A new Citrix survey shows that a majority believe “wearable technology” like smart watches and smart clothing will someday be as ubiquitous as the common smartphone or tablet. Most however would prefer not to wear it on their sleeves or their face. Commissioned by Citrix, Wakefield Research surveyed 1,000 American adults and found 91 percent were “excited” about wearable tech. In particular, 30 percent are revved up up for watches, 22 percent for clothing and 19 percent for glasses. Wearable tech you can get your hands on now includes Google Glass and Apple iWatch.
Citrix has been reported developing apps for Google glass in particular. Speaking to the Business Journal Citrix’s Chris Fleck, VP of mobility solutions, discussed Citrix’s initiative at the Emerging Technology Business Showcase. “We’ve begun to develop business applications for Google Glass for demo purposes,” he said. “Citrix is very interested in wearable technology as it relates to business applications.”
Adoption of these devices may find popularity in practical applications rather than just fashion statements. I sat across a guy on the tube yesterday wearing a pair of google glasses. He seemed to be attracting the wrong type of attention and seemed slightly embarrassed. Barry Levine on CMSWIRE makes this point:
“Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, told CMSWire.com the wearables that will find greatest popularity beyond the earlier adopters will likely be those with the “easiest-to-understand use case.” He pointed to Nike’s FuelBand activity tracking wrist band as an example of a device whose utility is fairly apparent. By contrast, he asked, what is the everyday use case for, say, Google Glass?”
With all the talk of smart cities and smart factories, wearable devices that serve practical uses may be adopted first, also BYOD may determine how fast it makes its way into the office. Citrix in October identified mobility as a Top Priority for the Enterprise. The research reveals that enterprises are embracing a variety of mobile platforms and that 29 percent of the global workforce is now believed to be using their own mobile apps for work purposes. It establishes that BYOD is quickly becoming the norm, with 74 percent of companies allowing, accommodating and encouraging the use of personally owned devices. Of these companies, 76 percent estimate that more than 100 unidentified devices access their networks each day. Will your wristwatch be next?
Hayden Richards is Contributor of IntelligentHQ. He specialises in finance, trading, investment, and technology, with expertise in both buy-side, sell-side. Contributing and advising various global corporations, Hayden is a thought leader, researching on global regulatory subjects, digital, social media strategies and new trends for Businesses, Capital Markets and Financial Services.
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