Master’s Thesis

Smart watch technology and impact on humans:

A study of smart watch’s implications on human life

Author Ngozi Henry Chukwueweniewe

Muhammad Usman
Supervisor Prof.David Randall
Examiner Anita Mirijamdotter/
Påivi Jokela
Course 4IK50E, 15 Credits
Subject Information systems
Level Graduate
Date 27-Nov-2022
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Abstract

Smartwatch is a technological product that has rekindled a lot of interest worldwide and are
seen to be connected to our day-to-day lives. The recent growth on the adoption of the
smartwatch has posed challenges to researchers and other interest groups. Humans now live in
modern scientific societies that are heavily reliant on numerous smart devices of which the
smartwatch is a part of it. Past research has been done on the smartwatch phenomenon and its
associated question that surround it. In this paper, we seek answers to the vital questions
bordering the usage of smartwatch and how those factors that are responsible for the increase
in adoption of the smartwatch . The grounded theory research designed was used as our
methodological approach and data were collected from twenty participants, some living in
Sweden and some in Norway. Analysis of data is also based upon, and informed by, the
guidelines of grounded theory data coding steps. Further open coding & axial coding techniques
were applied in data analysis section. Analysis of the data collected from the interviews
revealed some interesting areas of smartwatch applications today. It also presented an insight
on how consumers of smartwatch think about the product. Results from this study will be useful
for future researchers as well as smartwatch merchants and makers.

Keywords: Smartwatch, Health & Fitness tracker, Standalone computing device,

Sustainability, Alerts, Contactless payment
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Acknowledgement

We are thankful to our supervisor Professor David Randal, who shared us with important
knowledge and guidance about achieving this milestone. We had extremely valuable
conversations with him around the theme and certainly he has great comprehension of our
subject.

We are likewise thankful to the Professor Anita Mirijamdotter, who was a driving figure in
giving the significant ideas during the thesis seminars. These seminars assisted us with shaping
the basic reasoning methodology and to embrace the accepted procedures in the field of
information system.

We are thankful to Associate Professor Paivi Jokela for participating the thesis seminars and
she helped us in brainstorming around the topic. Her presence and arguments helped us in
selection of appropriate methods to conduct this study.

Last but not least, we would like to thank to Associate senior lecturer Soumitra Chowdhary.
He assisted us with all the important information regarding this course.
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Table of contents

1. Introduction ________________________ 7
1.1 Background and research setting___________________________________________ 7
1.2 Previous research around the problem ______________________________________ 8
1.3 Gaps in the knowledge __________________________________________________ 9
1.4 Importance & significance of the research ___________________________________ 9
1.5 Purpose of the research: ________________________________________________ 10
1.6 Scope and limitations __________________________________________________ 10

2. Literature review ___________________ 12

2.1 Smart wearable devices _________________________________________________ 12
2.2 Smartwatch usage for health purposes _____________________________________ 13
2.3 Challenges to smartwatch technology ______________________________________ 14
2.4 Smartwatch acceptance in early adopters ___________________________________ 15

3. Methodology ______________________ 18
3.1. Research Approach ___________________________________________________ 18
3.1.1 Constructivist worldviews (qualitative approach) __________________________ 18
3.2. Qualitative research design (Grounded theory) ______________________________ 19
3.3 Methods for data collection ______________________________________________ 21
3.3.1 Interviews ________________________________________________________ 21
3.3.2 Interview guidelines _________________________________________________ 22
3.3.3 Participant’s overview _______________________________________________ 22
3.4 Research validity & reliability ___________________________________________ 23
3.5 Ethical considerations __________________________________________________ 24
3.6 Reflexivity factor or researcher role _______________________________________ 24

4. Findings __________________________ 26
4.1 Health & Fitness Monitoring ____________________________________________ 28
4.2 Sustainability of smartwatch _____________________________________________ 29
4.3 Usage behaviour in early adopters ________________________________________ 31
4.3.1 Organizational impact of smartwatch ___________________________________ 33
4.3.2 Child monitoring & safety ____________________________________________ 34

5. Discussion ________________________ 36
5.1 Health & fitness monitoring _____________________________________________ 36
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5.2 Sustainability of the technology __________________________________________ 36

5.2.1 Design & features ___________________________________________________ 37
5.2.2 Compatibility factor _________________________________________________ 37
5.2.3 Smartwatch as digital ID _____________________________________________ 38
5.3 Usage in early adopters _________________________________________________ 38
5.3.1 Usage in professional sports ___________________________________________ 38
5.3.2 Smart watch “instant source of communication” ___________________________ 39
5.3.3 Smart watch for kids (an alternate to mobile phones) _______________________ 41
5.3.4 Organizational usage ________________________________________________ 42

6. Conclusion________________________ 44
References __________________________ 47
Appendix 1 _________________________ 52
Appendix 2 _________________________ 53
Appendix 3 _________________________ 54
Appendix 4 _________________________ 64
Appendix 5 _________________________ 65
Appendix 6 _________________________ 66
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List of Tables & Figures

List of Figures

Figure 1: Cycle of data collection & analysis in Grounded theory 20

Figure 2: Coding techniques in Grounded theory methodology 23
Figure 3: Initial codes after open coding 27
Figure 4: Major condes after axial coding 28
Figure 5: Explora watch 42

List of Tables
Table 1: Key findings of early adopters of smartwatch 16
Table 2: Important factors that can affect the adoption of the technology 17
Table 3: Important factors that can affect the adoption of smartwatch 25
Table 4: Common usage patterns in various participants 40
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1. Introduction

1.1 Background and research setting

The advance of technology in recent times has resulted in the invention of smart wearable
devices and asmart environment. Currently, we have technological inventions that are
connected to our day-to-day lives, such as smartwatches, driverless vehicles, smart shoes, smart
buildings, and smart robots etc (Milad & Ki, 2019). Our everyday lives, habits, and choices are
all evolving because of these smart innovations such as Google glass, smartwatches including
Geek Watch, iWatch as well as bracelets (Gao, et al., 2015). The focus of our future debate
will be on smartwatches and the implications of this technology on human technological use.
Smart wearable devices have recently changed some ways that people behave in their everyday
lives. For instance, in the educational system, the healthcare sector, and other critical areas of
human life. In recent years, smart education has gotten a lot of attention & educational programs
focusing on smart education have been been carried out all over the world. One of the most
significant trends is the use of smart wearable gadgets in the health-care industry.

