Tag: us wearable technology

Is the average American workplace ready for wearable technology?

| November 26, 2014

According to the results of a recent survey, this environment is not yet prepared to take on wearables.

The ISACA global IT association has now released the results of recent research that it conducted with regards to the use of wearable technology by North American workplaces and has determined that they are not yet ready for this tech.

While headlines are continuously filled with new tech releases in this category, the workplace isn’t set to take it on.

Wearable technology is now already available in the form of smartwatches, smart glasses, smart jewelry, smart clothing, and a vast range of other devices, with virtually every large tech player having an offering on the shelf, ready to launch, or in the works. In some other countries, certain forms of these wearables have already become quite commonplace in the workplace. A recent study in India by Kronos showed that 82 percent of workers were either already using the devices or would feel comfortable doing so.

However, as wearable technology continues to flood the consumer market, the N.A. workplace isn’t ready yet.

Wearable Technology and businessThe concern is that if these wearables do actually become as popular as their manufacturers would hope, then they will be added to the workplace environment whether or not businesses are actually ready to deal with them. As has been the case with increasingly commonplace BYOD (bring your own device) programs and policies, it has been suggested that companies are going to have to start to think about what would be involved in BYOW (bring your own wearables) programs, as well.

There is a great deal to consider when it comes to the entry of wearable devices into the workplace, as there will be network and security issues causing concerns, and other issues that step above and beyond what has already been seen as workers bring smartphones and tablets to work – simply because of the nature of wearables.

That said, the ISACA international vice president, Rob Clyde, who is also the CEO of Adaptive Computing, released a statement about wearable technology, saying that “The Internet of Things is here, and following the holidays, we are likely to see a surge in wearable devices in the workplace.”

Consumers want wearable technology, but at a lower price

| October 31, 2014

Recent research has revealed that while wearables are drawing interest, most won’t pay over $300 for them.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find an electronics and mobile devices maker that has not come up with its own version of wearable technology, but while recent studies have shown that many consumers are very interested in this tech, the price tag is creating a barrier to adoption.

Wearables are coming out in the form of everything from smartwatches to clothing, glasses, jewelry, and more.

Despite the fact that there are many different offerings within the wearable technology category, it is clearly an industry that remains in its infancy as companies have not yet come up with the strategy that will ensure that the majority consumers will be willing to buy these devices and like them enough that they will be willing to replace them as new generations of wearables are released. A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study has provided considerable insight into this struggle.

The research asked 1,000 consumers in the United States about their opinions with regards to wearable technology.

Wearable Technology for lower costWhat it showed was that many Americans do already have one of these devices, at least in some form, and that they have high hopes with regards to their benefits. The data showed that around one in five people in the U.S. currently has some type of wearable technology device, such as a wrist band or a digital pedometer that will connect with their computers or smartphones.

That said, a surprising 56 percent of the people who took part in the PwC study also felt that these mobile gadgets (more specifically, those that allow for bio-feedback such as fitness trackers, sleep trackers, and those that monitor heart rate) will help a person to boost his or her life expectancy by a decade. Equally, just under 42 percent of the participants believed that wearables could help an individual to boost his or her athletic ability and overall fitness level.

That said, while 21 percent of the participants actually own some form of wearable technology device, only 10 percent of the total respondents actually use their gadget on a daily basis. Moreover, there is a price limit to the amount that they would spend. Only 5 percent said that they would be willing to pay $300 for a device in this category, while even fewer – 4 percent – said that they would be willing to pay $500. Only time will reveal whether or not the $349 price tag of the Apple Watch will make that product cost prohibitive.