A new report has shown that the market for wearables isn’t anywhere near leveling off in its expansion.
A new report relased by IDTechEx Research has shown that the marketplace for wearable technology is going to continue to grow, and that it won’t be doing so at a slow pace.
This has been particularly true when it comes to applications in industry as well as in the military.
This year, it is estimated that the wearables global market value is $20.2 billion in the IDTechEx Research report that was recently issued by the firm and that was entitled “Wearable Technology 2015-2015: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts.” It pointed out that almost 75 percent of the market’s revenue is expected to be generated from categories that have had the chance to mature a little more than others, such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and earphones. However, it also underscored the fact that it will be wearables in military, industrial and commercial markets that will see the greatest growth and that will represent the largest amount of revenue.
The report specifically pointed out that it will be in these industries where wearable technology will be allowed to shine.
As wearables are incorporated into a larger number of sectors and settings, the report stated that it will lead to a notable growth in the existing systems of this tech. That said, it pointed specifically to healthcare applications as the largest market for these mobile devices. “Many of the companies looking to commercialize new wearable technology are searching for partners in the healthcare and medical industries,” stated the report.
Another market that was pointed out as one that should be seeing growth is that of infotainment, which should include products such as Oculus VR headsets, Google Glass and other types of smartglasses and augmented reality glasses.
The wearable camera market is another space that the IDTechEx said was up and coming. The release of this report comes on the heels of an announcement made in August by the Pentagon, which stated that a high-tech company and researcher consortium would be partnering to come up with wearable technology that would be appropriate for military applications.
Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine is offering the wearable tech to customers.
The Spanish five star exclusive abbey hotel and winery in Spain’s Duero wine region, dating back to 1146, is providing guests who visit its 900 year old property with Google Glass, and is the first hotel in Europe to do so.
The hotel has eight of the wearable devices.
The smart glasses are provided to guests so that they can obtain more from their experience at the hotel, which is well known for its architecture and art collection. During their stay, guests with the devices can watch videos about the hotel, take photos, videos, surf the web, make phone calls, and so on. When it is time for them to leave, guests can keep any of the personal files that were stored on their device, which is downloaded to a memory stick and given to them at checkout.
Andres Araya, LeDomaine’s managing director, has said that “Google Glass is the next step in our complete transformation from an ancient and storied abbey to a sophisticated modern hotel offering the highest level of luxury and service in a sublime historic ambiance.” Araya added that with Glass “we are introducing our guests to an exciting new 21st-century experience in a 12th-century setting.”
This is not the first time Google Glass has been utilized within the travel industry.
Other examples of Glass being used in the travel industry include Starwood’s app for Glass and Spanish OTA Destination’s app, which enables users of the device to book a nearby hotel. Additionally, Virgin Atlantic has used the wearable tech to receive its guests.
As was previously mentioned, guests at the hotel can enjoy different apps and functions when using Glass. In addition to snapping photos with a blink of an eye or giving a verbal command, they can watch videos including the LeDomaine art tour and can stargaze using the location-based app that will provide users with the ability to see the alignment of the stars above them at any time of the day or night.
As new apps become available for Google Glass, LeDomaine intends to add them to their devices for patrons to enjoy.