This phenomenon is becoming more widespread; it starts with wearable smart devices and
moves on to smart homes, smart energy and transportation, and finally smart cities. People now
live in modern scientific societies that are heavily reliant on numerous smart devices. We are a
part of a large information system cluster that is related to our everyday activities in some way.
Smart devices are enabling people to perform their task smartly and achieve greater
sustainability in society. It's not only about leveraging end users; it's also about producing large
quantities of big data that can be used by decision-makers. The goal of this study is to determine
what causes are contributing to the past decade surge in smartwatch sales, as well as what
factors are influencing smartwatch popularity. Huge interest has been showed by
manufacturers towards the release of related smart products, platforms, and applications (Liang-
Hong, et al., 2016). A recent report published by Deloitte, reveals that smartwatch adoption
only in the United States alone grew to an all-time high of 14 percent between 2013 and 2018
(statista, 2021). Another similar report published by strategic analytics in February 2020
showed that a total of 30.7 million units of “Apple” smartwatches were shipped worldwide
between 2017 and 2019 (statista, 2021). The future appears to centre on “wrist”, where
smartwatch & fitness tracker accounts for 95 percent of total wearable devices (statista, 2018).
This figure is expected to rise in the years to come. The multi-applications of this smartwatch
technology continue to attract many consumers worldwide to adopt this technology, thus
providing us with the motivation to find out why smartwatch adoption is on the rise in recent
times. It is necessary to identify the types of smartwatches before explaining the relationship to
human transformation. As with other products with advanced smart sensors, user can track their
activities and control for instance health-related activities (Kang & Jung, 2020). Some watches
are used for communication purposes like connectivity to phone calls & text messages. So, it is
important to consider that different types of watches may have a different impact on the
product's perceived benefits (Kang & Jung, 2020).
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Early devices were available in the market as bracelets, clip-ons or wrist bands. These were for
the most part, personal fitness trackers which can measure steps or distances, record food intake,
monitor sleep and heart rates, compute temperature and perspiration to measure calorie burn.
For instance, Fitbit, Misfit's Shine, Samsung's Gear Fit. Second, Smart clothing has been
evolved for fitness consumers. In May 2014, t-shirts made with built-in sensors, able to track
heart and breathing rates, calories burned and stress levels were advertised by two companies
(Wright & Keith, 2014). Similarly, with the aid of the Intel's Mike Bell, children and elderly
people with health issues can be monitored 24-7 by their parents and care-givers as well. Third,
new trends are emerging in fashion world by the introduction of newly designed fashion
accessories which are built with high tech functionality. Containing a device called CuffLinc
which is usually connected to smartphones via Bluetooth; these accessories like bracelets,
necklaces and key chains can be uses as tools to ensure personal security. The person can just
touch a bracelet and send a distress signal to corresponding people. Last in order yet equally
important, eyewear is another category of wearable technology. For instance, Google's Glass,
video glasses, Vuzix glasses, Moverio BT-200, etc. These glasses are designed to assist
consumers in medical field, domestic use, blind or partially sighted people. However, glass is
still an experimental stage and has not been launched publicly for common use. Since google
glass abandon an early version. As with other products with advanced smart sensors, user can
track their activities and control for instance health-related activities (Kang & Jung, 2020).
However, on the top of everything else, 'Smart Watches' come first into our minds when
thinking about the advances in wearable technology. Being exceedingly user friendly and
containing most of the features of other wearable tech-gear at once, easily accessible at a
commercial scale and designed as per current fashion; smart watches are superseding all the
contemporary wearable tech-gadgets.

1.2 Previous research around the problem

Smart watch technology is becoming more popular these days, and many young people are
purchasing various brands, therefore it's important to understand the driving forces behind this
adoption. The good bad & ugly is being discussed in relation to the smartwatch and early
adopters (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Although that research emphasized the critical factors of
smart watch users, it also said that when compared to smart phones, young consumers are still
confused (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Adapa, et al., (2018) examined some factors influencing
the adoption of smart wearables devices, specifically Google glass and Sony smartwatch 3. The
study is primarily based on the human-computer interaction model called the Technology
acceptance model (TAM). Benbunan-Fich, (2020), investigated the satisfaction a user derives
using wearables technologies and particularly which variables user satisfaction depends on.
One more study about the “user preferences” was done through conjoint analysis by examining
the various smart watch’s features (Jung, et al., 2016). The study also explains the effects of
different attributes on the buying behaviour of consumers. In addition to previous studies, Kim
& Shin, (2015) indicated five key psychological determinants of smartwatch adoption among
users. These studies are examining human-computer interaction aspects and their implications.
Studies also explained the factor behind developing those technologies and the importance of
“ease of use” for humans.
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1.3 Gaps in the knowledge

However, the above studies primarily revolve around the consumer’s preferences regarding the
adoption of technology, but there is little research on the implications of smart technologies on
human behaviour. For instance, the study “An acceptance model for smartwatches” identified
the major psychological factors in adoption of smartwatches (Kim & Shin, 2015). The study
presented by (Jung, et al., 2016) is mainly focused on the various attributes which could affect
customer’s choices. It is harder to find how certain aspects of life due to the adoption of smart
wearable technology are changing. Studies were made in accordance to examine what are
customer’s preferences towards smart technologies rather than “how smartwatch is making
impact on customer’s life”. Therefore, many researchers (Kim & Shin, 2015; Park, 2020)
adopted the technology acceptance model (TAM). A critical factor on the limitations of
previous research is that those studies were done on the early adopters of the technology, as
explained by (Kim & Shin, 2015). However, since smartwatches have become more commonly
used for different purposes and introduced many new features so a new study would be useful
to understand the user’s preferences.

It is hard to find research which is geared towards finding the answer that how smart watches
are being used on workplaces. Smartwatches have recently introduced several new features that
allow them to act as a stand-alone computing device, whereas previously watches were heavily
reliant on cell phones’ connectivity. According to a study by (Jung, et al., 2016), display and
stand-alone communication were both important factors in comparing options. Watches now
have an "e-sim" feature that allows them to listen to phone calls without having to keep their
smartphones nearby. So, the emerging of new features in recent smartwatches also triggered us
to investigate the current usage patterns. There is also little research around the phenomena of
sustained use of smartwatch. So the objective of study is also to examine the most used features
of smartwatch which in return could help us to understand various perceptions. Another key
feature that has been largely overlooked in past studies is how smartwatches connect families
and how the ecosystem of a certain brands helps people to do their daily jobs. There are certain
brands which are offering smartwatches for the kids and also developing the apps to attract kids
as well.

1.4 Importance & significance of the research

Smartwatches have become more common in recent years, and the category as a whole has
grown significantly. Watches are being abstracted for both tangible and intangible advantages,
and are being used in sports, health, and fitness practices. As a result, it's important to
understand the aspects of life that a smartwatch has a major impact on. Factors may have a
positive or negative impact on people's lives. The smartwatch's use isn't only limited to personal
use; but also has industrial applications ranging from wellness to communication. This will not
only assist consumers in making decisions, but it will also assist producers in producing the
best goods possible. Various brands are putting their products (smartwatches) on the market
and attempting to attract potential buyers by providing a variety of features. The manufacturer
will positively target their future customers by recognizing those crucial features. Smart
watches are the "next big thing" in the wearable device industry, with significant consequences
for our lives. What is more, practical investigations on exchanges between smart watches and
consumers, researchers suggest that humans have gone far in embedding them in their daily
lives rather than just accepting these advanced devices (Dehghani, et al., 2018). There is a need
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to research how user behaviour will change in the future, particularly with new technology.
Smart watches should have extensive functionality because they are meant to be physically
connected to the body all of the time. It is critical to know the common usage of the smart
watches among various consumers which in return would help understand the demand in future.
Smartwatches are comparatively more convenient because of their form function while driving
or during sports.

1.5 Purpose of the research:

Although consumers utilize a variety of smart gadgets, the smartwatch is one of the closest to
the user’s body. Particularly it is a form of wearable technology with some unique capabilities
that other smart items do not possess. As consumers have different reasons for wearing a smart
watch, some find it beneficial to their health and fitness, while others find it enjoyable and
socially acceptable. The aim of this research is to examine the most used smartwatch features
and how it can impact on user perceptions. As a result, it would help to understand the
sustainability of watch technology. In addition to that it elaborates the major usages of the
smart watch among various segments of our society which will help to understand the common
usage patterns among people. By doing so, this study will highlight a few suggestions and
implications regarding future of the market. Moreover, the study can help companies to
determine the factors which affect whether consumers continue to use watches of this kind or
abandon them over time. The focus is to study how smartwatch technology is used and how it
is evolving, and common factors that relate to the adoption of smartwatches.

Research questions:

1: How are smartwatch technology being used ?

2: What are common factors behind the past decade increase in smartwatch adoption?

