Wearables 101: What PR pros should know

• Price Point: Even though half of consumers say they plan to buy a wearable in the future, about 75% of consumers think they are too expensive. Plus, the novelty often wears off after 6 months. • Glamour Don’t?: Save for some sleeker exceptions, wearables are generally perceived as clunky. In fact, surveys show that more than half of consumers want wearables that are unique, such as understated jewelry, and other form factors that are more seamless and chic (Think of the wearables in the film “Her”). • Competition With Smartphones: Most wearable tech must be paired with a smartphone to operate, and in some cases a smartphone can perform the same function using a mobile app. Wearables typically perform one function, whereas smartphones are the great multi-tasker (and virtually a wearable and appendage in and of themselves).