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Mary Meeker Predicts Wearable Computing Is The Next Phase - Here's Why

Google-Glasses-AFreescale has developed the KL02 chip that integrates memory, RAM, processor and more into a space about two millimeters square, according to reports. As a fabless manufacturer -- one that doesn't own its own fabrication plant -- if you believe the latest technology from this semiconductor manufacturer won't influence the way you market and advertise products and services online to consumers in the near future, think again. Chips like these make devices like Google Glass commonplace and much easier to produce. 

We're at the dawn of personal computing. And I'm not referring to smartphones. Here's why I believe in the trend.

Micro sensors and self-searching chips will add Internet connectivity to dump devices, as well as smart electronics to create the Internet of things I've been hearing about for more than a decade. In another seven years, rather than eMarketer reporting that smartphone adoption rates exceed 50% in major worldwide markets, the data firm will analyze connected watch, automotive, and refrigerator trends.

In the world of micro-mini processors, multi-screen advertising and marketing takes on new challenges. What will it take to target and track consumers across screens as society enters the age of the Internet of things? Marketers will not have the ability to attribute all Internet-connected devices. While mobile Internet growth rose 30% in the past year to 1.5 billion global subscribers, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Mary Meeker, speaking at the E11 conference, told attendees that most of the content will become images and voice clips as personal, wearable devices increase in numbers.

Presenting her slides Wednesday, Meeker said people now share 500 million photos daily -- and that number could double year-on-year. There are 100 hours per minute of video uploaded to YouTube. On SoundCloud, there are 11 hours of sound uploaded per minute. Global mobile traffic as a percentage of global Internet traffic continues to grow 1.5-times per year. Groupon in North America sees about 45% of transitions on mobile -- up 15% in the past two years.

As Meeker's slides suggest, "we just began to figure out smartphones" -- and then came tablets. The next trend will bring on wearable, driveable, flyables, and scannable devices. All this would not be possible without the advancements made by electronics hardware companies like Freescale, Intel, and others. Pay attention.

2 comments about "Mary Meeker Predicts Wearable Computing Is The Next Phase - Here's Why".
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  1. Robert Payne from 7Search.com, May 30, 2013 at 10:26 a.m.

    I envision Back to the Future, or Star Trek, with 3-D images popping out at you, or the ability to track everybody where they go and what their doing. Could this be the best marketing tool ever, or is Big Brother on the horizon?

  2. Kate Berg from Collective Bias, June 5, 2013 at 8:24 a.m.

    Big Brother is already in the front seat. Offer him a beer and strap in for an amazing ride. Just keep your eyes open and never stop asking where you're going.

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