Last week at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, all eyes were on the product category that effectively defined this year’s CES: wearable devices.
For marketing and advertising professionals across numerous industries, the arrival of smartwatches has ushered in a new era of opportunity for mobile marketing, as millions of consumers may soon have yet another mobile screen on their person that doubles as a gateway to mobile ads, relevant offers, and other marketing communications from businesses and brands.
But in order for smartwatches to take off, one player must enter the game. And soon.
Despite expectations that Apple’s long-rumored smartwatch, the so-called “iWatch,” would be available by now, we are yet to see this purportedly forthcoming Apple device.
Supply chain chatter out of Asia indicates that we may not see the Apple smartwatch until much later this year. But Apple has practically no chance of backing away from this product launch, analysts contend, arguing that the iWatch will be vitally important in keeping Apple’s innovation watchdogs at bay and to help elevate the nascent wearable device industry.
Brian White has once again reiterated his belief that Apple will enter the wearable tech product category this year. White said in a recent note to investors that wearable tech was a “legitimate, new product category” after seeing multiple wearable tech devices at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
According to Wall Street Cheat Sheet, the Cantor Fitzgerald analyst warns that sales of wearable devices won’t become “meaningful” until Apple enters the picture and releases a smartwatch with mass market appeal. Only then will smartwatches gain the widespread adoption necessary for marketers to shift their marketing strategies to this new screen.