1.6 Scope and limitations

The study has certain limitations that should be mentioned in respect to the generalizability of
the findings. The first point to note is that the research was conducted in a specific region, with
respondents limited to the Norwegian and Swedish markets. The interests and perceptions of
consumers in regard to technology will vary by area. Because European countries have far
superior socioeconomic statistics than developing countries, the rate of technology adoption
may differ as a result of these factors. A country's technological infrastructure is also a critical
factor in gaining access to new technology on the market. The generality of the results may be
influenced by demographic factors. Generalization of the results are more connected to the
chosen sample, but it is possible to get different answers if size of the sample is greater.
Although there has been a lot of research in the fields of human-computer interaction and
information systems, those research may have some limitations when it comes to discussing
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smartwatch technology. Because the smartwatch phenomenon has been gaining traction since
2015, and therefore there are certain limitation in finding the literature.

1.7 Disposition of the thesis

Initially systematic literature review will be elaborated in chapter 2, literature review will be
based upon the previous work in relation to the smartwatch technology. Next section will be
based upon the methodology followed throughout the research. This includes the research
philosophy, research design, data collection and analysis. In chapter 4 findings will be
presented. Further In the chapter 5 detailed discussion is followed in relation to the literature
review. Final section is based upon the conclusion and theoretical contribution.
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2. Literature review

A literature review is an important aspect of doing a specific study and providing thorough
information in a certain field. While this research is focused on the field of information systems
and wearable smart devices, a systematic evaluation is conducted to further investigate the
topic. Because of the limits on travel, all of the publications for this literature review were
found in easily accessible online scholarly databases. Various renowned databases like JSTOR,
Science Direct, Scopus, ACM-digital and google scholar were used to search the whole body
of available literature. Domain of the material was restricted to information systems to get the
most accurate insights of the phenomena. Because all of the search engine databases were rather
extensive particular search words were utilized to speed up the article search and create a
balance between number and quality. In the beginning search words like “smartwatch and its
implications”, “smart watch technology and its usage” “wearable smart devices”, were used
but later on applied various filters to narrow down the studies. Articles have to meet the
inclusion criterion as well as the search engine keyword requirements before being chosen for
the literature search. Therefore an inclusion criteria was set to determine the quality of the
materials. Some of the factors were as follows:

The literature must be written in English. Despite the fact that this reduces the quality of study,
translating content from other languages will be extremely difficult and unfeasible due to time
restrictions. All publications must be connected to smart watch, wearable devices, standalone
computing device & usage of smart watch. Only papers acquired from recognized and
competent scholarly search engines were picked to ensure the legitimacy of the literature
evaluation. To ensure the review's legitimacy, all of the literature has been published in one of
the top journals and mostly published in “basket of eight” information system journals.
Studies and literature from both empirical and non-empirical sources are included

2.1 Smart wearable devices

Wearable computers, as described by Starner (2014), are “any-body-worn computer that is
designed to provide useful services while the user is performing other tasks” (Cecchinato, et
al., 2015). Smartwatches have two major advantages over other devices: the mount's location
and (perhaps more importantly) the continuous attachment to the skin (Rawassizadeh, et al.,
2015). One important aspect of the wearables is the “smartwatch”. Pradthana & Jonna (2019),
identified some uses of smartwatches. Some of the examples includes the use of smartwatches
for Health & well-being (e.g., posture, fertility, or pain), Fitness (e.g., heart rate or step count
in sport activities), Lifestyle & management (e.g., providing a map, notifying about incoming
call or email) as well as Safety reasons (e.g., by sending a SOS alert automatically) (Pradthana
& Jonna, 2019). Smartwatches incorporate multiple attributes, from being a computable device
being to a fashion accessory (Jung, et al., 2016). Watches are moving in the same direction as
smartphones because of technological development (Rawassizadeh, et al., 2015). Although
there are various smartwatches in the market, in the beginning, watches were not considered as
standalone computing devices, but advancement in the technology have revolutionized the
features. There are some descriptive qualities of smartwatches. One question that seeks an
answer is, which ways have smartwatches stimulated or created an impression on its users or
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potential buyers? The answer to this question lies in the answer, “multitudinous ways”.
Smartwatches are wearables equipped with multi-functional abilities which are used to monitor
and track users' activities and numerous health-related parameters using advanced sensor and
biofeedback technology (Kang & Jung, 2020).

Smart watches possess different attributes e.g., desirability, usability, aesthetics, hedonic
quality, and overall coolness. In addition, physical qualities can also contribute greatly to the
compulsive usage of these devices. Users have different preferences, while using or before
buying, in terms of weight, face surface area, volume and bracelet length or height. In view of
the fact that, smartwatches are a wearable device; consumers may expect to it to be a fashion
accessory or an expression of one’s unique self which adds up to the ‘aesthetic aspect’ of life.
Therefore, a user can consider many descriptive features of these devices e.g., shininess, style,
attention, shape, colour, features, bracelet-traditionality (Dimitrios, et al., 2020). Furthermore,
relating to ‘security needs, comfort of use or reliability factors’, some other descriptive
characteristics can also appeal to the end-users. For instance, built quality, price, size,
complexity, waterproofness, watch-noisiness, felt-temperature, bendiness, and button
noisiness. More qualities like smartness and swipe responsiveness may as well as contribute to
the ‘efficiency need’ of performing different tasks by the users.

2.2 Smartwatch usage for health purposes

Smart wearables' unique benefits, such as precise tracking of health data and the availability of
relevant information based on real-time locations and activities, are driving rapidly increasing
demand for the devices in the market (Kang & Jung, 2020). According to Blaine & Alexandria
(2016), Smart watches have the ability to promote health in daily life by allowing self-
monitoring of personal activity, receiving input based on activity metrics, conducting in-person
surveys to identify patterns of behaviour, and facilitating bi-directional contact with health care
providers and family members. Usage of smartwatch is dependent on personal preferences
such as use of smartwatch for notifications, as an augmented traditional watch, as a health
tracker, as an entertainment device or a combination of the above (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). As
mentioned earlier, smart watches could be used in different area such as in the health sector,
sports & fitness, lifestyle and management as well as the safety sector. In the sports and fitness
sector, running-related applications (apps) are used and available in most smart watches today.
Heart rate monitoring, daily activity monitoring, activity, heart rate, and temperature
monitoring as well as posture detection apps are readily available and used by many people for
monitor their lifestyle. In the health sector, smart watch worn by patients on the wrist or ankle
has the capability of detecting excessive repetitive shakings like those caused by generalized
tonic–colonic (GTC) seizures. The watch sends this information to a smartphone via Bluetooth.
The smartphone in turn sends out the alert to designated care providers. All processes are
completely automated, and the care provider gets to know the time, duration, and location of
the event as it is happening in real time (Chandan, 2015). According to Dehghani (2018), eight
key determinants of continuous usage intention of smartwatches have been identified and few
of them are (healthology, complementary goods and enabling technologies). People have
various habits and activities to improve their health. Habit was the most important feature to
explain the continuance intention of smartwatches (Dehghani, et al., 2018). Smart watches are
mostly comprised of various sensors and these sensors are attached to the body therefore it
provide nearly accurate information about the body. Accelerometry is considered as most used
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way of data collection through smartwatches (Blaine & Alexandria, 2016). Smart watch usage
is not confined to the person level; it has gone to the community level as well. Using the data
collected by smartwatches, communities can establish health-related regulations.

The utilization of health tracking functionalities in smartwatches predicts favourable views and
behaviour intentions toward the devices (Kang & Jung, 2020). Kang & Jung (2020) showed
that smartwatches may track and provide very specific health-related information in a
ubiquitous way, allowing users to actively and precisely monitor their health. Kang & Jang
(2020), discovered that health tracking features predicts a favourable attitude and long-term use
intention in smartwatch users.

