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Apr 01 2015

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A Digital Challenge for Brands: Creating A Consistent Customer Experience

Understanding the shopper journey and what motivates a shopper to buy your brand is essential to ensure your brand speaks to your target audience. New research has found that the number of consumers researching products online before buying in-store has decreased by 7 percent over the past year. The study, conducted by OnePoll, asked 2000 respondents what motivates them when shopping in retail. The research reflects the changing relationship between e-commerce and the high-street, the Omni-channel. Buying behaviours are becoming more complex, with consumers increasingly using both in-store and online research when making purchasing decisions, particularly on considered “high ticket” purchases.

Recent research conducted by Epson Europe also found that 45 percent of UK purchases are made online, meaning that the majority of purchases are still made in-store. However the gap is closing, with online sales in the UK making up the largest share in Europe, 7 percent above the average. The study also found that 20 percent of shoppers purchase goods online while in-store via mobile devices, using their in-store visit to guide their online purchases. It’s clear that shoppers are becoming more connected in-store, with smart phones beginning to make a clear impact on retail. Researching products online whilst in-store is common and the norm amongst some, with shoppers now able to compare prices on the shop floor more often and likely to become even more common with the development of wearable technology.

In-store social media use is also increasing among consumers, with 14 percent of 18-to-35 year olds using Facebook to ‘check-in’ to stores, and 15 percent using social media to discuss products with friends. Engaging with brands and retailers through social media is most prevalent with the younger age category, with older generations shying away from the social experience however, they are increasingly using online research before making purchases. Shoppertribes research identified that 58 percent of shoppers aged 55 and over use online research to aid their in-store purchases of electronic goods, and in crowded categories, brands should not ignore such a statistic. With all age groups engaging with brands across many digital platforms, it is unsurprising that the online experience, be that through e-commerce or social media, is beginning to shape how we chose to shop for certain items and brands, with those in the 35 and under more likely to shop online for smaller purchases, choosing to go down the traditional and more sociable route of shopping on the high street for those rewarding considered purchases.

Although the number of shoppers researching online and buying in-store is decreasing, the importance of the Omni-channel experience remains clear. The impact of e-commerce should not be underestimated as nearly half of all sales, predominantly small as identified by the average online basket, are now made online, a number which will likely increase. However, the primary motivation for consumers to shop in-store remains: ‘the ability to see and touch the product.’ This desire to engage in the brand experience is common with considered purchasing decisions associated with high ticket consumer electronics and luxury brands. Increasingly, in our digitally connected, social media world, the brand you carefully chose to wear, carry, and live with as an expression of your identity and lifestyle needs to be seen in person and not in the virtual world.

The benefits of the in-store experience can outweigh the convenience of shopping online. Brands need to combine their approach with seamless branding between online and in-store experiences and streamline the overall brand experience for consumers. Matching online branding in-store can assist sales by improving product recall to guide consumers through the in-store journey. By using an integrated approach, brands can guide the shopper journey, initially driven by ATL from online and social media recommendations to in-store where the unique selling points in relation to the design and quality of brand products are realised in person, which online can’t always achieve. That retail experience remains more successful in achieving the valuable emotional connection consistent with a brand and keeps “shopping” as a sensory event rather than just another virtual experience.

Tagged brands, Epson, Omnichannel, Shopper Tribes, social media

Mar 27 2015

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How important is digital and retail experience for brands?

Now in its second year, new Shopper Tribes research from Gekko has found that fewer shoppers are researching products online before buying in-store, with numbers falling by 7% over the past year.

As buying behaviours become more complex, with consumers increasingly taking a multi-channel approach when purchasing goods, the relationship between the digital and retail experience is ever more important for brands.

Recent research conducted by Epson Europe found that the majority of UK purchases are still made in-store, with 55% still visiting the high street when making considered purchases. However, the gap is closing, with online sales in the UK making up the largest share in Europe, 7% above the average.

The study also found that 20% of shoppers used mobile devices whilst in-store to make purchases online. Rather than purchase in retail, these shoppers preferred to use the high street to guide their online purchases.

With smartphones now in almost every pocket, shoppers are becoming more connected in-store, increasingly using their devices to compare prices on the shop floor.

