Source: Microsoft Band

“I want a Microsoft band, I need to be healthier” is how my conversation with my parents began yesterday. Being a tech follower myself, the sudden spike in this health-tech category drew my interest, especially since Microsoft was involved. Fact is, many established (Google, Microsoft) and startup (FitBit) companies already have announced or introduced their fitness tracking applications/products. However, the blog post “The tech industry is turning health trackers into commodities before the even go mainstream.” from the PandoDaily blog website caught my eye and got me thinking.

Source: HubPages

The post comments on an issue other than the privacy issues with these health-related products; “the danger of drowning consumers in apathy.” It comments on how companies are turning the health tracking products category into commodities before they actually go mainstream. Fear of this market becoming similar to that of the television industry where there are too many similar choices that make it difficult to make judgment based on the product quality is also mentioned.

I had never considered this aspect, but the concept is interesting to note and I agree with the writer. I’m the type of person who gains interest in a tech product if it has a certain level of exclusivity to it. With every company producing it, what is motivating me to continue to follow this product? We know that most new product categories become commodities eventually; however, by over flooding the category so early in the game, these companies are making health-tech products into commodity even before the market assesses it, which seems utterly pointless. Now, I don’t the pressure tech companies have to keep up with the next technological trend; not selling a popular product can be a detrimental decision. But sometimes, over flooding a new category isn’t always a good idea if that entails loosing customer interest. The blog post brings up some great points, and sums all of it up with a great last line,
“Sometimes a rising tide raises all ships; other times it just drowns everyone aboard them and sends them to Davy Jones’ locker.” This is a possible future for this category. I agree fully with this blogger’s warning, this rising tide may drown the product category entirely. All companies joining the health-tracking product craze, consider yourself warned.

Works Cited

Mott, Nathaniel. “The TechIndustry Is Turning Health Trackers into Commodities before They Even Go Mainstream.” Web log post.PandoDaily. N.p., 30 Oct. 2014. Web. 31 Oct. 2014.