2.3 Challenges to smartwatch technology

Technology is moving at a breakneck pace these days, and many firms that were prominent a
decade ago have vanished from the market. Because people's ways of doing things are always
changing, product lifecycles have shrunk. So the question is whether smart watches will be able
to maintain their market dominance in the next years? Smart watches have proved to be an
important device for human activity in recent years. Currently there are several smart watch
types/brands available in the market. Each of these brands has been equipped with capabilities
that enables the watches to be used with in several applications. These capabilities can be in
terms of their hardware or software features. Smart watches, on the other hand, are a new
technology, and research into them is still in its early stages (Blaine & Alexandria, 2016).
Sustainability of smartwatch technology may depend of various factors like perceived ease of
use, usefulness & pleasure (Park, 2020). Few years ago, smartwatch were dependent on other
communication platforms but now have become standalone communication device by
introducing the e-sim function. According to Jung, et al., 2016, fact that potential users consider
smartwatches as independent devices means that smartwatches must not only depended to a
mobile phone but also equipped with independent interfaces to peform the functions.

Dehghani, et al. (2018), explained the sustainability of the smartwatch and the results of this
study indicate that intention to use the smartwatch was influenced positively by aesthetic appeal
and hedonic motivation of smartwatches. Also, keep an eye out for long-term stability. It is
critical to look for aspects that may influence the buyer's buying intention, such as perceived
benefits. Design aesthetics of smartwatch have the most significant effect (Kuo-Lun & Chia-
Chen, 2018). The result also revealed that the smartwatch attributes such as design aesthetics
directly affected the related perceived values (Kuo-Lun & Chia-Chen, 2018). Jeong, et al.
(2017), revealed that there are several temporal usage patterns and distinct groups of usage
patterns. Factors affecting wearing behaviours can be classified into contextual, nuanced, and
multifaceted (Jeong, et al., 2017). Blaine and Alexandria (2016) focused on one of the most
important issues: consumer data. Because smatwatches generate a large amount of data on a
regular basis, data storage will be a significant aspect in the coming days. Another main issue
with respect to data is privacy & ownership (Blaine & Alexandria, 2016).
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2.4 Smartwatch acceptance in early adopters

Smartwatch owners might be regarded as early adopters of these techs, which offer increased
services; their conduct in embracing specific services is important from both a practical and
conceptual aspect (Dehghani & Kim, 2019). Venkatesh, et al. (2012), presented the Unified
theory of acceptance & use of technology model and discussed the four major constructs that
are direct determinants towards the acceptance of a certain technology. Young people believe
that technology will enable them to achieve a specific level of performance. One of the primary
constructs of the UTAUT model is performance expectancy, which expresses a person's
assumption that technology will provide him with better job performance in return (Venkatesh,
et al., 2012) . A system which is providing better degree of ease while using is based upon the
effort “ effort expectancy construct” and named as one another major construct in technology
adoption parameters (Venkatesh, et al., 2012). As a result, young people believe that using
smart watches makes it easier to make payments, calculate calories, and set alarms. In some
circumstances, young people utilize technology because it is trendy in the market and their peers
are doing so as well. As a result, the social impact of adopting a technology is also a significant
element in its acceptance. Venkatesh, et al. (2012) also expressed that social influence is direct
contruct in influencing the behavioral intentions of a person.

Smart watches began as computing devices, but they have since evolved into a fashion
statement. One of the potential drawbacks of smart watches, according to Jung et al. (2016), is
that they are not separate communication devices. However, several companies have now
incorporated the "e-sim" feature, which allows the watch to function as an independent device.
This factor could act as possible attraction to the early adopters. Display, shape & standalone
communication were considered most crtical factors in the smartwatch adoption (Jung, et al.,
2016). Further in the research, Jung, et al., (2016) expressed that consumers give more priority
to the functionality rather than display. One of the key suggestion to the manufacturer of
smartwatches is to market the privacy & security as key element in targeting the young male
consumers (Kang & Jung, 2020). Further it is stated that choosing between the benefits of smart
wearables and maintaining one's privacy is not always a trade-off. (Kang & Jung, 2020). While
discussing the smart watch’s user chracteristics, Kang & Jung (2020) explained that young men
have better privacy skills as compared to women users. Although users with ambivalent
perspectives used smartwatches the most frequently of the three categories of users, their
attitudes toward and intentions to continue using the devices were much lower than the benefit-
oriented groups (Kang & Jung, 2020).

The aesthetic appearance of a watch is seen as a significant factor, and users prefer to purchase
designful watches (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Design aesthetic is considered as key attribute in
getting the market share which actually adds value to the overall brand (Dehghani & Kim,
2019). Possessing a one-of-a-kind item elicits favorable emotions and satisfies people's desire
for novelty (Dehghani & Kim, 2019). For non-users, uniqueness is one of the key element in
buying the smart watch however actual users of technology did not consider this an issue
(Dehghani & Kim, 2019). Dehghani & kim (2019), suggested that size of the screen for smart
watch users was a strong motive toward behaviour. Smartwatches and smartphones screens are
becoming the secondary source of information. Dehghani & kim (2019), found that watches
with square shape like apples were more preferable because of the design&size of the product
(Dehghani & Kim, 2019)

While emphizing on The Good, (Cecchinato, et al., 2015) explained that early users can get
the notification in the public spaces and do not need to rely much on the mobile phones.
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Regardless of a broad benefits of discreet notifications, early adopters are still unsure about the
true value of a smart watch (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Early adopters don't have enough extra
features to encourage widespread adoption of smartwatch as compare to smartphones. The
worst thing is the Aestheic desireablity in early adopters because this largely depend upon
individual choices (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Key findings of the Cecchinato’s study is
presented below in table 1.

Table.1: Key findings of early adopters of Smartwatch (Cecchinato, et al., 2015)

Early adopter’s Smart watch Description

The Good Early adopters are able to receive notification in social

space
The Bad Early adopters are still confused about the Real benefit of
smartwtach
The Ugly Earlyadopters have different opinions about the Aesthetics
of smartwatch

Chol & Seongcheol (2016), explained the various factors in relation to the adoption of a certain
technology. Detailed illustration of all the major factors is mentioned in the table 2. Further in
the same study (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016) it explained the smartwatch as the fashion prouduct
and relate this to the intenion of usage among the people with desire for uniquness. Chol &
Seongcheol (2016), also linked the external factor which are affecting In adoption of the
technology those are; technological innovation & smartwatch as fashion product.Vanity &
desire of uniqueness are being considered an important factor in the adoption of the technology
(Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). Compatibility of the technology is also considered an important
factor In the adoption of smartwatch technology (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016).
 17

Table 2: Important factors that can affect the adoption of the technology (Chol & Seongcheol,
2016)

Factors Types Description

Cognitive activity Perceived How technology is useful, benefits of using the product.
usefulness How easy is to use the technology
Perceived ease of How compatible is the technology with others.
use

Social aspects Social influence Usage in public spaces like workplaces, travelling and
Privacy, private gatherings
Cultural Cultural aspects of using technology (acceptance,
acceptance rejection)

Physical aspects Physical comfort Overall physical comfort of the technology.

Appearance Health related issues by using technology
Weight of the product, ease of access.

Demographic Age, Gender, Important demographic factors can affect the adoption of
factors place technology
Age, gender, education and ethnicity
Technological Past experiences, Familiarity with technology, experience in using the
understanding technological technology.

