Data and user privacy remain top reasons consumers are wary of wearable devices. For instance, a recent Parks Associates report notes that about 35 percent of consumers who responded to a survey say they fear their health data will not remain confidential if put online; additionally, 23 percent of broadband household owners who responded to the Parks Associates survey cite privacy and security concerns in using connected health devices.

However, Kaul dismisses security as a top challenge, given consumer use of mobile payment technologies, cloud data storage and online banking services.

"Consumers, in my view, have already made the tradeoff using mobile and Internet services, in return for taking risks with security and privacy," he says. "Security threats will always be there, and consumer services will need to keep their guard up. The smartphone is going to be the central platform for collecting and analyzing this health data using wearables, with an increasing array of sensors on the smartphone itself."

From the article "Wearables trends reflect growing use of analytics, customized value proposition" by Judy Mottl.