The wearable devices market is expected to grow by 68.1 million units in 2015, according to Gartner. While some wearables may eventually become even more ubiquitous than today’s smartphones, a good number of them may fall short of their hype as they launch during 2015.
Smartwatches
There are several different smartwatch designs already on the market, but the number keeps on growing. Products like the Apple Watch and the Samsung Gear are some of the most discussed, even though Apple’s device has not yet been released. These devices connect to your smartphone to automate some processes that would otherwise require getting your handset out of your pocket.
Although they have made it more convenient to receive and respond to updates, these devices cannot fully replace the smartphone. As a result, their small screens and limited functionality may make them popular for novelty alone. The idea of transferring some tasks from a phone to a watch seems more practical, but it will likely fail to keep up with the comprehensiveness provided by the device in your pocket.
Smartrings and Wristbands
These devices are flooding the market of wearables and getting less costly in the process. The Fitbit One and Nike Fuelband, for instance, are small, lightweight, and comfortable for any user to wear. They’ll likely grow trendier as developers add more functionality.
The great thing about smartrings and wristbands like the Fitbit One and Fuelband is that they incorporate tasks found in standalone pedometer and GPS devices. Having a single device that integrates these functionalities into a single, lightweight wrist piece will likely live up to the hype in the athletic community come 2015.
Smartglasses
Advanced headsets like Google Glass also enable users to see updates without having to take out their devices. While the idea of receiving live location updates, e-mails, and other info right in front of your eyes seems appealing, security concerns have precluded many people from confidently using them. Privacy issues have plagued these devices, not to mention the rather awkward aesthetic, which hasn’t gone over well in the mainstream market.
Google Glass may have begun to work around these problems, but buyers probably won’t come around to devices that obstruct their view of the world in front of them. Glass fails to offer this visual comfort, making it another over-hyped device.
Which wearable devices do you think will become a trend in 2015?
Image courtesy of Flickr
[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]