How Social Media will Change With the Advent of Wearable Tech?

Flashback 70s: Amitabh Bachchan announces, “You see sir, I can talk English, I can walk English, I can laugh English, I can run English., because English is a funny language…”?

Cut to the present: You see sir, I can now wear technology, talk technology, walk technology, run technology and sleep technology because technology is a funny phenomenon. And, it never ceases to surprise you. So, now get ready to wear technology. That’s right!

Welcome to the age of wearable technology. For the uninitiated, wearable technology or tech togs are clothing and accessories supported by a computer.

For instance, Google Glass is a wearable computer with a head-mounted display and it can record your day like the way you want it. This is just one example. For your arms and legs, put on a Pebble smart watch and Apple's possibly forthcoming smart shoes. Then, there’s the Nike Fuelband that measures your physical activity.

Embrace+ alerts wearers to smartphone notifications for social-media updates, incoming calls, battery power and text messages. iBand, a wearable bracelet-like device can store, display, and exchange information about its users and their social relationships. It augments real and virtual world social interaction.

Image source: slashgear.com

Beating the market are devices like Autographer and Memoto, which take photos constantly to give you a record of what you've seen throughout the day! After all, your eyes can only see, and not record it for you. Alas! Finally, to complete your tech-friendly outfit, throw on Woven, an e-wearable gaming platform.

Still in its infancy, these technologies are instigating people and brands to see things differently. Thanks to wearable tech that is bound to know our actions, will also be aware of our social media activities. Thus, connecting us to real-time information, it will literally change the way we think, talk, sleep, walk, run, eat. Isn't it?

For instance, if you happen to try on a new perfume, and are thinking about buying it, wearable tech will instantly provide your details about which of your Facebook friends have ‘liked’ this perfume, what others have to say, etc. This data will now change the way we shop.

Image Source: experiencetheblog.com

On the onset, wearable technology will challenge the data consumption. We all recognize that today's social media has brought in more transparency in the corporate world. And, now consumers will get more power. This will happen when the virtual and physical worlds are merged by wearable tech; and are powered by our social media data.

It is indeed an interesting concept. For some, these products could be life changing or life enhancing. But, the question here is, are we ready for this change?

Rackspace, the US-based open cloud company released a study titled "The Human Cloud: Wearable Technology from Novelty to Productivity" that reports 18 per cent of the population in the US and UK are using wearable technology, and the majority of those users (82 per cent of Americans and 71 per cent of Brits) say these devices are making their lives better.

At the same time, there is a large percentage (53 per cent) of the section that has raised concerns about privacy and regulations. Well, it most certainly feels like being trapped in a ‘Big Boss’ house, where you are watched all the time!

But, India can take a breather for now. These fashion products will take a while before it catwalks its way on the Indian runaway. Till then, let’s watch and learn how our western counterparts are grappling with their love-hate relationship with these devices.