What If Devices Take Command: Content Innovation Perspectives for Smart Wearables in the Mobile Ecosystem

The new generation of wearables, marketed as consumer electronics products, can be interpreted as a sign of radical innovation leadership from mobile device producers. Since the appearance of the iPhone –and also later of the iPad-, terminal vendors had lost traction as triggers of innovation within the mobile content ecosystem, giving way to the current platform-based paradigm of leadership. This paper proposes examining the innovation potential of wearable devices on the whole mobile set of actors, starting from a two-scenarios premise: one of sustaining innovation, and a second scenario of more prominent influence. The research finds significant innovating potential for the smart kind of wearables, with a range of influence that can modify the course of all current mobile players. Also, it points at the possibility that a strong development of these items can eventually give birth to a new kind of media, specifically conceived for the wearable experience.