Sony's Wearable Core: Where Can't We Put It?
When Sony first put its Core and Smartband wearable devices on screen at its press event, it looked just like every other fitness tracker we’ve ever seen. But, it isn’t. The Smartband is just a shell to hold the Core, the sensor, which could, theoretically, fit inside any wearable form factor made by any company. That’s different. But what Sony didn’t do is talk too much about exactly what the Core – a tiny, two-inch bit of gear with no screen or indicator lights – is capable of. Sony did say that the device will collect some fitness data, but will also store movement, photos taken and shared, music listened to, and social network behavior. Then, it’ll curate all of that data into a life-logging app. Whether the goal of all this data collecting is merely to reminisce or there’s some greater analysis and synthesis going on is unclear. Core does include NFC – that’s the touch-transfer tech that powers many of the virtual payment platforms. Its easy to imagine implementations where the Core lives inside a consumer’s shoe (like the old Nike-Apple collaboration): out of sight, out of mind (and isn’t that really the point?). Values: Simplicity, Identity, Discovery, Experience, Balance
