Tag: Internet of Things

There, various types of tech to be used as household devices is also going to be creation.

Amazon will soon be growing the size of its mysterious Lab126, its hardware operations unit, so that it will be able to develop and test out various wearable technology and household devices that will be created with the Internet of Things in mind.

The massive online marketplace will be boosting its hardware development hiring by 27 percent.

Reuters reported that this will bring nearly 4,000 additional people to the company and will direct $55 million more in funding to the company’s Lab126 division over the next half decade. That media source stated that it had discovered Amazon’s intentions through a “little known government document.”

Lab126 has been the source of a range of highly popular mobile technology devices sold by Amazon.

For example, that department was what created the exceptionally popular Kindle ereader device, as well as the much more recent release of the Fire Phone smartphone. The media reports on this expansion of the company’s Lab126 reflects a very strong focus that it is placing on the Internet of Things, and that it is even in the midst of coming up with a WiFi connected gadget that would give consumers the ability to order everyday household items from Amazon, simply by pressing a button.

According to Reuters, the government document that it found also reveals Amazon’s intentions to come up with a range of different connected products that would, for example, alert consumers that it is time to schedule regular maintenance for various household appliances, or that they should be replacing their filters (which can, of course, then be ordered from the online marketplace).

As the company has seen a drop of nearly 20 percent in its shares, this year, and following disappointing sales figures of the Fire phone, Amazon appears to be looking to other mobile technology efforts to help it to remain relevant and to keep up its competition against Google and Apple, which are also looking into smart devices to be used in the average household for the Internet of Things.

Adoption of wearable technology is slow going due to consumer security concerns.

A recent study from Acquity Group and Accenture Interactive found that while over 69% of American adults intend to own an in-home IoT (Internet of Things) device by the year 2019, only 13 percent are likely to own one by the end of next year, and the primary reason that adoption rate is so low is Americans are worried about their privacy when it comes to using wearable tech devices.

The study also found that only 9% of consumers would share free data with brands.

The percentage of consumers who would share data for free increased when they were offered a discount or coupon in exchange for their information, however. According to the 2014 State of the Internet of Things Study, of the 80% of consumers who were concerned about privacy, half of them stated they would be willing to share personal info that was collected by IoT devices with third-party retailers if they were compensated in some way for providing this data.

The president of Acquity Group, Jay Dettling said that “Our data reveals a gap in consumers’ fears of data privacy and their actual purchasing behavior.” He added that “To capitalize on these opportunities, companies should focus on specific benefits that sharing data will deliver to consumers.”

In addition to sharing with retailers, the research learned that 53% of consumers are willing to share their personal information with doctors. Furthermore, 27% said they would share with family and 17% would share with friends. Fewer than 40% of consumer said they would not share their personal data with anyone.

Location based coupons are the feature most consumers look for from wearable tech IoT devices.

This is particularly true when it comes to coupons or offers for recipes or for goods that the consumer frequently purchases. Moreover, one third of those who participated in the survey said that to receive extra deals or coupons, they would watch heavily targeted commercials at home.

Dettling commented that it is “important for businesses to understand ways to overcome barriers to adoption and create digital device strategies.” He added that their study reveals just how important a “value-added” user experience is and that Brands that don’t evolve their techniques to match customer expectations will miss out on key revenue opportunities in the future. Companies need to assure consumers that their wearable tech devices and personal data are protected.