Staff Writer
Wearable
technology is changing from being an expensive luxury to an affordable
accessory. Smartwatches are becoming the focus of wearable technology. On
September 9, Apple announced the release of their own smartwatch, the Apple
Watch.
Google
was moved to the forefront of smart device innovation when they released Google
Glass, the pair of glasses that doubles as a smart device right in front of
your eyes. The next step for wearable technology lies in smartwatches, where the
big players in the smartphone industry, including Apple, Samsung, LG and
Motorola, have shifted their focus. The watches are designed to be compatible
with each company’s smartphones. Once connected, the watches can receive text
messages, emails and can be used as navigation devices. The watches can also be
connected to a bank or PayPal account to replace cash and debit and credit
cards.
According
to a poll taken by 37 Apex High School students, 49% of them would buy a smartwatch
and 13% would consider buying one. Roughly 65% of students believed that
wearable technology does more good for our lives than it does harm.
Retail industries are getting in on the action as well by incorporating
wearables to keep track of their employees and to communicate with them on the
job. According to cio.com, the Container Store, a retail chain that sells basic
home necessities based out of Austin, Texas has adopted the Theatro Wearable
Computer. “This small gadget enables hands-free voice communication over Wi-Fi
networks, among other things,” they reported. Wearable technology has an impact
on customer service. “The
Container Store is banking on wearables to help cement its best-in-class
customer service promise,” said Theatro on their website. Most retail stores
use two way radios to communicate with their workers, a less efficient and outdated
method.
Wearable technology has the
potential to have a huge impact on our everyday lives. Wearables are the next
step in mobile technology and the devices have the potential to make serious changes
to the current state of the technological industry.
