Tag: smartwatches

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.

If these mobile gadgets ware going to be as popular as predicted, they will soon be in the workplace.

Wearable technology is moving ahead with leaps and bounds as smartwatches and other types of devices that can be worn on the body make their way onto the market shelves and are being scooped up by consumers.

It won’t take long before workplaces will need to come up with policies to manage their use.

Whether in the form of smartwatches, wristbands, pendants, belt clips, or even glasses, wearable technology is starting to become popular and the industry is predicting that it will be mainstream sooner rather than later. At a time in which businesses are only just starting to be able to come up with the right kinds of policies to safely implement bring your own device (BYOD) programs, a whole new form of mobile tech is now making its way into the space.

Wearable technology is different because it isn’t always clear what it is or when it’s on.

Now that Google has announced its Android Wear operating system for wearables, it is likely that the number of manufacturers will start to jump into the mix and base their gadgets on this OS. These devices will be piled on top of the large number that are already in existence, including Google Glass, Samsung Gear , Pebble, and others, as well as a range of different types of jewelry such as rings and pendants, and fitness bands that also come in a spectrum of shapes and brands.

Depending on the wearable technology, the gadget could provide biometrics, internet access, or smartphone access, among other features. While workplaces will need to keep additional distractions in mind to keep employees focused on their tasks, this will be more challenging than it is with smartphones because it is difficult to recognize some forms of wearables and it is exceptionally hard to know when they are active. This means that it is possible that texts could be sent, recordings could be made, or the net could be surfed without any outward signs that it is occurring.

Next, there is also an issue of security. Mobile security is already a major concern for companies with a BYOD program, and many find it to be a considerable challenge to enforce the policies when they do have them. Connected wearables adds an entirely new layer of tech and of risk that needs to be considered and protected.