Get All Access for $5/mo

Wearable Tech Could Someday Be as Common as Smartphones The vast majority of Americans say they are super excited about wearable technologies, according to a recent study.

By Emily Price

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

chinaz.com
Sergey Brin

If you think wearable tech like Google Glass and Samsung's Galaxy Gear is just a fad, think again.

A whopping 91 percent of Americans are excited about wearable tech, according to a recent study conducted by Wakefield Research for Santa Clara, Calif.-based cloud and networking technologies firm Citrix. The study showed that not only are most Americans excited about wearable technology, they think it's on the rise, with 60 percent of respondents indicating they think wearable tech will be as common as smartphones in just six years.

That's roughly when today's 6th graders will be headed off to college.

Related: 10 Reasons Why Google Glass Is Doomed

When it comes to wearing their tech, 73 percent of people want a gadget that blends into the everyday clothing rather than something like Google Glass that draws attention to itself. Only 19 percent of respondents were excited about the prospect of smart glasses. In contrast, the biggest winner of the bunch was smart watches, with 30 percent of respondents excited about the technology.

So what do people plan on doing with all that wearable tech? The majority of respondents think that wearable technology will be used primarily for fun in their life, while 41 percent think that the tech will make them more productive.

All that excitement for wearable technology doesn't point to one specific type of technology that's going to be a clear winner over time.

When asked what fictional wearable technology they would most like to own, top answers included X-ray glasses from James Bond and Tony's Stark's armor suit from Iron Man. Neither technology has been developed and released to the public. Not yet, anyway.

Related: Wearable Tech, Marissa Mayer, Entrepreneurs and Innovation: A CES 2014 Preview

Emily Price

Technology Writer

Emily Price is a tech reporter based in San Francisco, Calif. She specializes in mobile technology, social media, apps, and startups. Her work has appeared in a number of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, PC World, Macworld, CNN and Mashable.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

How Connecting With the Right Audience Drives Long-Term Business Success

Here's how targeted lead generation can help you unlock higher conversions, stronger brand loyalty and scalable growth.

Leadership

Should I Stay or Should I Go? 8 Key Points to Navigate the Founder's Dilemma

Here are eight key signs that help founders determine whether to persevere or let go.

Starting a Business

They Bought an Ice Cream Truck Off eBay for $5,000. Now Their Company Has 70 Shops and Sells Treats in Over 12,000 Stores.

For the episode of "The Founder CEO," the co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream explains how one ice cream truck grew into a successful nationwide brand.

Marketing

Your Most Powerful Marketing Weapon Is Hiding in the Finance Department — Here's Why

Transform your marketing leadership by turning finance from a barrier into a strategic ally. Learn how aligning with your finance team can drive unprecedented growth and innovation.

Business News

'You Own Nothing Here on Social': Meta Outage, Looming TikTok Ban Has Creators Questioning How Much of Their Business They Really Control

With repeated tech outages and a possible TikTok ban on the horizon, creators are looking for new ways to influence. Turns out, one old-school way still reigns supreme.