Samsung Predicts Big Things For Wearables And Smart Homes In 2015

Samsung predicts the next 12 months will see the wider adoption of wearable and smart home technology and the transformation of the retail and education sectors by advanced display technologies and the teaching of code in schools.

The Korean manufacturer has released a number of smartwatches over the past 12 months and believes that wearables will make the journey from the consumer market into the business world, allowing workers to be ‘always-on’ and connected even when out of the office.

Transformative technologies

Research by the company found that wearables appear to confer a range of major psychological boosts which will be hugely valued by bosses everywhere. Samsung, which has its own range of Galaxy Gear smartwatches, found that nearly half (47 percent) of wearable technology users felt more intelligent, with 61 percent saying that they felt more informed in their work and personal lives.

Sixty-one percent claimed that their personal efficiency improved, and 37 percent said that wearable technology had helped with their career development. But Samsung also sees wearables as a way of ‘liberating’ workers from the traditional 9-5 schedule.

Mobile devices have made it easier than ever to carry out work tasks when at home, and vice versa, with this trend only set to increase as more and more of us get connected.The company also found that almost a third (32 percent) of workers believe flexible working helps them manage their personal tasks better, with the same proportion saying it makes them less stressed.

“In 2015 we predict that people’s work and personal lives will continue to blend, with technology continuing to drive the ‘always on’ culture,” said Lysa Clavenna, head of innovation at Samsung Europe. “Technology should be used to make life easier for employees and employers while boosting productivity, and we expect to see forward thinking companies embracing the advancements the year will bring to re-evaluate their business processes and take their workplace into the future.”

Safe and sound

But as well as our working schedules becoming smarter in 2015, Samsung also sees our homes evolving too.

The company announced the purchase of Internet of Things specialists SmartThings back in August as part of a push into the smart home market, which could see homeowners controlling functions such as heating, lights and security via their mobile phone.

Samsung believes home automation systems, such as those which control appliances and settings, will become more popular as user experiences improve.

Get smart

Lastly, the company foresees that the introduction of IT skills teaching across the UK school curriculum will have a profound impact on both the nation and Europe as a whole. This trend, it says, will help to drive the importance of internships as businesses recognise that they can benefit from welcoming young, computer-literate people into their organisations.

The need for employees to be computer literate will also see a wave of intensive schools for coding spring up – helping longtime employees to learn coding quickly.

“Technology is the linchpin behind our society, impacting our work, our social lives, our health and our down time,” said Ran Merkazy from Samsung’s European Product Innovation Centre. “It has advanced in leaps and bounds over recent years, and 2015 will be no exception. These trends we’ve identified are set to transform our everyday routines, from how we live and work, to what we wear and why we wear it.’’

Slowing smartphone sales have causes Samsung’s profits to fall by 60 percent and the company hopes that other markets, like the ones it is predicting while grow, will help to offset any fall in demand in its traditional areas of strength.

It has had a busy year in terms of pushing forward technical innovation, with the company’s efforts spanning hardware from mobile phones to virtual reality headsets. Earlier this year, the company also revealed its view of what the retail establishment of the future would look like, although it says that the current lack of so-called ‘smart technology’ is costing the UK around £9.25bn a year.

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