Gekko identified that younger generations are also increasingly using social media to guide their shopping experience, with 14% of 18 to 35 year olds using Facebook to ‘check-in’ to stores, and 15% using social media to discuss products with friends.

While brand engagement over social media is far less prevalent among older generations, they are increasingly using online research to aid in their purchasing decisions, with 58% of those 55 and over making use of online research before making purchases in-store. Across the generations, the online experience, be that through social media or product research, is becoming more of an influence on shoppers in relation to those rewarding considered purchases.

Although fewer consumers on average are researching online before buying in-store, the importance of a omni-channel approach remains clear for brands. Although nearly half of sales are now made online, a figure which will likely increase, the primary motivation for consumers for shopping in-store remains: ‘the ability to see and touch the product’. This desire to engage in the brand experience is common with considered purchasing decisions associated with high ticket consumer electronics and luxury brands.

Matching online branding in-store can assist sales by improving product recall, and likewise employing brand ambassadors to guide consumers through the in-store journey can help convey the unique selling points of your products.

By using an integrated approach, brands can guide the shopper journey from ATL or online to in-store, converting shoppers into customers of your brand.

Tagged shopping experience, social media, UK purchases

Mar 24 2015

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Is Apple about to be given a bloody nose by the real watchmakers?

At this year’s Baselworld watch fair in Switzerland, smartwatches were in abundance fusing the traditional with the modern. But are traditional luxury brands running scared of the impending Apple Watch, or just being coy and know that those of us that like our watches will never succumb to the mundane?

In a market where Swiss watches make up just under 3% of the market but over 50% of its value, the fight is on and something tells me it’s going to be good.

We had announcements from established watch houses such as Frederique Constant with its Android & iOS enabled, and keen priced, Horological Smartwatch. Tag Heuer in partnership with Google and Intel also announced something exciting that will be Android based, and likely an excellent product.

Will.I.Am and Gucci announced a smart band that will work independently to your phone thanks to 3G, and Brietling with its B55 referencing its heritage, pilots, who legally need to record all their flying times. My personal favourite is the Mondaine Helvetica 1 creating a minimalist smartwatch that looks quite simply classic and beautiful in every way.

All these brands have one thing in common: they are coveted by collectors and true followers of fashion alike who appreciate the intricacies of a Swiss timepiece and don’t want to lose that appeal for the sake of technology.

A luxury time piece is not only an item of personal joy to the wearer but also an expression of your style and taste. The odds of bumping into someone else on any given day, wearing your IWC Portofino, TAG Monza, Rolex Airking etc. are long.

With analysts forecasting Apple Watch units totalling 14 million in FY15, the likelihood is that before long that Apple Watch you so coveted is the antithesis of cool and no longer unique as millions of others share the same wrist jewellery, and your odds of being cool are now very short.

Tagged Apple Watch, Frederique Constant, Horological Smartwatch, Swiss watches, Tag Heuer, traditional luxury brands

Mar 09 2015

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MWC 2015: Is It More of the Same or Change for the Sake of Change?

Mobile brands, including carriers and social media grandees such as Mark Zuckerberg, are in Barcelona at MWC15 to announce, prophesise, and speculate on what we as consumers will want, or think we need, in the form of mobile devices and the connected landscape. It’s true to say that we are a generation that relies on our mobile devices, even to the extent that we feel naked without a device to access the web 24/7. This now extends to wearables for fitness, virtual reality, gaming, and next, our virtual wallet and transport.

Next week at its March 9th ‘Spring Forward’ event, and as ever separately to every other brand, Apple will likely launch the Apple Watch to a global audience who may just be underwhelmed considering the announcement of advances in Android-based wearables demonstrated by HTC, Huawei, LG and Sony to name a few at MWC15. Underwhelmed is perhaps unlikely based on consumer enthusiasm, but the exclusive snapshot of the Apple Watch given by Lisa Armstrong, Telegraph Fashion Editor, demonstrates that Apple is offering what every brand must deliver to its consumers — choice. Apple offers choice of styles, straps, and faces, and of course the Edition variant in 18ct rose or yellow gold for those who like their wearables with a bit of bling. One thing these new arrivals, Apple included, all have in common is that they start to transcend the chasm of tech into fashion. They look great, work effectively, and are worthy cost-effective options (with the exception of Apple) that will further ignite the wearables market.

