Ryan Martin

Transferring data to the cloud is fairly easy—as long as you do not have a lot of data to move. But when Amazon started AWS, the notion that companies would need to store and potentially transfer exabytes (EB) of data seemed a little out of reach. Today, that is not the case; and Amazon is doing something about it.

GE is getting a jump on the holiday shopping season. The Boston-based IIoT powerhouse recently agreed to buy ServiceMax, a cloud-based provider of field service management solutions, for US$915 million. Less than 24 hours later at its annual Minds + Machines conference in San Francisco, GE announced the acquisition of not one, but two more companies: Bit Stew Systems (US$153 million) and Wise.io (undisclosed).

A wide range of occupations requires specialized equipment, such as scrubs for medical professionals working in urgent care, or protective eyewear for engineers in manufacturing. While the market has seen how devices like Google Glass can introduce new capabilities in healthcare – telepresence, remote patient monitoring, over-the-should style coaching – a wide range of wearable productivity applications purpose built for the enterprise have since started to surface.

But as determinants… Show more

A wide range of occupations requires specialized equipment, such as scrubs for medical professionals working in urgent care, or protective eyewear for engineers in manufacturing. While the market has seen how devices like Google Glass can introduce new capabilities in healthcare – telepresence, remote patient monitoring, over-the-should style coaching – a wide range of wearable productivity applications purpose built for the enterprise have since started to surface.

But as determinants of success surrounding new and emerging mobile product categories such as wearables continue to shift – focusing less on the device ecosystem (Android, iOS), and more on the ecosystem of devices (IoT, IoE) – it will be critical that companies cultivate a capacity to connect the digital and physical worlds, as well as the content and content creation tools to support the transition. The fundamental difference between the consumer and enterprise contexts is that the current cohort of consumer applications are positioned around the marginal (and subjective) value of convenience, while in the enterprise they’re viewed as a tool.

This research analysis examines what ABI Research considers to be the most significant trends and developments related to enterprise wearable tech in industrial and field service markets. The first section includes the conceptual framework supporting the research, as well as the features, functions, and form factors fit for use in industrial and field service settings. The second section consists of updated and refined forecasts, broken down by wearable device type, ASP, end-user channel, and market vertical (Education; Healthcare; Warehouse and Manufacturing; Government and Military; Retail, Commerce, and Marketing; Transportation; Field Services). The final section provides a high-level assessment of a number of relevant vendors to exemplify the different parts of the value chain. Show less

During VMware’s Connect event, the company’s AirWatch team (known for its EMM solution) announced support for head-mounted displays (HMDs), commonly referred to as augmented reality glasses or smart glasses. AirWatch will be extending its unified endpoint management to include wearables from Atheer, APX, Intel, ODG, and Vuzix Corp. for management and app delivery in full-scale commercial deployments.

IoT analytics revenue is on track to exceed $30 billion in the next five years, yet fewer than one-third of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 Global Universities offer degrees in data science, and only six of the 29 universities that offer data science programs make them available to undergraduate students (versus graduate-only). While companies like Accenture, AT&T, Cisco, and GE started to adapt their respective professional development programs to address talent gaps in-house, advances in… Show more

IoT analytics revenue is on track to exceed $30 billion in the next five years, yet fewer than one-third of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 Global Universities offer degrees in data science, and only six of the 29 universities that offer data science programs make them available to undergraduate students (versus graduate-only). While companies like Accenture, AT&T, Cisco, and GE started to adapt their respective professional development programs to address talent gaps in-house, advances in self-service analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) beg the question: which jobs will or won’t be displaced by IoT automation? Show less

Back in 2012, IBM and the Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) entered into an agreement to build an advanced fiber network to connect transmission substations to the state’s distribution utilities. Following this came a two-year joint development project using coupled data models and related software to increase grid reliability, lower weather event-related OPEX costs, and optimize the utilization of renewable energy generation resource. Today, this system provides both the communications… Show more

Back in 2012, IBM and the Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) entered into an agreement to build an advanced fiber network to connect transmission substations to the state’s distribution utilities. Following this came a two-year joint development project using coupled data models and related software to increase grid reliability, lower weather event-related OPEX costs, and optimize the utilization of renewable energy generation resource. Today, this system provides both the communications infrastructure to relay usage as well as equipment status information back to utilities and the analytical backend to improve grid resilience and storm response. It also has the support of The Weather Company’s B2B, mobile, and cloud-based assets (proprietary data) acquired by IBM (proprietary technology) late last year. Show less

The first (computers), second (TVs), and third (mobile) screens continue to grow in size, while their successors head in the other direction. Wrist-based, head-worn, and other wearable devices benefit from this modality due to the more glanceable and interactive experiences they’re designed to deliver. The challenge is that smaller screens compromise the capacity to communicate and consume information, and, up until recently, there were few commercially-available alternatives to bridge this gap.

At more than $1.4 trillion, Amazon, Google, IBM, and Microsoft have a combined market cap that dwarfs the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 90% of countries in the world. Each has also open sourced its own deep learning library in the past 12 to 18 months.

