New B2B technology in 2014
It seems like new cellphones and gadgets are released every day. There are many obvious technology solutions used by B2B companies today, like cellphones, computers, and software. Where will 2014 take us? Maybe it’ll be smart watches.
This year, we saw Samsung come out with the first viable smart watch for consumers, but it really wasn’t very popular. Samsung priced the smart watch at USD 300. Most people spend less on their cellphones. So why would they spend this on what is essentially a smart phone supplement?
Samsung’s smart watch isn’t going to be very popular for the everyday consumer or any business looking for a helpful technology solution. With the high price and low functionality, Galaxy Gear has huge room for improvement, perhaps a Galaxy Gear 2.0 next year?
If Apple were to ever release a smart watch, it would be in 2014. Apple has already filed a patent for an iWatch, but will it be a bigger game changer than Galaxy Gear? We all know that Apple has the resources to make it happen, but often falls short. For example, when they released the first edition of the iPad mini, there was no retina display even though it was completely feasible for them to include it. A retina display would have put the iPad mini way ahead of the competition.
There have been plenty of vague confirmations from Apple management that we will see an iWatch, but nothing concrete. If they do come out with a smart watch, it will most likely be fitness-centered because of the partnerships with Nike. This would be great once the product hits B2C, but it won’t necessarily be the best for companies looking to incorporate new devices into their BYOD policies. Besides, Apple isn’t exactly known to tag the cheapest prices on their products.
The stronger competition – and one that will be more popular for B2B and B2C – is a Google-made smart watch. The king of search is already making headway in becoming the king of wearable devices. Google Glass, while not readily available to any consumers, business or otherwise, shows Google’s strength and promise in wearable devices.
Google Now, a personal assistant application for iOS and Android devices, is a good indication of what the UI will look like. What will make a Google smart watch stand out is its actual functionality. Google Now’s cards can predict what information users need based on what they are doing. So, if there’s a business meeting across town, you could expect your smart watch to remind you before the meeting and then, without being asked, pull up the directions to where the meeting is located.
If any of these smart watches are going to be viable for the B2B market, there are a number of things they need to improve. As noted earlier, a smart watch needs to be functional. I have no doubt that Google’s and Apple’s attempt at the smart watch will take this complaint to heart. Galaxy Gear failed too miserably for them to ignore it.
Smart watches will need to have the functionality to remotely control any relevant app that is on your phone or tablet. Bluetooth functionality that would allow you to listen to the music on your phone through your watch, that way the music or podcasts or what have you isn’t redundantly stored. So, then, logically a headphone jack would be in order. Most of all, better battery life is a must.
Even with all of those things improved, a smart watch would need to have the capability to be a stand-alone device that anybody could use to buy and run apps, store music, and surf the web without a smartphone standing by.
These smart watches are (probably) coming in 2014, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll enter the B2B market in 2014. They might hit the market a couple years later once the technology becomes a viable option for businesses to use and independent retailers to sell. At the industry level, smart watches could be a huge boon to BYOD policies and productivity. While at the independent retail level, buying smart watches along with their cellphones wholesale may become worthwhile.
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