Does anyone really want smartwatches?

We have covered smartwatches with increasing frequency over the past year here at BGR, and almost every time we do, we can’t help but wonder what exactly is behind the surge in interest. Most recent offerings seem like an answer to Apple’s “iWatch,” which doesn’t even exist yet, of course. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear in particular feels like a rushed product that had no business launching in its current state. Logic suggests that smartphone vendors are desperately searching for the “next big thing” as high-end, high-margin smartphone and tablet sales slow. But countless market research firms still seem to think smartwatches sales are indeed set to explode. According to a new report, however, consumers aren’t buying it.