The wearable scanner and reader technology market is growing, with many different devices being adopted including ring scanners, glove scanners, and smart glasses. These devices can be used across a variety of industries including warehouses, transportation, healthcare, field services, and manufacturing. A number of aspects are driving growth within the wearable scanner and reader market, with the key factor being that companies are looking to improve productivity and efficiency while reducing… Show more

The wearable scanner and reader technology market is growing, with many different devices being adopted including ring scanners, glove scanners, and smart glasses. These devices can be used across a variety of industries including warehouses, transportation, healthcare, field services, and manufacturing. A number of aspects are driving growth within the wearable scanner and reader market, with the key factor being that companies are looking to improve productivity and efficiency while reducing errors. This report examines the different types of devices within the wearable scanner and reader market, as well as outlining various major players and companies who are adopting the technology. Forecasts include Wearable Computing Device Shipments by End-user Channel, Global Enterprise Wearable Scanner Device Shipments by Device Type, and Global Enterprise Wearable Scanner Device Shipments by Use Case. Show less

With the number of IoT-connected devices estimated to grow to tens of billions by the end of the decade, the volume of the data generated by these devices is poised to reach unprecedented proportions. According to ABI Research’s research analysis Edge Analytics in IoT (AN-1914), the total volume of data produced annually by IoT-connected devices is estimated to reach almost 130 million yottabytes (YB) in 2020, where 1 YB equals 1024 bytes or 1018 megabytes (MB). With such huge numbers in play… Show more

With the number of IoT-connected devices estimated to grow to tens of billions by the end of the decade, the volume of the data generated by these devices is poised to reach unprecedented proportions. According to ABI Research’s research analysis Edge Analytics in IoT (AN-1914), the total volume of data produced annually by IoT-connected devices is estimated to reach almost 130 million yottabytes (YB) in 2020, where 1 YB equals 1024 bytes or 1018 megabytes (MB). With such huge numbers in play, managing the large volume, variety, and velocity of big data becomes one of the major challenges the IoT industry has to face today. Show less

The 1H 2016 Internet of Everything update provides an overview of industry announcements, disruptive trends, latest research, and recommendations for M2M and IoT service providers and suppliers.

This presentation includes
- Internet of Everything Semiannual Update: The Digital-Physical Convergence
- Key Forecast Findings
- Opportunities
- Disruptive Threats
- Guidance
- Authors and Contacts

In ABI Research’s terminology, the Internet of Everything (IoE) is a technology concept that consists of three subsystems: the Internet of Digital, the Internet of Things, and the Internet of Humans. Conceptually, this distinction is meant to underline that despite the ongoing convergence of the "digital-first" domain (e.g., PCs and mobile devices) and the "physical-first" domain (e.g., humans and “things”) there is still, technologically, only one "Internet" to which the components within both… Show more

In ABI Research’s terminology, the Internet of Everything (IoE) is a technology concept that consists of three subsystems: the Internet of Digital, the Internet of Things, and the Internet of Humans. Conceptually, this distinction is meant to underline that despite the ongoing convergence of the "digital-first" domain (e.g., PCs and mobile devices) and the "physical-first" domain (e.g., humans and “things”) there is still, technologically, only one "Internet" to which the components within both domains connect.

The digital-physical convergence is underpinned by the evolution toward a ubiquitously connected world. How to address this megatrend is emerging as a critical strategic question for practically all technology companies, regardless of whether they are IC vendors, module suppliers, device OEMs, software vendors, service providers, or enterprises.

The emergence of standardized low-power wireless technologies is one of the main enablers of the IoE, with technologies like Bluetooth and ZigBee driving node / sensor implementations and Wi-Fi or cellular providing the backbone for data transfer to the cloud. Due to this dynamic, ABI Research considers it imperative to track the industry with a holistic database that captures the connectivity chain on an end-to-end basis.

This product brings together many of ABI Research's data streams across connectivity technologies and end markets to give an overall picture of the trend represented by the Internet of Everything. It provides a historical view back to 2000 and a forecast to 2021 across nine end-market verticals and eleven technologies, using the installed base of connected endpoints as the key metric. Show less

The value of big data stems from its ability to surface relevant and actionable insights at the micro level. The proliferation of Internet-connected devices presents a framework for analytics to become much more granular in nature and an opportunity to better align the frequency of reporting to the pace of business operations.

While today the biggest challenge lies in managing the variety–rather than the volume or velocity–of IoT data, the general shift from batch- to event-based… Show more

The value of big data stems from its ability to surface relevant and actionable insights at the micro level. The proliferation of Internet-connected devices presents a framework for analytics to become much more granular in nature and an opportunity to better align the frequency of reporting to the pace of business operations.

While today the biggest challenge lies in managing the variety–rather than the volume or velocity–of IoT data, the general shift from batch- to event-based processing signals a growing interest in real-time / streaming analytics as a lever for IoT value creation. The need to harmonize these components without creating or simply shifting the bottlenecks that come with the management of high-velocity variable data puts pressure on connectivity providers, edge analytics platform players, and system integrators (SIs) to stand up new and distributed architectures to not only support, but also add value to data at any level.

In this research analysis, ABI Research analyzes what it considers to be the most significant trends and developments related to the IoT analytics industry. The first section includes the conceptual framework supporting the research, as well as a wrap-up of recent activity. The second section consists of the updated and refined forecasts on the market’s revenues, broken down by application, region, value chain component, and analytic phase (descriptive, predictive, prescriptive). A high-level revenue projection for the overall big data and analytics market is also included at the end of the section for a view of IoT analytics in a broader industry context. The final section provides a high-level assessment of a number of relevant vendors to exemplify the different parts of the value chain. Show less

Despite Google's push to expand Android Wear/iOS support, the limited list of Android Wear/iOS-compatible devices, as well as their functional shortcomings (relative to staying in-ecosystem), in many ways constrains the menu of available use cases to the crutch of wearables’ smartphone parent. The dominance of wrist-borne devices in consumer segments – where fitness trackers and smart watches alone accounted for 80% of the 135m units shipped globally in 2015 (MD-WADT-107) – only serves to… Show more

Despite Google's push to expand Android Wear/iOS support, the limited list of Android Wear/iOS-compatible devices, as well as their functional shortcomings (relative to staying in-ecosystem), in many ways constrains the menu of available use cases to the crutch of wearables’ smartphone parent. The dominance of wrist-borne devices in consumer segments – where fitness trackers and smart watches alone accounted for 80% of the 135m units shipped globally in 2015 (MD-WADT-107) – only serves to obfuscate the issue; it’s about interoperability, not form factor.

