Recently I had an interesting conversation with one of our clients about what I see in the future of wearables, and here are some thoughts:

The hype around wearables seems to have slowed down a little. A while back, when all brands and companies started launching their wearable products, people thought that it would change their life forever, but we gradually realize that it is not working as well as people expected this trend to be. Many devices are now called “dust gatherers” because they are no longer in use and simply being put on the shelf.

But what is stopping the trend from being more popular and widely embraced by the public?

People need something to excite and inspire them, and that is not data. The information we get from wearables, for example, your heart rate, might stay the same week after week if your health condition and exercise habits stay the same. It is easy for people to feel unmotivated to keep wearing the devices when no changes are happening.

Then where is the future of wearables?

Data collection will only become meaningful when devices can be connected to each other, when data can be transferred to the cloud, when it can be analyzed, and furthermore, to trigger a response. Intrinsically, it needs to be part of the Internet of Things.

If a sensor knows you are feeling nervous or unwell when driving a car by measuring your pulse and body temperature, and it automatically switches your car from a sport mode to a comfort mode, then it actually makes wearable technology beneficial for your daily life.

What is more that needs to be done?

A complete ecosystem is crucial for the success of wearables and the Internet of Things. Consumer demand for wearables will continue to rise only when a universal communication platform is created across brands and products, so users do not have to worry if there is compatibility issue between different devices and that is how the ecosystem could actually work.

Some food for thought: is there risk that the machines may take a wrong decision for you? Or what if the data is disclosed? We still need time to prove that the ecosystem could work smart, without jeopardizing our security and privacy.