We’ll all be sporting fitness bands, phablets, and attending MOOCS in 2014
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Thats according to Deloitte Australia analysts who predict wearable tech (think Google Glass, Samsung Gear smartwatch and fitness bands like FitBit) will be big news in 2014.
One in 4 Aussies will be earning a tech device by year end.
10 million wearables are likely to sell in 2014, globally.
Sales will also soar to surpass 100 million by 2020.
“While there has been much uncertainty around wearables this year we predict that consumer interest will lead to a lucrative market with US$3 billion in sales in smart glasses, watches, and fitness band,” says Deloitte Australia’s TMT leader Stuart Johnston.
“In Australia alone we anticipate 20% of 17-75 year olds will own a wearable by August this year.”
But we won’t be ditching our iPhone just yet.
“Wearables will not replace smartphones,” says Johnston. The majority of wearable devices require smartphone tethering for connectivity, GPS and data viewing capabilities are limited on wearables, so they are an extension to the digital ecosystem, not a substitution.
And in a shock development, phablets – that is fat, oversized smartphones – like Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC One Max will outsell tablets this year in Asia Pacific given the Asian appetite for gaming and video viewing on smartphones.
Phablets have already absorbed 25% of the smartphone market.
Global sales of smartphones, tablets, PCs, TV sets and consoles will rise US$50 billion from 2013, to exceed $750 billion this year as Xbox One, PS4 and 4K and OLED TV’s take off.
But a sales plateau is forecast with demand to slow beyond this year.
Mobile users will also be ‘WhatsApp-ing’, and using other mobile instant messaging services (IMS), like WEChat, BBM, like its going out of fashion.
WhatsApp & Co will generate about 70% of all messages sent from mobiles, as text messages become more antiquated, which is bad news for telcos.
70 billion messages will be sent via mobile every day, while only 21 billion will be via SMS.
Also, forget cord cutting, by the end of the year up to 50 million homes will have two or more separate pay-television subscriptions, globally, whether its Netflix, Foxtel or Quickflix.
Many homes will receive premium programming as part of their broadband subscription.
Also, in terms of education, Massive Open Online Courses known as (MOOCs) are also set to grow as online education becomes more accredited, and increased adoption by corporate training groups.