Summary of Literature review

Literature review is primarily based upon the usage of smartwatch as health & fitness tool. It
also discusses the challenges to the technology and the factors which could affect the
sustainability of smartwatch. Later it is also mentioned that how early adopters are using or
benefiting from technology. In the last section it discusses the factors which could affect the
usage of the smart watch.
 18

3. Methodology

3.1. Research Approach

The research's overall objective is to examine the factors influencing consumer attitude and
preferences towards smartwatch adoption. The research approach helps the researcher in
designing the process of conducting a particular study. According to (Creswell & Creswell,
2018), the research approach comprises three main components: Philosophical worldviews,
research designs & research methods. Although the researcher has various options to conduct
the study by following specific research paradigms, it mostly depends on which paradigm is the
best to elaborate on the problem's nature and find out the answer. For instance, we have options
from positivist, constructivist, post-positivist & pragmatist. The researcher’s main intention
must be focus on finding the best intersection of these three components. The positivist & post-
positivist worldviews mainly represent the traditional way of doing research with the help of
quantitative data collection and analysis. The distinction between the two mainly has to do with
the degree to which there is a commitment to “absolute truth of knowledge” (Creswell &
Creswell, 2018) and the post-positivism is based on the idea that not everything that exists can
be known, and that we cannot have an absolute picture of reality. Post-positivism remains
deductive in its approach and continues to rely on mainly quantitative methods associated with
hypothesis testing. Post positive’s beliefs strongly depend upon the “deterministic theory”
which explains that cause determines the outcome (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). So experiments
are also one of the major tools used in this paradigm (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). So
experiments are also one of the major tools used in this paradigm. Another worldview is critical
realism. One of the main characteristics of critical realism is that its ontology is still that “world
exists as it is, independently of what we think” (Zachariadis, et al., 2010). Critical realists’ views
about the cause-effect concept is also different from empiricists. Critical realism is normally
believed to be in the middle of empiricism & positivism and can simultaneously address the
issues of natural & social sciences (Zachariadis, et al., 2010).

3.1.1 Constructivist worldviews (qualitative approach)

The research design of this research revolves around the constructivist approach.
“Constructivist worldviews", are based on people’s perception of the world where they live
(Creswell & Creswell, 2018). According to Creswell & Creswell (2018), the researcher's aim
in the "Constructivist approach" is to rely on the data generated by participant rather than their
own beliefs about a situation. For this purpose, the researchers try to float the open-ended
question to study in-depth. In open-ended questions, a participant has more freedom to express
views and thus, in detail, answers provide in-depth views of a certain problem. (Corbin &
Strauss, 2015) It describes some of the most frequently given reasons for choosing qualitative
research which are: to study the innermost experiences of participants, to investigate how
meanings are formed and transformed and to interrogate areas which are still not examined
fully. Furthermore, the elements discovered in qualitative research can be tested later through
quantitative forms of research. Most importantly, qualitative research has the ability to study a
phenomenon in a more universal and extensive way. In this research the aim is to explore the
user’s understanding and thoughts related to smart watches so qualitative approach is selected.
There are various product attributes & functions in smartwatches, which, thus, users give
 19

different weightage in buying preferred models. Research questions in this paper need more
in-depth answers to understand the implications of a smartwatch. In the constructivist approach,
qualitative methods are the main tool to collect and analyse the data. The origin of qualitative
research is derived from the fields of anthropology & sociology. Creswell & Creswell (2018)
explain that in qualitative design research process begins with a pop-up of questions & data is
collected in a natural setting, then the analysis is inductively built from raw data to themes
which then are interpreted by the researcher.

3.2. Qualitative research design (Grounded theory)

Glaser and Strauss are known to be the founding fathers of grounded theory. Their work
explained how theory could be produced directly from data. Their method called into question
the traditional method of testing and refining theory by academic testing. In particular,
grounded theory investigations generally revolve around social processes and actions. They
question about why certain actions are done and why people do them. This demonstrates the
power of symbolic interactionism, a social psychological approach directed towards human
activities (Sbaraini, et al., 2011). Grounded theory (GT) is an efficient, yet responsive
methodology. “This methodology is appropriate when little is known about a phenomenon. One
of the defining characteristics of GT is that it aims to generate theory that is grounded in the
data” (Tie, et al., 2019). Grounded theory is a form of qualitative research which has been
preferred by many behavioural scholars over quantitative research. Grounded theory being a
qualitative methodology has many advantages as well. For example, a researcher doesn’t have
to drive the concepts from the prior knowledge to form a theory, rather these ideas are derived
newly from the data collected during the research process. Next, interdependence of data
collection and research analysis has more capacity for research work and theory formation...
Data collection and analysis keep going on in this constant cycle throughout the research
process. More than anything else, scholars have the abundant freedom in the selection of various
means of data collecting. “Interviews and observations are the most common types of data
collection and in addition to that “Videos, papers, sketches, internal documents and memos,
memoirs, and record from archives are also considered as source of data collection (Corbin &
Strauss, 2015). A brief process flow of data in the grounded theory is explained below in figure
1.
 20

Figure.1: Cycle of data collection and analysis in the grounded theory (Urquhart, et al., 2010)

In the initial phase, a researcher using the grounded theory approach starts with ideational
constructs, such as ‘hunches’ for investigation (Miles & Huberman, 1984). These fundamentals
concepts help a researcher to select an area of enquiry called the ‘substantive area’ and define
a topic (Urquhart, et al., 2010). The researcher then collects "slices of data" from the area of
research and codes them according to conceptual categories. These slices of data can come from
different sources, and different data collection methods (Urquhart, et al., 2010).
According to Glaser & Strauss (1967), in the third phase, the features of these conceptual
categories are first described. The categories are further theorized into theoretical constructs by
developing the "relations" between them using additional slices of data. At this stage, constant
comparison with already collected data, ideas, themes and constructs is very important
(Urquhart, et al., 2010). Furthermore, additional data will be acquired using theoretical
sampling until the existing categories are ‘saturated’ (Urquhart, et al., 2010). In the final stage,
the ‘saturated’ concepts are then merged as much as possible to define the relationships
between core categories, which then form a ‘grounded’ theory (Urquhart, et al., 2010). Constant
comparison, in simple terms, means continually collecting new data and comparing it with data
you already have. Theoretical sampling means choosing elements from the data you already
have to guide your subsequent work, and theoretical saturation means getting to the point where
no new data makes any difference to your concepts.

Having said this, grounded theory has gone through many iterations and there are many versions
of it which are not always compatible (see Amsteus, 2014). In particular, where Strauss and
 21

Corbin (1997) emphasis step-by-step procedures, Glaser is more flexible. Strauss and Corbin
introduce three stages of coding: open, axial and selective. Open coding simply means gathering
data together into groups with similar characteristics. Axial coding refers to finding ways of
organising the themes into related groups (see Charmaz, 2014), and selective coding refers to
the theory ultimately generated. Glaser does not see selective coding as an end point and what
he calls selective coding is more like axial coding in Strauss and Corbin. Glaser tended to limit
his interest to what he called, ‘substantive theory’, which is a fairly narrow approach geared to
single domains. Formal theories, in his opinion, come from comparison across different
settings. These differences of opinion concerning exactly what kinds of procedure, what steps,
and what reasoning procedures have led many researchers to argue that they are ‘informed by’
grounded theory. This is also because researchers sometimes feel that the data sample they have
is not really enough to generate a strong ‘formal’ theory which would be valid across different
settings or domains. For Charmaz (2014), ‘constructivist’ grounded theory has far less in the
way of instructions and emphasises flexibility, allowing for different understandigs of what a
theory is. An example of the use of grounded theory for the development of a conceptual
framework, but not a formal theory, is Mick and Fournier (1998) in their study of consumer
attitudes ton new technology. Even with different versions, pretty much all of them include
basic elements of inductivism, constant comparison, theoretical sampling and theoretical
saturation. We follow grounded theory in the flexible and limited way that the constructivist
approach recommends and do not search for a formal theory in our data. Even so, we follow
the steps outlined above as guidelines for our work.