This two-part insight examines the ways in which determinants of success surrounding new and emerging mobile product categories such as wearables are starting to shift, focusing less on the device ecosystem (Android, iOS), and more on the ecosystem of devices (IoT, IoE). Show less

As discussed in Part One of this insight, determinants of success surrounding new and emerging mobile product categories such as wearables are starting to shift – focusing less on the device ecosystem (Android, iOS), and more on the ecosystem of devices (IoT, IoE). The fundamental difference between wearables in the consumer and enterprise contexts is that the current cohort of consumer applications are positioned around the marginal (and subjective) value of convenience, while in the… Show more

As discussed in Part One of this insight, determinants of success surrounding new and emerging mobile product categories such as wearables are starting to shift – focusing less on the device ecosystem (Android, iOS), and more on the ecosystem of devices (IoT, IoE). The fundamental difference between wearables in the consumer and enterprise contexts is that the current cohort of consumer applications are positioned around the marginal (and subjective) value of convenience, while in the enterprise they’re viewed as a tool. The second part of this insight dissects this dynamic, looking at newfound user- and machine-generated data as an input component rather than an output feature of connected systems. Show less

This insight examines Etisalat’s drone service offering and drills down into some of the ways both operators and their ecosystem partners are sizing up UAV technologies as another (opportunistic) point of intersection in the IoT domain.

Becoming the Swiss army knife of real-time data is no small feat. But given 90% of data generated at IoT endpoints is never captured, and 60% loses its value within milliseconds of inception – companies will likely want Flow in their enterprise IT toolshed.

The athletic footwear and apparel giant has acquired activity/fitness-focused software startup runtastic to bolster its position in the connected devices market. The deal comes just six months after adidas competitor Under Armour nabbed runtastic rivals Endomondo and MyFitnessPal.

The joint venture between Stanley Black & Decker and RF Controls has just launched its real-time, location-based RFID products for logistics, manufacturing and retail, building on the idea that the IoT is nothing without item-level information about the 'things' being connected.

During the three-week trial of smart glasses/HUDs in a warehouse operations environment, 10 order pickers from DHL's Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands facility used head-mounted displays in lieu of the current system and improved picking efficiency by 25%.

The company's Connected Vehicle Cloud, which is designed to serve the automotive industry's demands for flexible, scalable and secure connected-car service provisioning, is a prime example of Ericsson starting to execute its strategy – and vision – for a 'networked society.'

As smart watches begin to proliferate in the enterprise (81% of US IT decision-makers who say their company plans to deploy wearables in the next six months favor smart watches), deploying companies are faced with a familiar mobile challenge – defining an app acquisition strategy absent a consensus on best practices.

The company has created a customizable small-footprint platform for corporate wellness-program management, building on already-available third-party apps and mobile hardware to feed and analyze employee-generated health data.

Smart glasses and heads-up displays provided the first inflection point for wearable tech solutions in the enterprise, while wrist-borne wearables have been on the other side of the fence, primarily favoring consumer over B2B channels to date. This may soon change following the release of the Apple Watch and updates to Google's Android Wear OS, but improving the smart watch application ecosystem is just as -- if not more -- important for wearables to move up the enterprise adoption curve.

451 Research shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. Last month, Fitbit, Google and Huawei were among the biggest newsmakers in the mobile and connected devices space.

The company, which provides an integrated network of hardware, software and analytical tools to enable mobile workforces, has added a new wearable camera offering called BodyWorn to its public safety suite.

Jawbone has updated its UP fitness tracker lineup considerably to improve its previous products and make a run at new market opportunities. It has debuted three entirely redesigned devices, rolled out a program – UP for Groups – to champion corporate health and wellness, and partnered with American Express to enable mobile payment support with the launch of UP4, its latest fitness band.

While Fitbit will need to stand out from the crowd as it rubs shoulders with rivals Apple, Samsung and Motorola, a successful IPO could provide enough working capital to keep its frontrunner position – as told by the numbers.

Fitbit has sold more than 20.8 million devices since between it was founded in 2007 and March 31, 2015. Over the last four years, revenue has grown from $14.5m in 2011 to $745.4m in 2014; net income (loss) was $4.3m for 2011, $(4.2m) for 2012, and $(51.6m) and… Show more

While Fitbit will need to stand out from the crowd as it rubs shoulders with rivals Apple, Samsung and Motorola, a successful IPO could provide enough working capital to keep its frontrunner position – as told by the numbers.

Fitbit has sold more than 20.8 million devices since between it was founded in 2007 and March 31, 2015. Over the last four years, revenue has grown from $14.5m in 2011 to $745.4m in 2014; net income (loss) was $4.3m for 2011, $(4.2m) for 2012, and $(51.6m) and $131.8m for 2013 and 2014, respectively. There are currently 9.5 million paid active users on Fitbit’s platform – 19 million total registered users as of March 31, 2015.

