This week Google announced Android Wear, a new version of the Android operating system built specifically for smartwatches and wearable technology.
LG's "G Watch," expected to launch next quarter, will be one of the first smartwatches built on the Android Wear platform. Motorola and Samsung will also be launching Android Wear smartwatches in the near future, showcasing the diverse capabilities with the platform. Revolving around Google Now, notifications will be sent to the watch both from your Google account and your smartphone's applications. Android Wear will also launch a number of APIs and an SDK to customize and extend your mobile app notifications to a smartwatch.
Android Wear is starting with smartwatches, but will also extend the platform to more wearables in the future. This announcement is not a huge surprise if you've been following Google's recent strategic moves, most notably their acquisition of connected products company, Nest. I see this announcement as another move in the direction of positioning Android as a platform for all connected devices, not just wearables or smartphones.
We at ExactTarget Marketing Cloud love to talk about the Internet of Things and connected devices. Connected devices and wearable technology are two of the largest trends so far this year, especially when talking about mobile technology and mobile marketing campaigns. And this is just the beginning. According to Juniper Research, the wearable technology market is predicted to be worth at least $19 billion by 2018, a dramatic increase from last year's $1.4 billion in retail revenue.
Smartwatches and connected devices are becoming another personalized, real-time interaction and step in the customer journey. What are your thoughts on Google's announcement and the impact wearable technology will have on digital marketing and your brand's mobile strategy?
Image source: TheVerge.com and Android Wear
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