Major acquisitions are being made to help wearables to become more fashionable and appealing for consumers.
One of the most important factors about wearable tech – and yet one that so many of the manufacturers appear to have forgotten in the earliest products – is that these mobile devices actually have to be worn, and because of that, the majority of consumers aren’t going to be interested in dropping hundreds of dollars on something that they consider to be ugly or too weird.
Apple’s recent purchase of Beats Electronics is an important recognition of the importance of style’s role.
The technology manufacturer bought Beats Electronics for a striking $3 billion, and it is clear that the fact that Dr. Dre and Jimmy Lovine are the principals was an important part of this decision. Apple must be hoping that it will be able to incorporate a greater amount of flair and style into the first release of its own wearable tech through their contributions. The oversized headphones from Beats Electronics are known for being colorful and as fashionable as they are functional.
Until now, while wearable tech has performed in terms of function in many ways, fashion is often lacking.
It is believed by many that the lack of style has been one of the primary issues holding back the progress and purchase of wearables such as smartwatches, Google Glass, and others. Though some early adopters are interested, in terms of creating an actual trend, there appears to be a long way to go.
As soon as technology moves away from handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets, its style becomes a great deal more important. Wearables face the additional fashion challenge because they are worn as a part of an individual’s outfit. If people feel that they are going to look odd, geeky, or as though they are trying to “cosplay” at a comic book or sci-fi convention, then the majority will not be all that interested.
Should manufacturers and designers be able to produce wearable tech that will suit everything from yoga wear to a business suit, the game could suddenly change in a very important way.