The company sells products in more than 50 countries and has 579 employees. Show less

As a variety of players – from operators and device makers to over-the-top companies and more – battle for their share of the ever-evolving mobile marketplace, we continue to focus on the key events and strategies that shape the future of the sector. In these 451 Mobility Perspectives reports, our analysis encompasses several key areas within Enterprise Mobility and Mobile Telecom, where the fast pace of innovation is creating new winners and losers every day.

As one of the original five Google Glass Certified Partners, the five-year-old upstart has a lot to look forward to, with a device-agnostic approach (and no bias toward monocular vs. binocular displays) setting it apart from some of its peers.

In a recent announcement and livestream, IBM underscored its commitment to the Internet of Things (IoT) and fleshed out its US$3bn, four-year IoT investment strategy – a promising beginning, but we have to wonder: Will it be enough to put Big Blue atop the emerging IoT opportunity?

The company has refunded backers of a successful crowdfunding campaign it ran for its augmented-reality offering in favor of a new go-to-market strategy that focuses on the enterprise, which the upstart says will be a $1bn revenue opportunity within five years.

Fourteen projects have held the title of all-time most funded project on Kickstarter since the site launched in 2009, yet only one of them appears twice: Pebble. The more than 26,000 developers and 6,500 apps by its side are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the company has accomplished since it was founded.

Panasonic is putting its 2013 acquisition of Cameramanager to work with the debut of Nubo, a portable, cloud-connected video camera designed to take the Dropcam crowd head on as early as the end of this year, when the device starts to ship. No power or Wi-Fi signal? No problem: Nubo has you covered.

The Mobile and Connected Devices Forecast & Monitor forecasts the sales, shipments and in use mobile devices (including smartphones, tablets and M2M) by feature, technology and technical components across 60 countries. The product also tracks key performance indicators including shipments, market share and average selling price of the world’s top 13 mobile vendors. Delivered via an Excel file, this data product includes 451 Research’s proprietary interactive tools, enabling users to search… Show more

The Mobile and Connected Devices Forecast & Monitor forecasts the sales, shipments and in use mobile devices (including smartphones, tablets and M2M) by feature, technology and technical components across 60 countries. The product also tracks key performance indicators including shipments, market share and average selling price of the world’s top 13 mobile vendors. Delivered via an Excel file, this data product includes 451 Research’s proprietary interactive tools, enabling users to search, analyze, export, and share data. Show less

Mobile hardware vendors, component suppliers and a handful of new entrants made a lasting impression on the market for wearable computing devices at MWC, even though the event itself was far from a watershed year for the new product category as a whole.

Apple has officially confirmed its entry in the wearable tech race, and it has done so with the debut of not one but three new smartwatch collections: The Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition. This represents an important milestone for Apple, Tim Cook and the wearables industry as a whole: Apple Watch is the company's first new product launch since Cook took the reins as CEO in 2011, and its already-massive iOS user base is hungry for a piece of the action.

We detail the enterprise mobility trends at this year's Mobile World Congress, covering enterprise mobility management, mobile apps, Internet of Things, wearables, mobile payments and customer engagement.

After missing the bus on mobile, Intel continues to push into the wearables market -- and the chipmaker is doing so at an accelerated pace now that a number of assets it acquired over the past year and a half are getting put to work. Here we look at the company's recent foray into wearables.

Just 9% of US consumers currently own at least one smart watch. While such low adoption figures are fairly common in other wearable tech product segments, wrist-born wearables must improve in a number of areas, both obvious and not-so-obvious, before they can move up the adoption curve.

Mobile broadband vendors and service providers should always find a point of view through the eyes of their customers. Taking a look at data within our mobile telecom practice, we find definite room for improvement in customer experience and digital services along with new business opportunities in the machine-to-machine (M2M) segment.

Shoes, socks and shorts aren't the only things Under Armour can make in pairs. The sports apparel company has announced that it is spending $560m on a pair of acquisitions – MyFitnessPal ($475m) and Endomondo ($85m) – to strengthen its mobile app offerings.

451 Research shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. Last month, Microsoft, Apple and Xiaomi made big news, and the Chinese mobile market made a major impact.

We explore Microsoft's latest operating system and its impact on the mobile enterprise as it seeks to retain its place in the enterprise and drive consumer adoption of Windows devices. Can it motivate ISVs and enterprise developers to build for all Windows devices?

With its first product set for deployment, the company is aggressively working to expand its offerings. Interested investors may have an opportunity to get in on the action as early as Q1 2015, which is when Vivametrica has said it will likely pursue a second round of funding.

With $30bn in revenue, more than 319,000 employees and an operational presence in 56 countries, Accenture is one of the largest management consulting firms in the world. With its new wearable tech practice area taking shape, it looks to roll out the first production system for wearables in the enterprise.

Machine-to-machine technologies are coming out of the shadows as device makers, platform providers and mobile operators continue to build beyond the sector's vertically oriented heritage and cast a wider net on horizontal market opportunities.

Lumoid is looking to ease the wearable purchase process. The startup is letting users rent and test up to five different wearables before they commit to buying one.

The Global Mobile Forecast tracks and projects the market size, opportunity and key performance indicators of the mobile market, including mobile apps, mobile cloud, mobile devices, mobile payments and messaging. Delivered via an Excel file, this data product includes 451 Research's proprietary interactive tools, enabling users to search, analyze export and share data.