But who’s copying who? Fashion brands such as Guess, and luxury watch brands like Tag and Mont Blanc, have made their intentions clear and some could argue are being driven by tech brands. However, why should tech need to look traditional to enable adoption, especially if it only works when I remember to charge it? Where is the value, efficiency, and worth?

On the other hand, we may be blown away by our friends in Cupertino. We have more to digest such as those car rumours in which Google is further ahead in realising, as are some of the more forward-thinking automobile brands. Volvo, for example, is exploring connected car services and is announcing a trial launch, progressing its published plan to create a fleet of driverless cars by 2017.

It’s an obvious move to connect our devices to our transportation – our devices will soon show us how to get to our destination and then take us there in the most efficient manner. Easier said than done, as we all know the pitfalls of satellite navigation. Does a driverless car have the potential to become annoying like a cab driver who is lost, can’t drive, or drives dangerously? Without exception, any mobile or wearable device that connects with our vehicle and 3rd-party applications, like social media, are going to involve advertising, data, and subscriptions, further sacrificing the joy of a quiet and peaceful drive home.

With connected devices creating more opportunities for brands, every manufacturer understands that they need to have a cross-category approach to devices including phones, wearables, and VR, which is evident from the announcements made at MWC15. As the technology develops, however, brands also need to create amazing, intuitive, and secure software to encourage us to part with more of our tangible assets and transactions, in order to communicate and live virtually.

Are we ready or would we rather, brands included, slow down the pace? Technology is moving so rapidly that innovations are becoming obsolete before they have a chance to become a recognised part of history. The hardware needed to operate these innovations can become redundant sooner thus creating obvious problems in disposal as we can’t indefinitely deal with it by sending it off our shores to become someone else’s problem. Our perceived need to demand more out of our devices, brands, and lifestyles compounded with being forced to update, upgrade, and adopt as a result of market forces may be what drives us to come to a full circle and look for a device that allows a simpler and more traditional private life; unlikely but not impossible.

Tagged Apple, Google, mobile, MWC15, Volvo, wearables

Mar 05 2015

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Is it too late for BlackBerry’s return to the touchscreen mobile market?

With Mobile World Congress in Barcelona almost at an end, last night Blackberry chief executive John Chen surprisingly announced BlackBerry’s re-entry into the touchscreen mobile market with the ‘Leap’, joining the recent classic keyboard models, with another three variants to come in 2015.

With an estimated 1,000 smartphones being shipped globally every minute compared to nothing less than a decade ago, can Blackberry reignite enthusiasm – not only amongst new customers, but those die hard brand advocates?

Blackberry shipped 7.9 million phones last year according to a Gartner study, six times less than in 2011 (51.1m).

The brand certainly still deserves some credence, after all it continues to dominate in the B2B sector and has suffered fewer embarrassing privacy leaks than some rivals.

This time, Blackberry will provide access to its services on iOS, Android and Windows phones for a fee as ‘experience suites’, which all sounds very complicated.

With hungry competitors like Microsoft, LG and Motorola bringing similar mid-range devices with more innovations and greater advertising spend to the market, can Blackberry continue to trade on good will and is its market now too business centric to be relevant to make the ‘Leap’?

I hope it’s not too late for Blackberry – it paved the way for the globe’s current top two players who most certainly copied what Blackberry created, and did it well with lesser products but great advertising and brand advocacy.

To survive in my view, Blackberry must once again focus hard on its brand, values, heritage and innovation in a manner which appeals to both more established and emerging demographics.

It needs to stay in the game and keep the competition fresh to offer more choice to both business and consumers.

I guarantee that every mobile carrier wants to see Blackberry survive to ensure certain brands have less control over their business models and a broad spread of brands to partner with now, tomorrow and long-term.

Tagged Blackberry, mobile, MWC15

Feb 06 2015

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Electrical retailers can’t afford to ignore wearable tech

Let’s talk about wearables and how retailers can capitalise on a category that, contrary to some people’s opinions, will in 2015 continue to grow in sales and value.

It’s becoming clear that wearables are not a fad. As more brands and products enter the market, some may disappear – Google Glass for one – but those that have demonstrated their credentials in 2014 will remain a fixture in 2015 and possibly beyond.

As the hype around a particular brand of watch spirals ever more out of control, the benefits of heightened exposure for the category is naturally index-linked for retailers, so now is the time to ride that wave and ignore the sceptics.

