Seeing Isn't Believing When It Comes to Wearables
We keep hearing that wearables are going to be the technology of the future. Instead of carrying around our phones or sticking tablets into our bags, we’ll be wearing gadgets that can help connect us to the Internet and our favorite applications.
The sales of smartwatches are expected to exceed those of fitness trackers by 2018, but this segment of the market might see its biggest breakthrough when the technology is invisible. According to research and analyst firm Gartner, 30 percent of wearables will be inconspicuous to the eye by 2017.
"Already, there are some interesting developments at the prototype stage that could pave the way for consumer wearables to blend seamlessly into their surroundings," said Annette Zimmermann, research director at Gartner. "Smart contact lenses are one type in development. Another interesting wearable that is emerging is smart jewelry.”
It’s an interesting notion, and one that might be difficult for us to wrap our heads around at this very moment. When you think of current wearables, the Oculus Rift might come to mind—a hulking head-mounted display that’s anything but inconspicuous. But wearables come in all shapes and sizes, and the idea of seeing the benefits of this technology without flaunting it could be appealing to some.
Currently, a few major companies are looking to make wearables fashionable. Instead of hiding this tech on your person, Ayse Ildeniz, vice president of the devices group at Intel, wants to make them a form of personal expression.
"We desperately need the fashion industry," Ildeniz said. “The fashion industry understands the aesthetic sense, but also it is very much in tune with why a woman would wear something on her body."
Whether it’s in the form of a contact lens that none of your peers need to know about or a shimmering bracelet that both grabs attention and the latest headlines from the Internet, wearables are going to have a diverse future.
Visible or invisible, one place where the use of wearables will need to be addressed is the workplace. How will wearables affect your company’s HR? If you’re wearing Google Glass or a contact lens, do you need to disclose that to your coworkers? It seems like a far-off conversation to have, but Gartner is predicting that future may only be just over two years away.
Apple’s iWatch will be a big step in the direction of mass market adoption for wearables. Brandishing your tech will eventually seem ordinary both in social and business contexts, but how someone wears these devices is still a big mystery.