As users continue to demand more of the mobile network, connected devices and apps across their personal and professional lives, mobile network operators, enterprises, financial institutions and other organizations of all types must evolve to create a frictionless customer experience. In 2015, we'll see operator consolidation, smart device proliferation, and work and finances go increasingly mobile -- and consumers will be at the helm.

451 Research's Enterprise Mobility team looks at the technologies and innovations that will drive mobility across organizations. The report details trends in management, app development, analytics, IoT, wearables, and mobile payments that will impact the market in 2015 and beyond.

The two-year-old startup is one of the latest five Glass Certified Partner companies to join Google's Glass at Work program, which now comprises 10 different companies that develop applications for enterprise wearables. Of those 10, Pristine, along with CrowdOptic, are the only two that offer HIPAA-compliant products – which is essential for the startup, given that its video communication platform EyeSight is geared for the medical and healthcare arenas. The $5.4m in seed and institutional… Show more

The two-year-old startup is one of the latest five Glass Certified Partner companies to join Google's Glass at Work program, which now comprises 10 different companies that develop applications for enterprise wearables. Of those 10, Pristine, along with CrowdOptic, are the only two that offer HIPAA-compliant products – which is essential for the startup, given that its video communication platform EyeSight is geared for the medical and healthcare arenas. The $5.4m in seed and institutional funding Pristine has raised to date just happens to be the kicker. Show less

451 Research shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. Last month, device makers announced updates and new products – from wearable activity trackers to smartphone pricing – to try to raise interest for the holiday shopping season.

Epson's second-generation Moverio BT-200 smart glasses were made commercially available in Q2 2014 after a public debut at this year's International CES. The BT-100, the company's first heads-up display (HUD), was released in 2011. As can be expected, Epson's latest device has some notable improvements to better cater to enterprise customers, but the company left the price unchanged. At $699, Epson's smart glasses are half the price of Google Glass; however, there's an important categorical… Show more

Epson's second-generation Moverio BT-200 smart glasses were made commercially available in Q2 2014 after a public debut at this year's International CES. The BT-100, the company's first heads-up display (HUD), was released in 2011. As can be expected, Epson's latest device has some notable improvements to better cater to enterprise customers, but the company left the price unchanged. At $699, Epson's smart glasses are half the price of Google Glass; however, there's an important categorical distinction: Glass aims to supplement smartphone tasks; the BT-200 is geared for nonsmartphone tasks – specifically, for scenarios where hands-free access to information is essential (e.g., the enterprise). Show less

A seasoned executive leadership team, strong financial support, early market traction and the endorsement of Google's Glass at Work program are a recipe for success in the market for enterprise wearable tech products. CrowdOptic already has all of these ingredients.

The product upgrade cycle for smartphone and tablet technology is moving at a glacial pace compared to wearable tech. But as 2015 will show, the best is yet to come.

A number of device makers have been trying to shore up their run at the wearable tech opportunity over the last several months. Interestingly enough, however, many companies traditionally known for their contributions to tangential industries are also jockeying for position in the wearables market. We believe this is a paradigm shift in which the consumer appeal of wearable devices will lead to a flurry of new applications, platforms and use cases aimed at the enterprise.

Nearly 50% of respondents to our September 2014 US Enterprise Mobility: IT Decision-Maker Survey stated that they currently utilize wearable technologies at their companies, or plan to. Of those 50%, only 28% have currently deployed at least one form of wearable tech; the majority (62%) plan to deploy theirs within the next 12 months. SAP is well positioned to be a part of this evolution, particularly as it pertains to creating the tools and systems that drive better operational efficiencies… Show more

Nearly 50% of respondents to our September 2014 US Enterprise Mobility: IT Decision-Maker Survey stated that they currently utilize wearable technologies at their companies, or plan to. Of those 50%, only 28% have currently deployed at least one form of wearable tech; the majority (62%) plan to deploy theirs within the next 12 months. SAP is well positioned to be a part of this evolution, particularly as it pertains to creating the tools and systems that drive better operational efficiencies, now that the company has officially released its first enterprise applications for wearable devices: AR Warehouse Picker and AR Field Service Technician. Show less

Two-year-old startup Alpine Metrics is playing in an even younger market: enterprise wearable tech. But with the support of salesforce.com’s Salesforce Wear developer kit and GE as its first customer, the company is one to watch.

The Mobile and Connected Devices Forecast & Monitor forecasts the sales, shipments and in use mobile devices (including smartphones, tablets and M2M) by feature, technology and technical components across 60 countries. The product also tracks key performance indicators including shipments, market share and average selling price of the world’s top 13 mobile vendors. Delivered via an Excel file, this data product includes 451 Research’s proprietary interactive tools, enabling users to search… Show more

The Mobile and Connected Devices Forecast & Monitor forecasts the sales, shipments and in use mobile devices (including smartphones, tablets and M2M) by feature, technology and technical components across 60 countries. The product also tracks key performance indicators including shipments, market share and average selling price of the world’s top 13 mobile vendors. Delivered via an Excel file, this data product includes 451 Research’s proprietary interactive tools, enabling users to search, analyze, export, and share data. Show less

There are few companies on the precipice of achieving what Salesforce is trying to do for wearable tech in the enterprise. But with support for the Salesforce Wear Developer Pack initially limited to only six devices, it became necessary to expand the list, which is exactly what Salesforce has done.

