Smartphones solve four of the major challenges for mass consumer AR already: all-day battery life, mobile connectivity, app ecosystem and telco cross-subsidization.
Festivals such as SXSW are awash with irritating street teams desperately trying to distribute branded hand sanitisers in aid of a new Karen Gillan-starring horror movie, or grilled-cheese sandwiches sponsored by a social-connectivity app (both real examples).
If you're Samsung, then you'd say it's the inclusion of phone connectivity and apps, albeit with a hefty price tag (and heft to match) in the form of its Samsung Galaxy Gear, launched in September.
But even as I form the question, I wonder instead whether what's more interesting is faster connectivity, livestreaming apps and wearable technology filtering down to more members of the public: the people who aren't covering protests or conflicts, but who are living them.
Unlike other car makers, Ford always bet that drivers would bring their own connectivity and apps to the car.
Yes, I have a tiny, portable electronic device with magic, always-on, data connectivity and apps where I can read the opinions of others about venues in my proximity.
Millennials, who grew up checking their cellphones to tell the time, have shunned conventional watches, and the addition of Internet connectivity and apps hasn't yet been enough to entice them.
The hardware startup is launching two new smoke detectors that leverage the battery's wireless connectivity and app platform for smartphone-based alerts and check-in.
But smartglasses' five major challenges must be conquered for them to work in consumer markets: (1) hero device (i.e. an Apple-quality device, whether made by Apple or someone else), (2) all-day battery life, (3) mobile connectivity, (4) app ecosystem, and (5) telco cross-subsidization.
Smartglasses have to deliver on five major challenges before they can become mass market consumer devices: (1) hero device (i.e. an Apple quality device, whether made by Apple or someone else), (2) all-day battery life, (3) mobile connectivity, (4) app ecosystem and (5) price.
