Wearable devices, particularly those related to health, may become the mobile segment that could first experience breakthrough in the Internet of Things (IoT) businesses development, according to a former Microsoft official in China.
Yi Tuntian, Eachpal's chief executive officer, told Want China Times that wearable gadgets would soon replace mobile phones. Eachpal is Microsoft's adviser for its China operations.
Yi takes the introduction of devices such as Google Glass, Mi Band and Apple Watch as a sign for the upcoming upsurge in the development of electronic gadgets that have a more human touch.
The ex-Microsoft executive made the statement amid being well-versed about the mobile phones becoming an integral part of men's everyday lives.
Though the 79-yuan Mi Band failed to replace the role of handsets, the wearable gadget developed by Xiaomi became the highlight of last year's wearable device segment.
Yi predicted that the segment, especially those linked with health and wellness, would fully take off some time between 2015 and 2017. His company itself is slated to launch in few months' time technologies that can help someone monitor his or her physical conditions.
The Eachpal CEO cited Apple's handsets as a benchmark of how far sensor technology has become, adding that more products with the ability of monitoring heart rates will soon be released by several other U.S.-based companies.
However, Yi said that those gadgets specifically crafted to monitor blood pressure and blood glucose level are still in the earlier stages of development.
Yi furthermore pointed out that Taiwan, the world leader in sensor production, will play a major role in the IoT development. Nonetheless, he noted that China still has a talent edge over the general growth of IoT business.