Actually, with the iPhone, there was already precedent on how a “smartphone” was going to work for a couple of years—the Palm Treo phone and Windows Mobile phones set the precedent, but their interfaces weren’t anywhere as elegant as what Apple pulled off.
The Gear and Gear S also preceded the Apple watch and does most of the same things, better. The phone link works well when I am at my desk and working because I can keep working and still take the call. While I’m out, I don’t have to have my phone on ring or dig it out of my pocket. I wear it whenever I’m out of the house and before I got it I hadn’t worn a watch for about 6 years.