Why a smartwatch may feel…de trop

De tropFrench, adjective, meaning too much, too many, unwanted

Have you noticed that many early adopters have skipped smartwatches? Other wearables such as fitness trackers have taken their place successively on the wrists of your favorite Quantified Selfer or weekend warrior. (A sign: they are now mass market at drug stores like CVS and sports stores for the holiday.) But how many people are looking forward to a special delivery of an Apple Watch, Samsung Gear S or even the well-reviewed and well-priced LG G Watch R in Santa’s pack? Having just returned from the NYeC Digital Health Conference, I saw few on the wrists of DH mavens. Smartwatches (and clothing wearables) also faded out at CES Unveiled [TTA 21 Nov], a complete turnaround from June’s event.

If you’ve been wondering too, you’ll be nodding like a bobblehead at John Nosta’s blog post in NuviumThe Death of Wearables. Reasons why: no consumer desire, translation (it’s the same data from fitness trackers, tarted up–Ed. Donna), connection (not relevant to managing a disease or condition.) In other words, it’s de trop, not de-lovely.

A wearable or smartwatch which would interest him would pick up the activity of nanoparticles in your blood, detecting early stage cancer cells or chemicals presaging a heart attack. In his words, ‘where early, early detection shares a border with prevention.”

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