All Segments
a16z Podcast | The Wearables Session
10 segments available
Fashion, function or just a fad? Wearable technology is getting huge amounts of attention from companies of every size and stripe. Consumers are slapping on fitness bands, experimenting with smart watches and trying on jewelry that syncs with their smart phones. Christina Mercando, CEO and co-founder of Ringly, which fits in the fashion/jewelry segment of wearables, joins a16z’s Chris Dixon in a discussion about this emerging technology segment. What is working today, and where things are headed in wearables.
Segments Timeline
The Excitement of Wearables
Christina Mercando shares her excitement about the current landscape of wearable technology, highlighting the anticipated Apple Watch and the emerging trends in fitness, health, fashion, and communication. She emphasizes that we are just beginning to explore the potential of these devices.
"hi this is Chris Dixon this is a 16z podcast i'm here with christina Macondo who's these co-founder and CEO ringly which is a wearable computing company and we're gonna talk about wearable computing t..."
Fashion Meets Functionality
The discussion shifts to the intersection of fashion and technology in wearables. Christina explains how consumers may adopt multiple wearable devices, similar to clothing, and how these devices can serve various functions like fitness tracking and communication.
"explore a little bit more as well so you think it's useful to kind of segment it like this like it seems like people are saying apples gonna be focusing on health obviously there's you know we're inve..."
Innovative Uses of Wearables
Christina introduces the concept of wearables as identification tools, discussing products like the Nimmi bracelet that can identify users and interact with their environment. This segment explores the potential for wearables to enhance user experience through connectivity.
"of said there's Fitness there's communication what else do you say ID so using your wearable as maybe so there's a another product in the market called the Nimmi bracelet that measures your your pulse..."
Reducing Information Overload
The conversation focuses on how wearables can help manage notifications and reduce information overload. Christina explains how Ringly's approach aims to keep users present while still providing essential information through discreet notifications.
"to be all built in and what if this like like one view of all this is like it's sort of gimmicky like that not not talking about ringly but let's say the Samsung watch like a lot of the stuff is sort ..."
The Future of Wearable Technology
Christina discusses the potential future of wearables, comparing it to the evolution of touch computing. She highlights the importance of design and user experience, suggesting that the current wave of innovation may lead to significant advancements in wearable technology.
"the whole time and right and to be able to manage your notifications so we're getting so many notifications right now we're very inundated I don't think that Apple does a great job with managing them ..."
Network Effects in Wearables
The segment explores the concept of network effects in wearables, where the value of devices increases as more people adopt them. Christina draws parallels to the early days of the internet, suggesting that widespread adoption will lead to innovative applications and use cases.
"so one question with wearables I have is are we in the kind of 90s or in the 2000s with touch computing like in other words will this be the first wave and it turns out because the batteries and the t..."
Connecting Wearables to Physical Spaces
Christina outlines the four pillars of wearable connectivity: devices, self, people, and physical spaces. She discusses how wearables can interact with the environment, enhancing user experiences in various settings, from homes to retail spaces.
"it's also like a lot of these things have kind of system-wide network effects and what I mean by that is like so it could turn out that just having a watch today is like sort of cool but when you have..."
Enterprise Applications Leading the Way
The discussion shifts to enterprise applications of wearables, highlighting how companies can leverage technology for efficiency and health. Christina shares examples of how businesses are using wearables to optimize energy use and improve employee health.
"is when the developers come once you have that network once you have that network effect then the developers come and they start inventing all this crazy stuff which of course we can't think of now be..."
Crowdfunding and Innovation in Wearables
Christina reflects on the changing landscape of funding for wearable technology, emphasizing the role of platforms like Kickstarter. She discusses how direct-to-consumer sales models are reshaping the industry and enabling more innovation.
"be able to capture all this information to then target customers and and better their experiences later it's interesting I've met a few companies recently who were doing basically a temperature contro..."
The Future of Direct Sales
The final segment explores the implications of direct sales for wearable technology. Christina explains how bypassing traditional retail can allow for better pricing and innovation, ultimately benefiting both creators and consumers.
"could control everything right yeah same with Google glass and you know I can foresee a lot of you know really strong enterprise yeah there's there's a there's already some use cases around so basical..."