At 451 Research's September 2014 Enterprise Mobility Executive Summit, we welcomed 60 senior executives to discuss the most pressing issues in enterprise mobility. The agenda included several deep-dive sessions attended by IT decision-makers focused on IT management and security, mobile app development, mobile analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables in the enterprise, mobile payments, mobile operator strategies, and content management. The summit provided a holistic view of… Show more

At 451 Research's September 2014 Enterprise Mobility Executive Summit, we welcomed 60 senior executives to discuss the most pressing issues in enterprise mobility. The agenda included several deep-dive sessions attended by IT decision-makers focused on IT management and security, mobile app development, mobile analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables in the enterprise, mobile payments, mobile operator strategies, and content management. The summit provided a holistic view of enterprise mobility to help guide users on how to best integrate mobile strategies and technologies that will drive productive activities.

These deep-dive sessions were led by 451's Enterprise Mobility analysts, but were also driven by IT executives who are responsible for the mobile deployments within their respective organizations. While the event included select sponsor vendors, only 451 Research analysts and IT buyers attended these sessions. This setting allowed these executives to freely discuss issues in deploying mobile technology. In many sessions, executives shared best practices as well as key learnings when mobile technology meets the real world. This report details the key lessons derived from the event. Show less

The demand for wearable tech applications in the enterprise will only increase in the coming years. Focusing specifically on this segment of the market is a wise decision to achieve the scale that both the recent $3m in funding and the deal with Lenovo support. Although it will be important for Vuzix to keep a close eye on bill of materials costs, pricing strategy and competitors' technologies, the company is already ahead in terms of its patent and partner portfolios. Relationships with key… Show more

The demand for wearable tech applications in the enterprise will only increase in the coming years. Focusing specifically on this segment of the market is a wise decision to achieve the scale that both the recent $3m in funding and the deal with Lenovo support. Although it will be important for Vuzix to keep a close eye on bill of materials costs, pricing strategy and competitors' technologies, the company is already ahead in terms of its patent and partner portfolios. Relationships with key contributors such as SAP and Nuance Communications will play an increasingly important role in terms of differentiation and time to market when it comes time for prospects to evaluate their options for wearable tech implementations. Fortunately for Vuzix, many of these components are already part of its story. Show less

Augmate is a young company with big plans to increase the rate at which enterprises adopt, develop and deploy wearable tech products. While its 'wearable first' approach certainly sets it apart from other providers that might be viewed as similar, the startup's narrow market focus on specific, industrial applications for enterprise wearables is what will cater to its sustainability. Generating new business hasn't been a challenge so far given the somewhat limited list of players with… Show more

Augmate is a young company with big plans to increase the rate at which enterprises adopt, develop and deploy wearable tech products. While its 'wearable first' approach certainly sets it apart from other providers that might be viewed as similar, the startup's narrow market focus on specific, industrial applications for enterprise wearables is what will cater to its sustainability. Generating new business hasn't been a challenge so far given the somewhat limited list of players with comparable, market-ready products, but we expect increased competition will come in due time. The fact that Augmate has honed in on Android-based HUDs, specifically, should help it stay focused on core capabilities in the near term. This will be particularly important toward the start of 2015, when the company will be pursuing additional funding from both strategic and institutional investors. Show less

US-based operators AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have already spent considerable resources opening foundries, innovation centers and extending their partner portfolios in an effort to drive services-oriented business models – investments that could yield fruitful dividends in the long run but carry a bit of near-term risk with auto industry alliances still taking shape. Distracted driving, usage-based insurance (UBI) and cost are just three of the many areas that connected car stakeholders must view… Show more

US-based operators AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have already spent considerable resources opening foundries, innovation centers and extending their partner portfolios in an effort to drive services-oriented business models – investments that could yield fruitful dividends in the long run but carry a bit of near-term risk with auto industry alliances still taking shape. Distracted driving, usage-based insurance (UBI) and cost are just three of the many areas that connected car stakeholders must view as strategic opportunities to differentiate. Show less

The automotive industry is riddled with divergent manufacturing and mobile R&D timelines. But what if the connected cars' purview extended beyond advanced driver assistance systems, autonomous/piloted driving and in-vehicle infotainment? What if a vehicle's center stack could wirelessly communicate with its peripherals? The implications are profound: For OEMs, it could remove the governor of incremental change by enabling more seamless hardware upgrades; for operators, it's an opportunity to… Show more

The automotive industry is riddled with divergent manufacturing and mobile R&D timelines. But what if the connected cars' purview extended beyond advanced driver assistance systems, autonomous/piloted driving and in-vehicle infotainment? What if a vehicle's center stack could wirelessly communicate with its peripherals? The implications are profound: For OEMs, it could remove the governor of incremental change by enabling more seamless hardware upgrades; for operators, it's an opportunity to expand their partner ecosystem and perhaps provide an entry point for other aspects related to digital life; for component parts suppliers, it's opening the flood gates – and therefore the market – for continuous improvement. Device/OS makers will play a central role in making this vision a reality. Opportunities to tap into the broader Internet of Things (IoT) landscape will follow. Show less

Nearly a year ago, we wrote about the success factors that would take wearable tech to the next level. Today, that vision is starting to become a reality. But as more wearables break free from the smartphone crutch and start to offer standalone functionality, mobile stakeholders will have to adapt quickly or risk being left behind.

Apple's new iPhones upgrade its already iconic smartphone to include larger displays while adding secure NFC payments through a new Apple Pay service. The company also introduced the Apple Watch, which gives the Apple ecosystem a new platform for expansion.

