Remember the time we told you Intel was searching for ideas on wearable tech without mentioning the word Fashion in the same sentence? Well, it’s apparently okay to do so because an L2ThinkTank survey of US residents, cited by the chip maker, shows the unsavory appearance of wearables to be among the top three reasons as to why people shrink away from them.
But it’s not exactly a bright future that lies in wait for wearable tech, if several points made by the study are to be noted, including Nike’s retreat from this segment. One of the main ways to save the emerging category of devices would be for companies to put their fashionable foot forward. Intel points out to the fact that many folks think of such accessories as geeky or ugly.
Google has announced designer and manufacturer of clothing and accessories, Fossil, as one of its Android Wear partners. Fitbit and fashion designer, Tory Burch, will be working together over a new collection for the former. Apple is known for being finicky with regards to design to the point of being ANnoyed A Lot about anything less than perfect and Nike has proudly been flaunting its tie-up with the company in spite of its purported plans to ditch the FuelBand.
Intel has been waving about a $500,000 grand prize for the winning participant of its Build It Development Track and a $50,000 reward for the person who comes on top at its Dream It Visionary Track. The latter contest is over already, while the deadline for submissions to the former event is June 24, 2014. Some of winning ideas include eco-friendly clothes that can breathe, an implantable Wisdom Tooth to monitor the user’s oral hygiene and an accident-enabling Run-n-read technology to let you read while you run, amongst others.
Whatever you may think of the Intel contest and the ideas presented by participating hopefuls, you cannot deny that wearable tech of today has to be much more fashionable in order to convince you to buy it.