How can G-Shock compete with Fitbits and Apple Watches?

NEW YORK — G-Shock creator Kikuo Ibe sits in a makeshift showroom, surrounded by dozens of G-Shock watches that include a prototype model from 1982. It still works. Durability is what people love about these watches.

The Japanese engineer goes through the history of GShock in English. “I have a harder time now, rather than enjoying it,” Ibe says. “It’s different from the old days.”

He’s been doing this for a long time. As the story goes, in 1981, Ibe dropped a watch given him by his father, shattering the precious possession. He started to work at building a heavy duty timepiece for Casio that could survive a simple fall and eventually came up with the hollow, shock-absorbing case structure that became the heart of G-Shock watches.

Now, 35 years after the G-Shock was a massive technical advancement, we have the Apple Watch and Samsung Gear. Smart technology is invading the watch industry as never before, with massive tech companies pumping dollars into research and development.

How does G-Shock stay in the game? Not by making a full smartphone for the wrist, Ibe says. “Battery life is one problem when it comes to smartwatches, and the screen size is very small,” he explains. “I’m not sure if that market will grow in the future.” He’s not going to try to compete with Apple and Samsung.

Instead, G-Shock will focus on connecting its existing watches to smartphones, working with them rather than trying to mimic them.

G-Shock has developed an intense cult following over the years, concentrated within patches of culture that demand toughness.

This September, G-Shock is releasing a half-dozen new G-Steel models, a sensor-filled Gulfmaster, and dark metallic styles for its women’s S-Series. One new development is the triple sensor, which keeps altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, and directional readings. — Bloomberg

battery life is one problem when it comes to smartwatches, and the screen size is very small Kikuo Ibe, G-Shock creator