Laurie Orlov’s latest report takes a look at the state of wearables in the older adult market. She posits that it’s comparable to where voice tech (Alexa et al) stood in 2018–at the early stage, with the present state of minimal adoption ramping up in about a three to five-year time frame. 

From the report, she identifies these tipping points:

• Self-service hearables have made hearing improvements cool – and cheap. In the US, hearing assistance has become mass marketed and, as a result, has become less of a stigma. While not for all, it’s reduced prices overall.
• Fitness wearables already appeal to the younger, better educated, and more affluent cohort of older adults. They will carry this trend forward as they age.
• Designs are improving, from the Apple Watch to mobile PERS. The pendant is the past.
• Pricing is improving
• Technology means that one wearable can be multi functional–and research is pouring into new uses, creating new companies and tech
• Investment is pouring into digital health, accentuating all the above
• Doctors may be more accomodating of the ‘data overload’–but consumers may drive this with recording their own data

The future for wearables? Personalized, predictive, proactive, smart, integrated, affordable, privacy-protective–and prescribed.

The report is free and downloadable from AgeInPlaceTech.com.