As of the end of 2014, three million Brits owned a wearable device, with Dixons Carphone reporting a 710 per cent increase in wearables sales over the year.

The UK wearables market value was predicted to have hit £313.6 million by the end of 2014 and many shoppers had wearable devices at the top of their lists for Christmas 2014.

The same research conducted by Dixons Carphone confirmed that Sony’s Smartwatch, Fitbit’s Flex and Samsung’s Gear Fit were the top-selling wearables during the Christmas period. It’s clear they are growing in popularity among consumers, with research from Samsung suggesting that sales during Christmas 2014 were 182 per cent higher than the same period in 2013. One can only assume that again this will increase in 2015.

With growth in mind, ranging of core lines is essential to appeal to a wide demographic, coupled with a greater in-store experience.

Staff need not only to understand the products well enough to sell them as standalone or add-on sales, but also become advocates themselves.

Think about giving your staff devices to use and live with for a sustained period. This could be done in partnership with a specific market leader like Fitbit or a relative newcomer like Epson Sensing to immerse them in the wearables experience and improve their sales technique – as they do when training to sell other CE products in your store. It may also make your staff healthier, happier and more productive – a win-win for all.

But seriously, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) of wearables purchased as gifts, the person buying may not know anything about the product and store staff therefore need good product knowledge to help seal the deal. Also, with two-thirds of consumers citing ease of use as an important factor when selecting a wearable product, a demonstration becomes crucial.

Shoppers need reassurance that products are easy to use and include useful functions. Effective staff training for product knowledge and demonstrations reassures shoppers and potentially increases not only unit sales, but also the value of each sale.

Displays are also important. Think about the location in-store and connectivity to other devices you may range. The customer journey should be one that enables the customer to see how wearables work with the phone in their pocket, TV or even a washing machine.

With an estimated 17 million Brits set to own a wearable in 2015, creating a potential UK market worth £1.7 billion, the opportunity is clear for all.

Don’t just think traditional wearables – the market will grow through innovation. Soon you’ll see a number of wearable devices for pets, including a smart dog collar from Motorola, which includes a remote 720p camera, GPS connectivity and speakers to communicate with your dog via your smartphone, accompanying the various GPS tracker collars already on the market.

Also expect connected clothing and jewellery – wearables developed more as fashion accessories – beginning to emerge, making tech more mainstream and commonplace among customers.

Tagged Dixons Carphone, Gekko, Wearable, wearable device

Jan 19 2015

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Luxury Brands Launch Wearable Tech as Fashion at CES2015

You may have noticed that last week the world’s largest Consumer Electronics Show was in full swing in Vegas and whilst most mainstream technologies were announced, in and around these announcements were many new wearable tech ideas flirted by many brands that will undoubtedly come to market within the decade and change the way we view our coveted fashion brands as wearable technology. The advancement of wearables at CES 2015 as a fashion statement is potentially huge, not to be ignored and begins the brand debate.

At this year’s CES we began to see the second generation of many wearable devices, including updated reveals from traditional tech brands: Epson, Sony, LG, Garmin and Fitbit to name a few. With the looming release of the unmistakably fashionable Apple Watch, many wearable makers are following suit by consciously developing fashion that conceals our technology as clothing, watches and jewellery.

For example, take a look at the Tory Burch range for Fitbit which turns your wearable fitness technology into high-end fashion jewellery. None of your friends or colleagues would know you’re counting calories or you’re on a detox. It would appear that fashion brands have realised a new category of consumers. If you like high-end watches, then why would you swap your favourite brand(s) for a rubber smart device that looks, in some instances, ugly and conspicuous.

Wearable maker Misfit has teamed up with Swarovski to produce the “Shine,” a customisable series of fitness trackers disguised as jewellery. Hidden beneath Swarovski crystals, the Shine tracks activity such as steps, swimming strokes, and sleep via an accompanying app. It is also the first solar-charging wearable, reflecting sunlight through its crystals. The Martian developed “Guess Connect,” a Guess watch that looks like normal, but has the addition of small screen which displays caller ID and other alerts, Bluetooth connectivity, and can interact with Siri or Google Voice commands via an inbuilt microphone. Other offerings from watchmakers intending to join the wearable revolution are Tag Heuer and Mont Blanc.

