Tag: wearable tech

Companies will need to prepare themselves for these devices just as they did for smartphones.

Bring your own device (BYOD) programs in companies of all sizes have become very commonplace and now the introduction of wearable technology could be changing the nature of those strategies.

Although some forms, such as smartwatches, may not change too much, others could require altogether different rules.

The first step that companies will need to take when they are looking into allowing workers to use wearable technology on the job is mobile security. This comes both in the form of adequate protection against malware, viruses, and cyber attacks, as well as in the form of privacy of the company’s information. Smartwatches likely won’t offer too much problem in that second category, but augmented reality glasses such as Google Glass or Smart Specs, for example, could allow video recording and picture taking to occur while being completely undetectable to those around the wearer.

This means that companies will need to seriously consider privacy when allowing wearable technology.

At the same time, there are some wearables that could be seen as beneficial to a workplace environment. For example, the number of fitness and activity trackers that are currently available could help to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles and to try to come closer to achieving their 10,000 steps every day.

Healthier workers mean that there will be fewer sick days required and health insurance claims won’t need to be made as frequently. This also helps people to remain more energized and enthusiastic about their work, creating a much more positive and enjoyable atmosphere overall.

Equally, there is the struggle that could come with actually providing workers with wearables in order to try to enhance productivity. Although it may seem like a good idea to spread these gadgets throughout the workplace, keep in mind that this will add one more thing to the requirements for IT departments that are likely very inexperienced with this tech, considering how new it is to the marketplace.

Companies will need to carefully think through their strategies when it comes to allowing wearable technology to be used by their workers.

A new report has shown that 70 percent of wearables can be purchased for under that amount.

According to recent news, wearable technology devices can be purchased for under $300 in the majority of cases, depending on what it is, the brand, its capabilities, and so on.

The research was published in the Q1 2014 Wearable Market Insights Report by Vandrico.

Vandrico is a company based in Vancouver, Canada, which is rapidly joining the top resources within the wearable technology space. This firm launched a massive research effort in February, which resulted in the most comprehensive wearables database that is currently available online. Using the data from that source, it was able to provide forecasts and insights in this new sector of the mobile tech industry.

It showed that there has been a growth of wearable technology search queries of 588 percent in one year.

This was the case on Google, alone. The database at Vandrico currently includes 193 different wearables. This is an increase from having had a total of 115 only three months ago. Clearly the shelves are filling quickly in this sector.

Among the points that Vandrico found to be quite notable was that in 70 percent of the devices, the price tag is less than $300. The most common price range was somewhere between $100 and $250. This makes many of the devices quite affordable for the majority of consumers.

Among the notable success stories that were identified are the Fitbit Flex, which currently retails for $99.99, as well as a growing number of smartwatches, primarily the Pebble, which retails for $149.99 at the moment.

Interestingly there is a noticeable gap between the lower price range wearables (under $300) and those that are in higher price ranges. The next price range ends at about $550, but then there isn’t much until the $1,000 mark has been passed. It is in that bracket that the Meta, Vuzix, and the Google Glass are categorized.

As is the case among other product categories, Vandrico underscored the point that wearable technology product complexity, quality, and pricing all play a notable role in the decisions that consumers make in terms of making a purchase.