The telecom is the next among many companies to jump into the wearable technology market.
At a time in which it feels like every week comes with the unveiling or the launch of a new Smartwatch, AT&T also seems to be jumping on board the wearables bandwagon and will be releasing its own version of the device later on this year.
This technology news was made when an executive from the company, Glen Lurie, made the announcement.
Lurie is the AT&T president of emerging devices. He pointed out that the company would be bringing its own smartwatch into the mix and that “I think you’ll see wide-area, high-bandwidth [smart]watches this year at some point.” The telecom has a team located in Austin, Texas, that is working on thousands of different potential prototypes for wearable devices. Moreover, it is also looking into the certification of third party devices that can be used on the company’s own network, explained Lurie.
It is AT&T’s feeling that the smartwatch will be the center of all wearable technology for the first while.
Lurie stated that “a majority of stuff” that consumers will be seeing within today’s wearables marketplace will be in the form of a wristwatch. But he also pointed that this will be the start of a sector that is still very much in its infancy. He said that if the use of those devices does become popular, “and we believe it can”, then these wearables could easily become the center of all forms of wearable technology computing.
At the moment, LTE capabilities are lacking in wearable tech, which causes them to be primarily reliant on other mobile devices – mainly smartphones – in order to be able to provide notifications and download and use apps. However, when these gadgets are developed with mobile broadband connection capabilities, then it will be possible for them to become their own “independent device,” explained Lurie.
He stated that it is quite important that wearables become their own stand-alone devices in order to make them truly practical and appealing to consumers.
His company and Filip Technologies already jointly released the Filip child tracker, which is like a wristwatch and that allows the AT&T network to be used for a parent to call a child. While that product could be improved, it is just that type of idea that the telecom is hoping to bring to market in its own smartwatch models.
Company has plans to continue adapting to changes in the mobile world
T-Mobile has offered mobile devices to U.S. consumers for several years. The company has competed with others in the telecommunications sector by providing nearly identical services that consumers have either fund to be of little value or too expensive for their taste. As the mobile landscape has changed, however, T-Mobile has been positioning itself to play a larger role in the lives of its customers, both current and future. The company has done away with the service contracts that are common among its competitors while also offering to pay the termination fee associated with these contracts for anyone wishing to find a new mobile service provider. Now, the company is looking to establish a stronger presence in the mobile commerce field.
T-Mobile seeks to expand beyond Isis
T-Mobile has already entered into the mobile commerce space through Isis. Along with AT&T and Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile has invested heavily in the Isis platform, which has managed to acquire the support of most of the country’s major financial organizations as well as consumers. While Isis boasts of a great deal of promise, T-Mobile has plans that extend beyond that platform. The company has recently unveiled its Mobile Money service, which seeks to provide consumers with a new way to manage their finances.
Mobile Money service is available for free to T-Mobile customers
The Mobile Money service combines the use of a mobile application with a branded, prepaid Visa card. The service has no fees associated with it and provides consumers with a way to pay for products using their mobile device or a branded card. The service also allows consumers to add money to their prepaid Visa card by taking a picture of a check. The card itself can be used to withdraw funds from more than 42,000 ATMs located throughout the country. All of the service’s features have no fees and there is no minimum balance requirements associated with the branded Visa card.
Mobile commerce begins to play a bigger role in the lives of consumers
T-Mobile has plans to establish itself as a leader in the mobile field, and this involves establishing a stronger presence when it comes to commerce. In the past, the mobile space was primarily concerned with communication. As technology has advanced, however, consumers have begun using their mobile devices for shopping and managing their finances. T-Mobile is keen to adapt with the changes occurring in the mobile sector so that it can remain relevant to consumers.
