It may not have made much of an impression with providers when it was unveiled, but the Apple Watch is gaining ground fast, with a new provider-facing app seemingly introduced every day.
Now the trendy smartwatch, which is due to be released on April 24, has vaulted to the top of Juniper Research's "Top 5 Smart Wireless Device Developments for 2015."
"Apple's long-anticipated smartwatch launch is a game changer," executives of the UK-based firm said in a press release. "Not because it offers radical new features and functions, but because it offers a best-in-class consumer experience, and forms part of a seamless ecosystem … and of course, it's Apple."
Those developing apps for the device are more specific.
"It's a great opportunity to put information even closer to the user," Gautam Shah, Vocera's vice president for product management, said at last week's HIMSS15 Conference & Exhibition, where the mHealth communications company unveiled its own app for the Apple Watch. "You're surfacing the most important information and putting it on people's wrists."
While the smartwatch – and, for that matter, almost all wrist-borne wearables – hasn't mastered the art of capturing vital signs in a reliable manner, expect Apple and others in the space to continue working with the form factor. And that's precisely why many in the mHealth landscape won't jump on the Apple Watch bandwagon just yet; they're waiting for Version 2 or even V3 to come along.
That said, expect the Apple Watch to dominate the smart wireless device conversation this year.
The other four developments on Juniper's list are:
Intel's wearables – Apple isn't the only company piquing interests. Chipmaker Intel is "is betting hard on the smart devices sector with a range of chipsets," Juniper's executives wrote in the press release. "These new chips are going to drive many smart wireless devices this year. The company also has co-branding partnerships with Open Ceremony - for the MICA bracelet, SMS Audio - for smart headphones, and Luxottica - for smart eyewear."
Microsoft HoloLens – Don’t count out the much-maligned Google Glass just yet, at least as far as healthcare applications go, and Samsung is also pushing on with an entry in the smartglasses department. But Juniper has its sights set on a new player. "Microsoft's bold announcement envisions consumer-friendly smartglasses that can bring AR experiences throughout the home, from watching football projected onto a wall to playing Minecraft on the kitchen table," the executives said. Whether they develop any mHealth-specific uses remains to be seen, but don't count them out.
GOQii Fitness – A new player in the crowded market, California-based GOQii "aims to shake up the fitness device sector with their subscription-based service," Juniper's executives wrote. "This links a user with a 'real' fitness coach who helps to interpret output from the fitness device and provides motivation and context for the data - which is often lacking in the fitness wearables space." The company debuted in India in 2014, opened in the U.S. this year with 500 users and now boasts some 10,000 people around the world.
Google-TAG Heuer Smartwatch – While Apple's getting all the attention, Juniper's executives are also keeping an eye on this interesting partnership, both for its broad platform capabilities and its stylish pedigree. "This is an exciting development for the smartwatch sector, and opens up the wider premium watch market to Android Wear and Intel chips," they wrote. "Together with the Apple Watch launch, this signals a new phase of development for smart wear."
Juniper executives are expecting a shift in the fitness and health device market over the next few years, as the emphasis shifts from hardware to software and services. And as device makers look for new ways to attract the fickle consumer, expect healthcare uses to jump to the forefront. This, in turn, could propel the provider market to take more notice.