IDC 2015 Press Briefing

By Bayle Emlein

IDC changed up the format of their press briefing, seating attendees literally at round tables, with an IDC analyst and seating for just 9 more attendees at each. This small-group format promoted lively discussion. The group is large enough to promote a real discussion and incorporate a variety of points of view, and small enough that everyone gets to participate without being put in a threatening situation. The Consumer Behavior, Attitudes & Adoption table where I am sitting engaged in a lively discussion, deftly led by Danielle Levitas,

Tom Mainelli, IDC Program VP, notes how device use changes. A device's job to be done will evolve  over itsa device's job to be done will change over the lifetime of a device. As the sharp borders between phone, tablet, desktop, etc. blur, analysis of the device market will need to change. More and more devices become "cannibalized," redeployed for other uses or handed on to family members--they don't disappear from the marketplace as new devices are purchased.

Ramon Llamas IDC Research Manager discussed the coming market for wearables. Some of them are in a unique position of being jewelry--and often expensive fine jewelry--changes the likely upgrade cycle, Glass (Google) ia likely to move into vertical markets such as health care and public safety. Ranib sees shirts as being the next likely wearable platform. Most people already know how to wear a shirt. In addition to the obvious  health and fitness feedback, they could be life savers for people with medical conditions. As the boundary between wearable and medical device blurs, the approval process for medical devices may slow the development cycle.