With Google, Samsung, and Apple all expected to have cutting edge wearable devices or smartwatches on the market by year’s end, the time for mobile marketers to begin thinking beyond the smartphone and tablet screen is upon us.
While there’s no concrete timetable for Apple’s launch of its still-rumored iWatch product, Samsung is already knee-deep in wearables.
And later this spring, Google may be right there with them.
“Google and LG are about to jump into the smartwatch game together,” CNET reported Sunday. “Google is set to unveil plans for its smartwatch-centric operating system in March, likely in a blog post, according to a person familiar with its plans. The actual smartwatch itself will make its debut at its Google I/O conference in June.”
For marketing and advertising professionals across numerous industries, the arrival of smartwatches has ushered in a new era of opportunity for mobile marketing, as millions of consumers may soon have yet another mobile screen on their person that doubles as a gateway to mobile ads, relevant offers, and other marketing communications from businesses and brands.
Although it’s too early to get a sense of the best devices and tactics for reaching the mobile masses via marketing to wearable devices, what matters today is that mobile marketers at least begin considering the looming evolution at hand. Because while more rumors than reality still drive headlines in the wearable tech space, those behind the times when the rubber meets the road will greatly regret their unpreparedness.