Gen Z and Smart Glasses

Will the next generation embrace the technology?

The 20th century brought about the most rapid era of change in humanity’s history. This occurred across political, economic and social lines, among many others. That is, until the 21st century reared its digital head.

READ: Could smart glasses make you a fashion expert overnight?

As the 2010s draw to a close, the world has undergone an unprecedented transformation. This change is most obvious in the technology we use to communicate with one another. As 5G emerges, physical borders become less significant and national security is better suited to computer programmers than armed personnel.

Nearly everyone on earth is affected. It’s estimated that 4.2 billion new internet users will go online by 2024 - many of them born between 1996 and 2010.

Gen Z’s relate to the world through their smart devices. Credit: StackCommerce Insider

The smart generation

Gen Z is slowly making its imprint on the world. Characterized as forward-thinkers who care about the greater good, a great deal of these digital natives can’t remember a time before YouTube.

While these ‘grammars and snappers overwhelmingly rely on smartphones to interact with the world around them, this is expected to change.

Considering how quickly smartphone use spiked in the last decade, it's reasonable to suggest smart glasses aren't far away from mass adoption.

The next generation will decide which technologies reign supreme. Credit: The Tech Panda

An optical revolution

There's reason to be enthusiastic about the change. Eventually, smart glasses will allow users to access everything their smartphones offer - in infinitely more seamless ways.

No more jeopardizing your safety on busy city streets - the days of pulling phones out of pockets or rummaging through purses are numbered.

Gen Z will play a major role in this transformation. Favoring practicality above all, the world has become more fast-paced than ever before. These young minds will favor devices that allow them to manage their complex lives with the greatest ease. Convenience is king and the most successful tech is the kind its users barely notice.

As is always the case, seeing the future asks us to remember the past. When Apple introduced the iPad in 2010, skeptics outnumbered believers. Now, tablets are found in countless offices and classrooms in the developed world.

How long will it take for smart glasses to follow suit?