3.3 Methods for data collection

Purposive sampling was used to acquire data. We conducted online and direct recorded
interviews with individuals who wore various types of smartwatches. Two countries, Norway
and Sweden, were chosen for selection of participants. The duration of the data collection
spanned over three weeks. The interviews followed an exploratory pattern with open-ended and
semi-structured interviews focused on the research questions presented above. There were 20
online recorded interviews using the “Zoom” video conferencing tool. Each interview was
spread out over 20-30 minutes by allowing some flexibility to participants. The evaluation of
various methods is significant because it contributes to the research's reliability. In qualitative
research, the researcher has a variety of options to choose from, but the decision is entirely
based on the questions, data, and constraints. Because of Covid-19 limits, options were
restricted in this study as well.

3.3.1 Interviews
Face-to-face, telephonic, focus groups, and e-mail interviews are all available options to
conduct the qualitative study. However, for this research, a one-on-one interview will be
conducted through Zoom meeting software. In addition, semi-structured interviews were
chosen to investigate this phenomenon because phenomena can be chosen to stay in focus in
semi-structured interviews (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Further Corbin & Strauss (2015) has
described the various characteristics of semi-structured interviews sucha s how the researcher
can add probing questions in addition to the main questions during the interview. One-on-one
interviews have a number of benefits, including the right for participants to share their opinions
 22

freely and the ability to access historical data. Each interview covers the same collection of
questions and topics. Prior to interview, the researcher may have more flexibility in constructing
the questionnaire and can moderate within the interview process. Questions are designed by
keeping in mind the main phenomena of “smart watch technology” and secondly questions are
based in relation to study’s main research questions. The emphasis of a study with a small
sample size, such as this thesis, is not so much on comparing the cases. As a result, the questions
don't have to be very much structured and can be more open-ended. To follow a consistent
guideline during the interview process, a detailed interview questionnaire as well as a protocol
paper were produced and communicated among members of this study (appendix 2).

3.3.2 Interview guidelines

Prior to beginning data collection, it is important to understand the interview guidelines or

framework; following these guidelines will help to meet the goals and avoid undesirable
outcomes. In interview guideline, the researcher follows the protocol for participant approval,
data storage and sharing, technology selection, and data recording. A general interview
guidelines document is designed by the help of the book written by Creswell & Creswell,
(2018). A comprehnsive literature was studied prior in designing the questionire and collection
of data. Every data collector should be given interview guidelines so that the same protocols
are followed in interviews. Since this study is a group project, it was important to adhere to the
same guidelines. So In the appendix, there is a comprehensive interview guideline sheet. A
detialed interview guidelines document was prepared before starting the data collection and is
presented in Appendix 1.

3.3.3 Participant’s overview

Total of twenty interviews were conducted in Norway & Sweden. The interviews lasted 20-30
minutes and were answered by a series of questions. Since this study was gender, class, and age
neutral, as a result, a sample of participants was taken, and those who were wearing the
smartwatch were chosen for an interview. Since there was no “brand” limitation in the sample,
participants had different of smart watch brands. Participants ranged in age from 30 to 55 years
old and belongs from a variety of professional backgrounds.

3.4 Data analysis- Grounded theory approach

In a qualitative technique, there is a chance that researchers will receive a vast amount of data
in the form of text, symbols for observations, or any other format. Therefore, one of the tasks
of qualitative research is the extraction of useful data. Data synthesis is crucial for creating
fundamental ideas. As it has described earlier that semi structured interviews were conducted
to collect the data and grounded theory analysis approach is followed. Grounded theory
approach is slightly different from the others. In grounded theory the primary analytical method
for identifying an emergent grounded theory from data is coding (Mills, et al., 2006). As
(Charmaz, 2006, p. 43) explains “through coding, you define what is happening in the data and
begin to grapple with what it means”. According to (Corbin & Strauss, 2015) primarily three
major types of coding areused: open coding, axial coding & selective coding. A brief illustration
of coding techniques is presented in Figure 2. In open coding, the researcher typically begins
with a large amount of data and creates the initial codes. Then, in the next stage of axial coding,
 23

codes developed in first stage converts into a larger phenomenon. The ultimate notion may
come from the selective stage, also known as the coding's final step.

Axial Selective
Open coding coding coding

Figure2: Coding techniques in Grounded theory methodology (Corbin & Strauss, 2015)

There are some researchers, such as Glaser, who argue that it is sufficient if the researcher could
understand the major themes from the axial coding in one stetting and do not need to apply the
selective coding to formal theorising. Normally, researchers can create a conceptual framework
after the data saturation is sufficient to describe concepts and their relationships. We follow the
open & axial coding but will not go through the selective coding.

3.4 Research validity & reliability

Regardless of approach, it appears that considering the concepts of validity and reliability is
always a good idea. However, because of the methodology selected for this thesis, qualitative
research problems are currently in focus. Validity is one of important qualitative research's
strengths, and it involves deciding if the results are correct from the perspective of the
researcher, the participant, or the account's readers (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Themes will
be assessed through multiple sources or studies to validate the findings. As Creswell & Creswell
(2018), explained, if themes are formed by integrating several sources of data or viewpoints
from participants, this method can be said to add to the study's validity. The aim is to provide a
thorough overview of the results so that readers can quickly grasp the key points.

According to Corbin & Strauss (2015), a research report is valid if “it accurately represents
those features of the phenomena that it is intended to describe, explain, or formulate”. Further
in their book “basics of qualitative research” Corbin & Strauss (2015), explain that reliability
is possible to obtain by classifying the main concepts and ensuring that all data elements are
transcribed. One of the most important characteristics of qualitative research is reflexivity.
Creswell & Creswell (2018) stated that good qualitative research includes feedback from the
researchers on how their context, such as gender, culture, experience, and socioeconomic
origin, influences their interpretation of the results. In this study motivation is to pay careful
attention to the accuracy of data “transcription” during the data collection process, as this is
how the researcher will produce the best results. There must be enough proof of how the data
was collected and how the analysis was carried out because by doing this researcher can
 24

improve the credibility of a study (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). In qualitative interviewing,
reliability is a challenge because it's possible that asking the same questions yields different
results. While conducting qualitative research, there are some important considerations that
researchers should keep in mind. For example, a researcher should communicate its research
process to other stakeholders in a more transparent manner.

3.5 Ethical considerations

When conducting a qualitative analysis, certain important ethical considerations must be kept
in mind, and it is also appropriate to keep some important factors in mind that could influence
the interpretative research design. In order to address these concerns, researchers define their
prejudices, beliefs, and personal context, such as gender, history, culture, and socioeconomic
status, which shape their interpretations shaped during a study (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Prior to the data collection section, we were given the permission by our thesis supervisor and
staffs conducting the thesis seminar before we advanced to the data collection stage. We had a
clear assessment of an agreement of the type of interview questions we planned to ask our
participants with the goal of seeking answers to our research questions. Before each interview
commenced, each of us agreed that our participants must be informed prior to the start of any
interview about our goals and why we seek to have an interview with them. So for this purpose
we got a verbal consent over “phone & zoom” prior to start the interview, to ensure the
willingness of the participants. In addition to that we used a consent form to conduct & record
the interview, see appendix 5. Care was taken to explain to each of our participants about the
purpose of the interview. We also assured each participant that the interview data and materials
is for research (academic) purpose alone and will be destroyed as soon as we are done with the
thesis work. The confidentiality of the participants was very important and given due care in
this study. It was being informed to the participants that their identities would not be disclosed
at any stage of the research. We ensured that all positive and negative results from the interviews
were reported. Participants were given the free option to withdraw from the interview if they
so wish and any previous recording from the interview with the participant destroyed.

