After a shaky two-year run, it looks like the SPOT PDA watch may be headed for that junk drawer in the sky. Rumors are flying that Fossil, which makes the most successful line of watches that run the MSN Direct data service, has halted production and is struggling to sell through its final inventory.
If true, this is sad news, not just for Microsoft but for all of us who long for a really good wrist-top computer. The death of the SPOT will undoubtedly cast a lasting shadow over the entire concept of the smart watch, keeping would-be manufacturers at bay for years to come. Fossil's WristNet line represents a substantial portion of the SPOT watch market (Suunto and Swatch both make MSN Direct watches, but they're all hideous beyond words), and the company's pull-out may very well scare away any potential buyers that might otherwise remain on the fence about the technology. Without Fossil, SPOT is history.
All things considered, I'm not nearly as bummed out as I'd like to be about the potential loss of the SPOT. I've got two of those clunky rubber watches stashed in a junk drawer right now, and I haven't worn them in months despite the fact that I actually like the MSN Direct service.
The problem here is simple: There just isn't much of a market for gigantic, ugly watches that need to be recharged daily. And no amount of service enhancements from Microsoft can compensate for the fact that these watches suck at a fundamental level. If someone were to come along and get the hardware right for once, SPOT might have a very bright future. Otherwise, good riddance.
UPDATE (9/15): In respsonse to these rumors circulating through the blogosphere, Fossil has announced that it in fact has no plans to stop producing watches for the MSN Direct service. I just hope that any future SPOT offerings from the company will be smaller with much better battery life.
