The Search for Ubiquity

"The Search for Ubiquity: The data potential and future of fashion in a digital world Outline The always-on world is here. True ubiquity is the next step. Devices will become truly ubiquitous, and the convergence of the physical and digital worlds will move to a higher level. Current investment in the development of practical wearable computing will propel us further toward this truly always-connected, seamless, world. Wearable devices have been here for a long time; but they are developing rapidly and are set to become pervasive. We discuss some examples. Wearable devices and networks are not just another data channel; they present real opportunities to gather highly valid continuous data and provide a thing of value back to the user. The data is highly valid since there is no direct filtering by the user - and responding to it has the potential to genuinely improve lives. These devices bridge the physical and virtual worlds in way that others currently do not. The future market in wearable devices is valued at between 30 - 50 billion USD over the next several years; according to one report by Credit Suisse. Venture capital funds throughout Silicon Valley are investing in the development of this market. Perhaps oddly (or not), it is the technology companies that are driving these developments. The traditional fashion houses are not yet directly involved to a great extent. We are likely to see partnerships at some point in the future. There are many opportunities in this area. We need to be prepared to utilize those presented across many sectors, including healthcare, pharmaceutical, nutrition, fitness, retail, gaming, and communications; through both the devices and the resulting data that this revolution will generate. Both are valuable: in real-time to the user and passively for the production of individually targeted, useful, advertising – the digital marketing nirvana. © Sam Wells July 2013"