Published on: April, 2015
- Innovation Labs •
- Methodologies
By Belatrix Software | Topics: Software Development
Wearable computing will reach mass market adoption in 2015. Driven by both consumer and enterprise demand, we will see a fundamental shift occurring in the technology landscape by the end of the year. This report examines what the influx of wearables means, but perhaps more importantly we examine the range of business applications being developed for wearable devices and detail what you need to know to develop wearable applications.
While 2014 may have been declared the “year of wearables” by many technology journalists and bloggers, it is in 2015 when we will see wearables move towards mass market adoption, as well as starting to have a transformative impact on the enterprise.
This adoption will be driven by the convergence of both consumer and enterprise demand.
Consumer expectations and consumer willingness to adopt wearables. For example at the recent LeWeb Paris 2014 event, data was presented which suggested 45% of US and 32% of European adults were intrigued by the prospect of getting a wearable device. 42% were interested in getting a device for their wrist.
Examples in the consumer space include:
Demand from a broad range of possible devices in different industries-healthcare, manufacturing, education will all drive wearable adoption. While usual regulatory and compliance concerns may mean adoption is slightly slower than on the consumer side, the potential impact on business operations will be immense.
Wearables can help improve employee efficiency, communication, training, and lower barriers to decision making as well as a range of other potential benefits. Already widespread and diverse use cases are emerging for the use of wearables in enterprises
Examples in the enterprise space include:
In case you´re still skeptical, here are some additional data points it’s worth taking note of:
In many ways the wearables market has a lot in common with the late 1990s and the dot com boom. There is a tremendous amount of innovation occurring and a genuine sense of excitement about possibilities – but also a realization that much still has to develop. So while some may call it hype when there will be some inevitable high profile failures or setbacks (Nike withdrawing the Fuelband for example), this is a natural part of the wearable market growing up.
While much of the attention surrounding wearables has focused on the devices themselves, the true value will come from the software, applications and services which accompany the devices. However creating applications for wearables represents a different set of challenges from your usual application development. Part of this is because today´s consumers want to enjoy a digital lifestyle – one where their expectations of technology and what it can deliver are fundamentally different from those in the past.
In many ways creating an application for a wearable is similar to creating a mobile application – in particular with regard to the expectations of the end-user. In wearables, as with mobile, there are increasingly heightened expectations from consumers around the performance and usability of the application. Therefore, in creating your application for a wearable device, make sure to pay attention to:
What will lead to the ultimate tipping point for wearables is when that killer app is developed that drives the adoption of a broad range of wearables. So far this hasn´t been created, but we´re already seeing some pioneering companies creating some interesting business applications utilizing wearable technology. Indeed, while consumers will initially largely drive the adoption of wearables, it is in the enterprise that they will arguably end up having the most transformative impact.
Some of the early adopters of creating business applications based on wearables include:
ShiftExpert from ClickSoftware |
The ShiftExpert app works on wearable devices to let employees clock in and out of shifts and add that data to time sheets. Employees can quickly view their shifts, request to trade a shift, and view overtime from a smartwatch. Managers can schedule shift trades, approve vacation and sick time, and track time sheets from the app. | ![]() |
Proximity Insight |
The Proximity Insight app connects with instore iBeacons to make the retail experience more efficient and personal. Ideally, Proximity Insight works in conjunction with the store’s website and mobile app in the following scenario: A shopper receives a mobile notification via the store app based on items he’s viewed; the shopper later enters the store, and a salesperson is alerted to her presence via iBeacons on their smartwatch or smartglasses and can also access data from their CRM database. The consumer enjoys a significantly improved customer experience with a knowledgeable salesperson. | ![]() |
APX Labs Skylight |
Through a mix of the Skylight Platform, Salesforce Wear, and smartglass makers, the APX Labs app enables workers such as telecom service technicians or utility workers to view augmented reality overlay information, such as directions or instructions on how to fix equipment in real time, and quickly log a case in the Salesforce Service Cloud database via smartglasses. | ![]() |
Brivo Labs’ NthID |
Brivo Labs wants to make ID access cards obsolete with its identity access management application. NthID integrates with the Bionym Nymi identity authentication wristband to give employees and visitors secure and easy access to office buildings, eliminating the need for ID cards or key fobs. The Nymi uses a person’s cardiac rhythm to verify identity, which is about as unique as it gets. | ![]() |
Developing rich business models for the services and applications which will provide the functionality and user experiences of wearable devices remains the next critical step in the broader adoption of wearable devices.
The emergence of a so-called “Killer-app” which everyone wants to have will be the nuclear event which brings wearables to either your home or workplace.
Therefore make sure to:
Both consumers and enterprise users are looking for the benefit the technology can provide, not the technology itself.