Telenor Connexion has developed a strong and highly leveragable partner network to augment its M2M solutions and lock down signature client wins. We analyze how the company must now test its collaborative approach in new geographic and vertical markets to scale its business.

Zonoff is targeting the right parts of the IoT value chain, and it’s doing so with the same narrow focus that often predicates success for startups. The 500-store rollout of Staples’ connected home offerings, powered by Zonoff’s cloud-based platform, is only the beginning for the backend solutions provider.

451 Research shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. The summer is slow for device launches, so players instead positioned themselves for later success.

Nuance's automotive speech technologies and voice-enabled solutions are being deployed in 7-8 million cars each quarter. But as connected car uptake accelerates, the software vendor will also need to navigate the increasingly complex market that surrounds content delivery.

Mobile and connected devices is a mature market; nevertheless it’s not free of growing pains. While M2M/IoT provide immense opportunities, smartphone vendors are struggling with a number of issues (battery life, the next great innovation, etc.) that must be resolved to keep devices flying off store shelves.

The tools employees and customers use to access and interact with corporate data are increasingly mobile, and organizations are under pressure to transform their architectures and business models to address the growing mobilization of B2B and B2C processes. We detail the trends, technologies and vendors that make up the enterprise mobility market that 451 Research, in combination with Yankee Group, will cover in 2014.

Embedded connectivity is poised to take the automotive market by storm as 2015 model year vehicles hit the streets, and for auto OEMs, content providers, mobile operators and platform players alike, the connected car presents new revenue opportunities that can’t be overlooked.

From 2014 to 2018, the number of vehicles on the road with embedded cellular connectivity will triple. But with the number of smartphones in use projected to surpass 3.5 billion worldwide at the same time, automotive incumbents must find a way to get tomorrow’s technologies in the hands of today’s consumers. Connected car stakeholders must identify—and execute—initiatives that amplify their value propositions in the broader Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. Think layered/managed services and… Show more

From 2014 to 2018, the number of vehicles on the road with embedded cellular connectivity will triple. But with the number of smartphones in use projected to surpass 3.5 billion worldwide at the same time, automotive incumbents must find a way to get tomorrow’s technologies in the hands of today’s consumers. Connected car stakeholders must identify—and execute—initiatives that amplify their value propositions in the broader Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. Think layered/managed services and “digital life.” Show less

Gemalto’s solid customer base, extensive Tier 1 partner network and security expertise put it on a level playing field with some of the biggest names in M2M/IoT. But it will need to tread lightly with its mobile operator customers as it scales its M2M business across seven target markets.

Synapse Wireless has the intellectual property, financial support and partner network to grow its M2M/IoT presence. The company intends to do so by focusing specifically on the five vertical markets its wireless mesh networking operating system, SNAP, currently serves.

When it comes to the Internet of Things (IoT), a one-track strategy—whether it’s in terms of partner networks, value propositions or connectivity choices—doesn't quite cut it. Companies that eschew Bluetooth are a prime example.

Recent product releases have made it clear Samsung intends to extend its mobile dominance to the nascent wearable tech market. Its latest device, the Gear Fit, remedies pain points that tainted its first-generation Galaxy Gear smart watch. We explore Samsung’s favorable sales outlook, as well as the increased competition it will face as others follow its lead.

Yankee Group projects the new mobile economy will be worth US$3.1 trillion by 2017. But while the promise of untethered connectivity is clear, predicting how both nascent and emerging mobile markets will ultimately shake out is less so. This is why we’ve kept our eyes on two areas in particular: Wearable tech and connected cars.

2014 promises to be an exciting year for enterprise mobility. If last year it was a child, this year it will enter its early teens, replete with new promise and growing clarity, but accompanied by strong challenges toward greater maturity. This report outlines our top 10 predictions for the landscape and calls out those players we believe will win and lose as a result.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes attributed to distracted driving each day in the U.S. But with Yankee Group forecasting the number of vehicles with embedded connectivity growing at a rate that vastly exceeds historical figures, we have to wonder: What’s around the bend?

Yankee Group shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. The mobile market had little time to breathe, as hype brought on by January’s CES event led directly into February’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

At the recent 2014 International CES and Wavefront Wireless Summits, Yankee Group noticed a major trend: significant programming resources dedicated to one specific—yet far-reaching—area: M2M/IoT. Sure, there were also a number of differences due to the scale and scope of each event (the former draws more than 150,000 attendees; the latter just about 500). But the most important distinctions had less to do with size and more to do with approach.

More than 150,000 attendees descended on 2 million net square feet of Las Vegas exhibit space for the 2014 International CES. While mobility was expected to be a major theme throughout the show, we were pleasantly surprised to also see momentum surround a number of the more nascent mobile sub-sectors: Wearable tech, connected cars and M2M/IoT.

VisTracks’ diverse partner portfolio has allowed it to deliver beyond its means, with a year-over-year revenue growth upwards of 50 percent proving its place in the market. In this report, Yankee Group provides analysis on how the M2M application platform provider has utilized lean business practices to scale beyond its headcount and identify potential bottlenecks.

Numerex has demonstrated promising year-over-year growth across all business segments and has managed to capture increasing ARPUs despite industry-wide downward price pressures. And a 2.3 million (and growing) connection base means it's well-positioned for boardroom-level conversations with its big brothers: Tier 1 mobile network operators (MNOs). Yankee Group provides analysis on how the M2M MVNO plans to sustain solid growth despite direct competition for its network connectivity suppliers.