I suspect many more to follow once they’ve seen how it works for other luxury brands and how it fits within their own strategy, portfolio, and demographic. Rolex, Cartier, and Jaeger-LeCoultre may not be jumping on the bandwagon just yet and why should they if it doesn’t meet the brand’s ethos and heritage. Is there a need to adapt, dilute, or license the precious brand just to be in the wearable tech game? Is this another advancement the luxury watch makers & brands can’t ignore?

As predicted, these innovations suggest just how wearables will begin to blend into existing fashion, becoming easily mistakable for a normal watch or piece of jewellery. These new wearables will suit any situation, not just the gym. Smart devices that are office-appropriate will increase the popularity of wearables for health, communication, and productivity use. Interestingly, take a look at CES winner in the “Best Offbeat Product” category, a new brand called Belty. Like Nike with its power laces, Belty is a motorised belt buckle –yes you read that correctly. It slackens and tightens to make you more comfortable, for example if you’ve eaten too much. More seriously, it has the tracking capabilities to aid diet and body shape. CES believes it’s a fun, quirky, and potentially viral product.

Consumers will ultimately decide the limits of wearable tech and for brands this is a risk. Do luxury heritage brands risk potential ridicule or failure for the sake of changing demographics and technology or do they focus on what they do best? There’s a consumer for every heritage brand and, with the exception of some gradual, natural, and subtle advancements in technology, we should keep brands focused on their authenticity.

Tagged CES, Fashion, Gekko, wearables

Jan 16 2015

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The end of Google Glass?

The end of Google Glass, in its current incarnation – yes. As a future viable, perhaps watered down, consumer based product – I doubt it.

It was ugly, you looked silly in them, and the health and social responsibility factors were questionable. Google Glass’s move back into a research project rather than a viable consumer product is indicative of the social stigma associated with this wearable technology.

It gained many column inches, which made it worthy of its impressive abilities. It also ignited the imaginations of programmers, who developed applications that enabled you to look up and see the solar system above your head, read signs in foreign languages and translate these signs in front of your eyes into your chosen language.

Even the beleaguered Tesco announced this week a Glass app for your online grocery shop. But with very few users purchasing and wearing, today’s was an unsurprising announcement from Google in response to poor consumer demand.

As seen at this year’s CES, wearable’s and VR have developed rather differently than expected giving Google, I suspect, an opportunity to exit with its head held high. It will review, redevelop, configure and improve what was a very clever innovation, but which unfortunately had significant flaws.

Google glass is not dead. It will I’m sure evolve and become something new, creating the same hype and publicity as Glass achieved, but come to market in a more viable form and function and perhaps a new name.

Tagged Gekko, Google, Google Glass

Jan 14 2015

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Three massive trends that came out the world’s biggest tech fair

Daniel Todaro, MD of technology field marketing agency Gekko, reviews his highlights of CES2015

You may have noticed that last week the world’s largest consumer electronics show was in full swing in Vegas: CES 2015.

While most mainstream technologies were announced, many other new technologies were flirted with in and around these announcements – technologies that will undoubtedly come to market within the decade that could change the way we live, commute and wear our technology.

The three big stories were the Internet of Things (IoT), which includes the connected home. Also announced were advances around in-car tech, with innovation nearer than you think, and also the advancement of wearables as fashion statements.

Big commitment to Internet of Things

A large proportion of Samsung’s keynote address at CES was devoted to the Internet of Things. Samsung pledged that by 2020 all of their devices would be IoT compatible, a huge step in the right direction for tech integration. Expect other brands to make this same pledge.

As we move forward, the smart home category will continue to grow, with domestic appliances, TVs and mobile devices playing a big part in connecting devices together. Brands will need to connect their devices to one another to stay relevant enabling us to connect our entire home from one human interface.

Take a look at Hive, the UK’s connected thermostat, controlling your heating and water remotely. It’s available now and an early innovator in this category.

With all this tech, you need power. Enter centre stage the Energous WattUp, winner of the Best Connected Home Product at CES, a wireless power solution that can charge wirelessly our wearables, phones and any other battery powered device in your home. Energous believe it will have the first wave of this product available by the end of the year.

