Forrester

Why Read This Report

Sensor-laden devices (SLDs) such as wearables and embedded devices — sometimes called "the Internet of Things" — will drive the next phase of growth in personal computing and have the potential to transform how we live and work. But today, most product strategists are prioritizing more-immediate product and service opportunities related to smartphones and tablets. Why? SLDs seem niche today; it's hard for product strategists to quantify the value of the data that sensors capture; and the obstacles to seamless delivery of intelligent experiences are many. But we see the barriers to entering this market falling rapidly as smart product strategists piggyback on already-established mobile ecosystem infrastructure to build compelling products and services. In this report, we will define key scenarios and use cases for SLDs; explain how the "smart body, smart world" promise will become a reality; identify the key success factors of SLDs; analyze how and where these products create value; and describe the consequences of the smart body, smart world transformation in personal computing.