The mobile ecosystem has been experiencing dramatic growth for a number of years now. But in 2014, several segments--namely mobile commerce, mobile app development and mobile broadband--will reach a tipping point as consolidation works to pare down the market. We expect to see new entrants and established players alike exit their respective markets. Elsewhere, the onward march of mobility into everyday lives will continue unabated.

Usage-based insurance (UBI) is a pay-as-you-drive derivative primed to revolutionize not only the automotive insurance industry, but also the broader M2M ecosystem. But how can mobile operators and other new entrants best grab a slice of the opportunity?

M2M DataSmart has built a solid and highly automated infrastructure that enables it to fight above its weight class--though its well-tuned customer service, support and rapid response tactics also make it an ideal candidate for companies looking for a low-risk, M2M entry point. We provide analysis on how the M2M MVNO plans to sustain growth despite direct competition for its network suppliers.

Wyless has built a strong partner network that spans all ends of the machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity value chain. With a global presence and robust support infrastructure, it is among the most qualified companies to deploy managed network solutions of any size. We provide analysis on how the M2M MVNO has been able to sustain solid growth despite direct competition from its network connectivity suppliers.

Declining mobile voice and mobile data revenue growth means that mobile network operators (MNOs) must explore new and emerging market opportunities. The rise of usage-based insurance (UBI) helps solve this. And considering the segment’s globally forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67.8 percent for connections alone, this is an M2M subset that cannot be ignored. To be successful, UBI stakeholders must bring their value proposition to the forefront, and strategic differentiation will… Show more

Declining mobile voice and mobile data revenue growth means that mobile network operators (MNOs) must explore new and emerging market opportunities. The rise of usage-based insurance (UBI) helps solve this. And considering the segment’s globally forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67.8 percent for connections alone, this is an M2M subset that cannot be ignored. To be successful, UBI stakeholders must bring their value proposition to the forefront, and strategic differentiation will be the key. Show less

For embedded vision technologies to reach their full potential in the automotive arena, they must first overcome a series of roadblocks, including consumer acceptance and regulatory scrutiny. But getting past the cost barrier remains the ultimate test.

Speech recognition is destined to become yet another mobile touch point, with advances in natural language and voice synthesis having a profound impact on the quantity and quality of user data. But as voice engines’ accuracy approaches the point of seamless experience for consumers, enterprises and error-sensitive tasks, companies must consider the ramifications of displaced human capital. Surely this means an opportunity to invest in other operational areas—although the timeline for resource… Show more

Speech recognition is destined to become yet another mobile touch point, with advances in natural language and voice synthesis having a profound impact on the quantity and quality of user data. But as voice engines’ accuracy approaches the point of seamless experience for consumers, enterprises and error-sensitive tasks, companies must consider the ramifications of displaced human capital. Surely this means an opportunity to invest in other operational areas—although the timeline for resource reallocation is bound to be the strategic differentiator. Show less

Of the innovations jockeying for "the next big thing" nomenclature, wearable tech stands out--both literally and figuratively--as an arena with serious promise. But what often goes overlooked is the fact that wearable tech has been around for decades.

With the release of Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smart watch, Misfit’s Shine and Fitbit’s Flex, it’s pretty clear that wearable tech has taken to the runway. But before these devices can launch a paradigm shift in the larger mobile ecosystem, they must clear a few hurdles.

Apple’s release of iOS in the Car promises to allow iPhone 5 users seamless access to features like voice calling, texting, music and mapping right from within their car’s dashboard. But it also presents a range of challenges and opportunities—for both Apple and other mobile device/OS makers.

Yankee Group shares analyst insights on industry news daily in our free Mobile Now e-newsletter. Our Directions reports review the insights from the past month and provide an overview of the trends we see emerging in the space. In August, we saw a suite of mobile industry players bracing for the upcoming holiday shopping season, with leaders pushing to innovate and followers trying to catch the mobility wave.

By 2017, global cellular machine-to-machine (M2M) connections will balloon to 480 million as more enterprises and consumers realize the potential benefits and improved experiences provided by connected devices. Affordable connectivity, lower module prices and improved business model flexibility all contribute to substantial growth expectations for connections and revenue across both well-established and green-field vertical markets.

As mobile players tee up for the explosive growth projected in the consumer telematics industry, market fragmentation remains a roadblock to driving the connected car from the showroom to the streets. Apple’s plan to roll out iOS in the Car, however, marks an important turning point.

Technology Marketing Corporation's (TMC) inaugural Wearable Tech Conference & Expo proved that the wearable tech industry has serious staying power despite its current, nascent state. Significant technical challenges to device functionality, power management and long-range connectivity foreshadow the kind of soft innovation characteristic of emerging markets, a trend that was noticeable throughout the program's product demonstrations. Early success in the wearables market will favor players… Show more

Technology Marketing Corporation's (TMC) inaugural Wearable Tech Conference & Expo proved that the wearable tech industry has serious staying power despite its current, nascent state. Significant technical challenges to device functionality, power management and long-range connectivity foreshadow the kind of soft innovation characteristic of emerging markets, a trend that was noticeable throughout the program's product demonstrations. Early success in the wearables market will favor players that endorse the cornerstones of collaboration, cooperation and co-creation. Show less

Today’s health- and fitness-focused wearable tech is all about collecting and quantifying user behavior. But with vast amounts of individual-level data already in the cloud, we have to wonder: What if it worked the other way around?