Samsung’s pledge was also important because it promised ‘open’ connectivity. By opening up its devices to other brands, Samsung is leading the way in a true Internet of Things, where all devices communicate with each other, not just those of the same brands.

If other brands take up this pledge, the Internet of Things will make much more of an impact on our everyday lives by potentially connecting all devices together.

In-car tech

Automotive tech once again made headlines at CES, especially with the Audi self-driving car’s two-day, 550 mile journey from San Francisco to Las Vegas turning heads early in the week.

Self-driving innovations took centre stage for many motor brands, with self-parking cars from Hyundai and Volkswagen demonstrating how far self-driving tech has developed in the past year. Mercedes, winner in the Best Automotive Technology category at CES, showed off the F015 Luxury in Motion concept, which the company believe is possible by 2030 – in Mercedes’ words, “our vision is the car as a salon, a lounge you drift from destination to destination in like an extension of your home.”

Undoubtedly parts of this innovation will become reality soon.

The motor category is also another battleground for Apple and Google, here with their respective CarPlay and Android Auto platforms.

Both allow car users to mirror their mobile Operating Systems in their cars, giving access to GPS maps, hands-free calls, music and other apps through the car’s existing screen. Integration opens up many avenues, for example activating car features using Siri.

Whilst some believe these innovations are a further distraction to drivers diminishing passenger/pedestrian safety, cars, like our homes are inevitably becoming smarter.

Fashionable wearables

At this year’s CES we began to see the second generation of many wearable devices, including updated reveals from Sony, LG, Garmin and Fitbit. With the looming release of the unmistakably fashionable Apple Watch, many wearable makers are following suit by developing their own fashion conscious watches and trackers.

Take a look at the Tori Birch range for Fitbit which turns your wearable fitness technology into high end fashion jewellery.

Wearable maker Misfit has teamed up with Swarovski to produce the Shine, a customisable series of fitness trackers disguised at jewellery. Hidden beneath Swarovski crystals, the Shine tracks activity such as steps, swimming strokes and sleep via an accompanying app, and is also the first solar-charging wearable, reflecting sunlight through the crystals.

The Martian-developed Guess Connect looks like a normal Guess watch, but has the addition of small screen which displays caller ID and other alerts, has Bluetooth connectivity, and can interact with Siri or Google Voice commands via an inbuilt microphone in the watch.

Other offerings from watchmakers intending to join the wearable revolution are Tag Heuer and Fossil.

As predicted, these innovations suggest just how wearables will begin to blend into existing fashion becoming easily mistakable for a normal watch or piece of jewellery. These new wearables will suit any situation, not just the gym.

Smart devices that are both useful for productivity and office-appropriate will only increase the popularity of wearables for health, communication and productivity use.

Interestingly, take a look at CES winner in the Best Offbeat Product category, Belty. Like Nike with its power laces, Belty is a motorised belt buckle – yes, you read that correctly. It slackens and tightens to make you more comfortable, if for example you’ve eaten too much. More seriously, it has tracking capabilities to aid diet and body shape. CES believes it’s a fun, quirky and potentially viral product.

Consumers will ultimately decide the limit to wearable tech and how it intrudes on our lives.

Tagged Gekko, Samsung, Wearable, wearables

Jan 09 2015

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The shape of things to come

With the great and the good of the CE world having converged on CES at Las Vegas, what was announced that would or could enhance our lives?

Perhaps the biggest indicator of how we will be encouraged to live sooner rather than later was Samsung, which pledged that all its devices will be Internet of Things-compliant in five years’ time – in other words, products in many rooms of your home that will be controlled from one human interface.

With the UK officially building the smallest new-build homes in Europe, a gargantuan TV may not be on most wish lists, but there were plenty on show. Take LG’s OLED range, with sizes between 55in and 77in with both flat and curved designs. Also revealed was its 77in flexible curved flagship model, which can automatically adjust the curve of the screen to suit any viewing angle, perhaps creating space to let you stand in the room. Seriously though, brands like Samsung, LG and Sharp have created amazing TVs with depth, speed and smart functionality that enable us as consumers to enjoy TV the way we want to – not how broadcasters would like.

Samsung also revealed a number of SUHD TVs, representing its range of Quantum Dot LED TVs. QD technology delivers “the highest colour purity and light efficiency available today”. Benefits include near 100 per cent compliance with DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) colour range requirements, with very good quality images, similar to OLED. All the TVs shown come with 4K as standard, 48in being the smallest size.

