Just go buy a Pebble if you really want a smartwatch. Can Samsung turn things around? Yes, in the two obvious ways that any tech company fixes anything. Step One: Slash the price of the Gear, because while it may be a poor product at $299, it’ll be a hit at $99. Step Two: Launch a successor as soon as possible. Some rumors say we’ll see a Gear II as soon as CES, which is less than two months away!