3.6 Reflexivity factor or researcher role

Past experience is an important factor in data collection it includes the observations about the
similar research problem or any association with the participant which can affect the research.
So keeping in mind these factors research is being done and tried to not affect the participant’s
ideas about the given questions. The second most important aspect is that past experiences will
influence how a researcher thinks about the certain phenomena. Experiences may have an
impact on the development of themes from the collected data, so the researcher must look for
additional evidence to back up his or her position. Creswell & Creswell (2018), discussed some
important points about the incorporation of refelexive thinking in the research. By taking Notes
and memos, researcher can better controll the data collection procedure and can include the
observation in documented form. This will later help the researcher to frame the ideas and
themes for analysis part. So for this study interviews are recorded to use in analysis and
discussion section. In addition, qualitative researchers must keep personal experiences to a
minimum so that the relevance of the study's content and methodology is not overshadowed
 25

Table 3: Summary of Methodology

Research Purpose Exploratory

Inductive style

Research paradigm Constructivists worldviews

Qualitative

Research design Grounded theory

Methods of data collection Primary data: Interviews one-to-one (Total 20)

Questionnaire: Based on total 11 semi-structured & open questions see

appendix 2.

Sampling: Sampling is based upon the guidelines of grounded theory

which describes that user of a certain product (smartwatch) can be
selected as a possible sample (Corbin & Strauss, 1990).
Convenient (purposive) sampling

Source: Norway & Sweden.

The participants were split evenly between Norway and Sweden.

Participants ranged in age from 28 to 55 years old and came from a
variety of backgrounds. Participants were active smartwatch user.

Brief summary of characteristics of participants is attached in the

Appendix 4.

Secondary data: Articles from journals, books, LNU one search,

EBESCO, IEEE, ACM, google scholar & websites

Data analysis Constant comparative analysis is used to analytically understand the

core categories, while collecting the data.
Analysis is based upon the grounded theory approach. Two stages of
coding were applied in the data analysis
• Open coding
• Axial coding

Conceptual framework in Conceptual framework is developed after the axial coding.

Grounded theory methodology Development of relationship of among core categories
Relationship among the core constructs

Validity & Reliability Data recording, recording of notes, memos, All major elements are
described. Controlled personal reflexivity.
Code & categories are assessed by the help of various scholarly articles.
 26

4. Findings

Data was collected from participants and the codes were identified after each interview.
Constant comparison of the data being carried out in the data collection process. After collecting
and analysing both primary & secondary data some codes were identified. These initial codes
describe the corelation among the concepts.

Open coding
Open coding is the first step of data analysis in grounded theory approach. In open coding
researcher develops the codes from the data and develop the categories (Mills, et al., 2006). For
this study initial codes were derived from the interviews which are described in the Figure 3.
Open coding can be stopped when it begins to suggest the core categories (Corbin & Strauss,
2015). As interviews generated some interesting facts about study along with unique features.
These ideas were in fact connected, either directly or indirectly, to the use of smartwatches and
their prospective advantages. Here, any significant idea relating to the hedonic or utilitarian
value of the user was attempted to be noted down. Initially after each recorded interview we
wrote the basics terms used in response to our interview and then those interrelated terms were
grouped together to understand the common codes. As Corbin & Strauss, (2015) explain, the
theorist does not work with data itself, but rather conceptualizations of data. Theories cannot
be developed from “raw data,” or real happenings or actions that have been witnessed or
reported (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Raw data helps to formalize the basic codes. Concepts
which were interrelated to each other were put into one code. Terms related to the training &
exercise, stress monitoring, professional usage, child monitoring & ease if use were grouped
together.
 27

Open codes Open codes Open codes Open codes

Running, Alerts Alerts & Contactless
Ultrarunner Health tracking notification of payments
Steps traking activities Easy to answer
ECG
GPS & Altitude Easy & secure calls
Sleep communicatio
capturing monitoring Quick
n. Critical messages
Distance & Pulse check messages
movemnet Use in sports,
monitoring Blood presure Watch tracking cycling,
if lost swimming or
Weight control
Alternate to driving
Goals & mobiles
Challenges Sharing goals
Motivational Organizational
apps health &
Family organizational
connnectivity usage
Easy payments
Figure 3: Initial codes derived in open coding process

Axial coding

Axial coding is where we draw the connections among the identified codes. According to the
Strauss & Corbin (1999), in axial coding researchers make the connections among the
categories to the subcategories. Further axial coding helps to identify the major category. The
objective of the axial coding is to sort and organize huge amount of data to identify the
resemblance of codes identified in the open coding phase (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Further
this concept is explained by Strauss & Corbin (1999), that in open coding researcher extracts
data in detail whereas axial coding strategy is used to bring back the data in a “coherent whole”.

Health & Fitness monitoring

Sustainability of
smartwatch
Usage behaviour in early
adopters
Organizational impact of
smartwatch
Child monitoring & safety
 28

Figure 4: Major codes after axial coding

After thoroughly studying & examining the relationship among the codes at the open coding
stage, a few axial codes were identified which are shown above in the Figure4. These codes are
explaining the deeper connection among the various codes which are somehow related to each
other. The main axial codes are explained in detail in chapter 5.

4.1 Health & Fitness Monitoring

One of the code on which we classified the data collected from the interviews with all
participants is the use of smartwatch product for general health and fitness monitoring. This
theme has been considered by most past researchers as an emerging and important benefit that
smartwatch users could expect from their devices today because most smartwatches have
various inbuilt sensors like accelerometer, gyroscope, SPO2 and heart rate measurements
capabilities (Anurag, et al., 2015). With these capabilities in smartwatches now, we carried out
several interviews to get information from our participants to see how smartwatch can be used
as a general health and fitness product. Each participant in this interview was given an ID in
form of, for example, “participant A” or “participant B” and so on. Each participant gave several
reasons for adopting a choice of smartwatch. Below are some questions that were presented to
our participants.

Question: What brand of smartwatch are you using and why do you prefer it? What influence
you to buy it?

Question: Do you feel any change in your life by using this smart technology? If yes, then how?

Question: Which features do you like most in your smartwatch, and how they are impacting in
performing activities?

The first question presented to every participant is about the type of smartwatch brand they
have. Some of the brand of smartwatches mentioned by our participants were Fitbit, Samsung
galaxy, Garmin, Denver, and the generic type of smart watch (See Appendix 1 for more
information). Participant A, a 50-years old female said, she bought a Fitbit brand of smartwatch
because the type of smartwatch brand enables her to measure her sleep level, check her daily
movement and in addition, that the smartwatch has an app in it that is connected to her mobile
phone and this reason motivated her to use the Fitbit smartwatch. Participant B, a 47-year-old
female said she decided to buy a Samsung galaxy smartwatch because she can use it to calculate
her sleep duration as well as to calculate her daily steps (movements). Participant B also said
that she bought this type of smartwatch not because of the price advantage but because she
wanted to use it for her daily check her blood pressure and heartbeat rate.
Participants C and D, a 49years and 38years female respectively, gave their reasons for
choosing a Garmin brand of smartwatch. Both said, individually, that they were motivated to
buy the smart watch because sports and exercise. They chose this brand because it supports
their daily exercise activities. Participant E, a female, has a Denver smartwatch and she said
 29

she bought it because the smartwatch is cheaper, and she wanted to test how that smartwatch
works in other to decide to buy a more expensive one. Participants E said her bought it because
she wants to keep track of her sleeping patterns, pulse and enables to know if she had reached
her daily goals. Therefore, she gets satisfied for being able to reach her goals. She also said that
she bought this smart watch because of the aesthetic shape and feminine looks of the Denver
smartwatch.

