Hardware Design Limits Usability of Wearable Devices, Finds Strategy Analytics

BOSTON, Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the need for complex, differentiated use cases for wearable devices grows, so too will their size and weight increase causing discomfort to users wanting to wear them daily. A recent study from the User Experience Strategies (UXS) service at Strategy Analytics "UXS Technology Planning Report: Wearables," investigating the needs, behaviors and expectations of consumers regarding wearable devices, has found hardware design is one of the most obstructive factors for wearable devices because it inhibits what they can actually do.

Click here for the report: https://www.strategyanalytics.com/access-services/ux-innovation/user-experience-strategies/reports/report-detail/uxs-technology-planning-report-wearables

Key report findings:

• There is a need for wearables to be comfortable and lightweight, which conflicts with the ideals of longer battery life and more distinct applications; there is only so much a small device can do.
• Even smart earbuds and headsets (hearables) that offer distinct audio manipulation features are inhibited by their short battery life and dependency on a smartphone. They are too small to be truly independent devices.
• But the emergence of network connected wearables hints towards a future where the size and design of a wearable will be less of an impediment; wearables could stream content to the user as opposed to processing it locally, reducing the need for weighty internal components.

Mathew Alton, Analyst and report author commented, "To ensure that wearables are comfortable when worn, cloud-based processing is a viable solution. In this relationship, the network would offset the local processing required from a wearable, allowing the hardware to be designed around comfort rather than compromised with the addition of hardware components."

Chris Schreiner, Director of Syndicated Research, UXIP, added, "But the caveat here is the requirement for network services; and this will undoubtedly introduce cost. While this will breathe new life into the wearables market, manufacturers must work hard to provide the most cost-effective solutions."

About Strategy Analytics
Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com.

About User Experience Strategies (UXS)
Analyzing UX innovation opportunities in wireless, smart home, and other emerging technologies, UXS forms part of the User Experience Innovation Practice (UXIP) at Strategy Analytics. Focusing on user behaviors, motivations and interests across multiple consumer verticals, UXIP helps clients meet consumer needs, develop usable solutions and deliver compelling user experiences through both syndicated and proprietary research capabilities. With our extensive expertise in large-scale survey work, in-depth interviews, focus groups and observational sessions, UXIP's research methodologies allow strategic user-centric analysis on the potential for new technologies. Providing actionable insight, go-to-market strategies and business recommendations, UXIP is a leading supplier of consumer knowledge to the technology industry. Click here for more information.

Press Contacts
US Contact: Chris Schreiner, +1 617 614 0713, [email protected] 
European Contact: Diane O'Neill, +44(0) 1908 423 669, [email protected]

SOURCE Strategy Analytics

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