2014 was only the start for the wearables market. Brands tested the water last year to gain valuable insight into what consumers want, how it should look and how we use it and have now created some amazing second-gen products, such as Garmin’s Fenix 3, Fitbit Surge and Sony Smartwatch 3 Steel.

The connected home in 2015 is going to be big. Nest and Hive have developed propositions that make the concept of the connected home more real to many homeowners. We are on an upward trajectory that will see the CE landscape change in retail, at home and in functionality.

Nest made waves at CES when it revealed its partnership with 15 brands under the ‘works with Nest’ moniker. Further integration of smart-home systems and Apple’s HomeKit integrated connected-home devices were revealed, such as the iDevices smart plug system that can control multiple devices, via Siri, by plugging existing appliances into the mains. There are definitely signs of competition heating up between Apple and Google for smart-home dominance.

Wearables are no longer for the early adopters or niche retailers, it’s a category that will continue to grow and by default we will all be wearing a piece a tech that moulds seamlessly into our lives.

At CES 2014, the Oculus Rift made its debut and stimulated the sector’s interest in VR/wearables. Since then, Samsung, Sony and Google have all made leaps in producing their own VR experiences, which will come to market in 2015. If wearables were last year’s breakout category, will 2015 be remembered at CES as the year Virtual Reality leapt to prominence?

Back to TV and how we stream and consume what we watch when we want and in UHD, which perhaps will be more mainstream on digital platforms. Whether subscription services or free-to-air, the significant change in CE is how we consume our entertainment on a quad-play platform.

Samsung, LG, Sony, Sharp, and Panasonic have announced a partnership with Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox to form the UHD Alliance – a group tasked with setting the standards for UHD content, outlining plans to increase availability of 4K content in coming months, perhaps a good sign of more 4K content to come.

Samsung revealed more details of its improved Tizen smart TV operating system that will power all of its new smart TVs in 2015. The new OS improves on the previous iteration’s features, as well as improving connectivity with devices over wi-fi and Bluetooth. This innovation follows a trend among manufacturers for developing more user-friendly interfaces (UIs), also seen at CES with LG’s WebOS 2.0.

Guy North, managing director of Freeview, agrees: “In general, UIs are evolving and getting simpler and more user-friendly, making it easier for viewers to navigate around the different services, which is a good thing.”

Samsung announced a partnership with Sony to have PlayStation Now games streaming through selected Samsung TVs in early 2015, bringing limited gaming content to homes without PlayStation consoles.
There were scares in 2014 about cloud sharing and the privacy issues surrounding exactly where those personal photos get stored and who has access apart from you and those hackers. Fear no more, because having your own cloud and uploading to your data storage device is now possible and these are peripherals I guarantee we will all own, either as new or to replace an ageing device.

There are lots of products coming to market and some to meet the needs of the style-conscious among you – from LaCie’s 1TB in Gorilla Glass designed by Pauline Deltour, and Seagate, which has released two wi-fi-enabled portable hard drives that act as personal cloud storage devices.

Toshiba announced its simple Canvio Basics drives and sharing-friendly Canvio Connect II model – a 3TB drive that lets you access files from anywhere via the internet, but there’s no wi-fi connection, so you can’t share files independent of a PC. Samsung also announced a new SSD [sold state] portable hard drive, the T1 with very quick data-writing speeds, available in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB models, but unfortunately this does not include a cloud storage option.

Streaming is mainstream now, but for those who don’t want a subscription, there is Sling TV (not to be confused with Sling Box) that enables you to stream on multiple platforms, including mobile devices with no contract, instead using a pay-per-view model. Currently only available in the States, will a similar service soon enter the UK market?

When it comes to the brains that make our mobile devices work, Nvidia announced its new Tegra X1 ‘super chip’ for mobile devices, powerful and energy-efficient enough to bring PC-grade graphics to handheld devices, challenging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, where we’re seeing a battle between these and Intel to dominate the smartphone chipset market.

In summary, smart-home innovations sat front and centre at CES 2015. While prominent at CES 2014, in 2015 the category was given a dedicated exhibition space – a good indicator of how far the smart home category has come in the past year.

Tagged Gekko, Samsung, UHD

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