The future of deliveries is here and it’s all about drones. It’s now becoming a reality thanks to Amazon. The Amazon Prima air drones are a helicopter/airplane hybrid combination and it’s speed comes close to 100kph. It’s a real benefit of the drone that it can land vertically.  It’s much safer because it doesn’t have to cruise in to land at a low altitude. After each delivery the drones will have to return to base for recharging.

At the moment there are a lot of different drone designs being worked on by Amazon. Each design is made for its own specific environment, it’s range and its ability to carry packages of different sizes. Don’t expect it will carry TVS but it is ideal for smaller packages containing for example games or shoes.

Luckily, having to wait a few days for your delivery is already a thing of the past. Many firms already offer same-day delivery. However, it can always be faster. The Prima Air can deliver within 30 minutes after you placed an order. In addition, there is no more waiting around for a 2-hour delivery window. There will be a timer counting for you to exactly know when your package will arrive.

Downside of all this is that you need to live closely to a distribution centre. These drones can’t fly for ages and thus have a serious performance flaw called the battery life. Off course the battery life will improve in the future but for now delivery by drones is not made for everyone. Besides, you will need some kind of helipad in your garden for the drone to land. Amazon has made a landing mat which you have to lay in your garden.

Amazon is really serious with drone deliveries but don’t expect to see airborne deliveries soon. The technology is there but a lot of regulations are not. Furthermore, not everyone can benefit from drone deliveries. However one thing is for sure, drone deliveries will be the next big thing in speeding up deliveries.

Sources:

http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/feature/a775701/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-amazon-prime-air-drone-delivery-service/

https://tweakers.net/nieuws/106552/amazon-toont-prototype-van-drone-voor-bezorging-pakketjes.html

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011

In 2013, the claim to first ever smartwatch to capture the full capability of a smartphone was laid by startup Omate with the TrueSmart. The TrueSmart originated from a Kickstarter campaign which raised over 1 million dollars. Many different smartwatches have been launched in recent years, with different operating systems and a broad range of functions.

Now, more than three years later and several generations further. What has actually become of the smartwatch? Is it a fitness tracker, an ornament or a small computer. Is it a device with a clear and limited function like a an e-reader, or is it a device that can do everything, like a smartphone.

In the past years many concepts have been tested. It is clear that the smartwatch is not the new smartphone and in sales will never reach the sales of tablets. It is a niche product.  It’s a market what is still rapidly evolving and after three years still not knows in which direction it should go.

Apple tried to sell The Watch as an ornament for around 10.000 euro. It failed miserably. At the presentation of the Watch Series 2 the focus went fully to sport. The two major smartwatch brands Apple and Samsung are using the key words like sport, health and fitness to sell their devices but that is by definition a niche market. Besides, many brands already have fitness trackers with smartwatch functions in their assortment. In addition, not everyone has room for a smartwatch on their wrist, people who like an analog watch that finds them much more attractive than a smartwatch.

Don’t get me wrong, the smartwatch is a beautiful device but no one really knows for what reason the smartwatch is here and which problem it has to solve. Let’s hope developers will find the reason in the future.

Sources:

https://www.wareable.com/smartwatches/smartwatch-timeline-history-watches

http://uk.businessinsider.com/david-singleton-android-wear-google-smartwatches-future-interview-2016-3?international=true&r=UK&IR=T

https://tweakers.net/reviews/4745/identiteitscrisis-op-de-smartwatchmarkt.html

http://www.ispo.com/en/trends/id_76989966/the-upcoming-smartwatch-boom-they-are-the-future.html