Furthermore, Participant G (61 years old male), Participant H (45-years old female) and
Participant I (35 years old male) have a Samsung, Garmin, and Apple brand type of smartwatch,
respectively. Participant G said he was motivated to choose a Samsung smartwatch because it
helps him to measure his blood pressure and daily training activities. He said, however, that no
difference was really made in his life because of having this watch. A different idea was also
shared by Participant H, who believed that she only makes use her smartwatch for other needs
other than checking of her health status. She barely uses her smartwatch for health and fitness
purpose according to her. Participant I chose the Apple smartwatch brand because it helps him
to measure how much distance he has walked. In addition to this, the smartwatch helps him to
keep track of his set goals at gym daily.

Some participants indicated that they were motivated to buy smartwatch because of the
possibility of connecting it to their mobile phones. Others said they adopted a particular brand
because of the possibility of using some vital health applications that were in built in the
smartwatch. In addition to this, some of the responses we got from the participants is that they
use the smartwatch for measuring their sleeping patterns and to check their calorie consumption
levels. While others said that they use smartwatch for measuring their blood pressure and
checking their oxygen levels (details interview quotes are in Appendix3). Furthermore, some
participants indicated that their smartwatch is used for calculating daily steps and for tracking
daily training level. They went further to add that the smartwatch sometimes is used for
checking of hearth beat rate and to see how their individual set goals are met (See quotes from
participants B, F, I, L, M and N responses in Appendix 1. As number of respondents highlighted
the health tracking ability of the smart watches, as a part of early adoption of the wearables,
that factor authenticates the assistance that is provided in living through the smart watches.
Elderly people can make use of the smart watches to track their heart rate, monitor their glucose
levels and further use the same to ensure sufficient water intake, to prevent dehydration

4.2 Sustainability of smartwatch

Sustainability of any technology depends upon many factors and factors can be influenced by
many kinds of internal & external threats. As previously mentioned, smartwatch sales are at an
all-time high, but the question is how long they will last in this highly competitive market. So
for this purpose questions were designed in such a way that participants can express their views
in improvement of technology. Examples are:

Question: Do you have any recommendation in relation to improvement in smartwatch

technology?

Question: What do you think about the future of this technology?

Question: Do you use it as much as in the beginning, more, or less? Reason

 30

Discussion is further divided into subcategories related to future of technology. There were
some important points highlighted by the users and which have commonalities among so those
points. In one interview, a respondent said that the benefits of wearing a smart watch were as
follows (see interviews in appendix 3):
“Even I can make a call while I am swimming”.

Same respondents expressed his views that

“You know how unpredictable the weather is in Scandinavia, and how you have to pay attention
to messages from the transport authority and others; here, we need a more immediate source
of information.”

During the interviews, most participants listed the battery life of their smartwatch as one of the
most important factors. Although brands have focused on these major factors, there is still room
for improvement. For some respondents, the battery lasts for longer time in standalone mode,
but it quickly drains when the watch is connected to other devices, such as a portable speaker.
One respondent “N”, highlighted the battery issue “While I believe the battery is nearly
adequate, I used to go to the beach without my phone or wallet. As a result, I attach my watch
to the speakers to listen to music, but the battery quickly drains. A number of other respondents
highlighted the battery issue.

“Charging is very slow if I charge with with docking station”

Some respondents highlighted the compatibility factor. They told why they are using the
specific watches just to get the connectivity of other smart devices. Respondent N expressed
his views “I am using apple series 4, I bought this just because of my other apple device. I like
it because it is very familiar to what I have with my iPhone, iPad & MacBook”. The same
factor was being highlighted by another respondent P,

“The reason behind why I chose that Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch is one thing is that Samsung
is a good friend. And the second is I have a Samsung mobile so it's compatible with my phone.

Also, I can use the application.”

Smartwatches have built the different applications for various functions performed by watches
and user can store & track their progress. This is how they can make analysis of their uploaded
information. Watches even have online communities where users can store and share stories
related to collaboration with others. During interview one respondent “O”, who was using a
Fitbit told his story

“One other good thing was that to have a community online. So basically the same people in
the same community, putting them in, you know, in collaboration or competing against each
other”.

Respondent N, “I think if there was one thing that was missing and I would be truly independent
from my wallet is, if you can have a digital ID so you don't need to be carrying your physical
card anymore. From my smartwatch that I cannot survive with a physical thing, it is some sort
of digital ID on my watch and also to open my house and car.
 31

4.3 Usage behaviour in early adopters

It is true that interacting with people in order to gain a better understanding of the various
applications of wearable watches was worthwhile. In relation to the research being carried out
here, it is critical to note that the interviews conducted with different people to learn about how
the use of wearable devices affects their personal and professional lives were rich in detail.
Furthermore, data from the literature can be used to support the research performed through
interviews and the evidence gathered through interviews. Since the research questions were
created in order to discover the factors that are influencing the increased sales of smartwatches,
it was critical to look for factors that could offer insight into customer use trends. As previously
stated, watches now have more capabilities to perform tasks than before, and as a result,
applications are becoming more ditinct. Different segments have different preferences when it
comes to purchasing and using smartwatches, one of the most important trends discovered
during the study is "usage in early adopters".
.
While it has been observed that watches have some similar features, a few of them have distinct
functions that distinguish them. Consumer tastes vary in terms of need and behaviour; for some,
it is ideal for health tracking, while for others, it serves as a form of instant communication.
The questions were created in such a way that respondents could openly share their feelings
about buying different types of brands and also describe the most used features. Understanding
how technology was reshaping their lives was one another factor which helped to highlight the
important social impact of the technology.

Question: Which brand of smart watch are you using and why do you prefer this?

Question: Which features do you like most in your smartwatch and how they are impacting
in performing activities?

Question: Do you feel any change in your life by using this smart technology? If yes the
how?

There were a lot of different usage patterns observed during the interview and a brief overview
of those usage patterns are mentioned in the Table 4.

During data collection, it was discovered that a significant number of participants were adopting
smartwatch technology for sports & free activities. Smart watches were not only utilized to
provide them with information, but they were also utilized to analyse data.

“So right now I am using Suunto 9 model smartwatch. The reason of choosing Suunto was I
found it had better altitude capturing than Garmin. I am also using the Strava application which
is being used by professional athletes”

This participant was a young postdoctoral researcher at Oslo University who also claimed to be
an ultra-runner. During the interview, the participant said that he was training for a 100-
kilometer run, which is why he was wearing the Suunto watch. The respondent was wearing a
Swedish brand that focuses on functional watches and offers a variety of wearable accessories
for outdoor activities (Suunto, 2021). Early adopters have a distinct use pattern and a different
perception of importance than regular users. Some users regard smartwatches as
 32

"fashionology," but there is a subset of users who regard smartwatches as advanced technology
that caters to their unique needs.

“The steps wasn't the main thing for me, But any more specific sports, whether, you know, it
was quite a bit more specific, If you can track while I running, swimming and cycling, etc.”

Now, watches are capable of computing a variety of statistics and providing precise data for
professionals. One participant stated that his watch saves him time because he does not have to
spend a lot of time just calculating his data. So, in order to keep an accurate track of progress,
participant decided to get smartwatch and observe how he was performing.

“I think I've become more conscious of the various things I do while training, like if I'm going
uphill or I'm going downhill the way my cadence changes and the way my pace shift, the way
my heart rate changes in different sections of the trail, I believe that gives me an insight into
which part of my training I need to work ….”

Notification is also one of the main functions used by the early adopter. During the interviews
it was found that people who used to sit in the offices for long time are get alerted by watches
for monitoring their movements. One of the most common features of smart wearable devices
is that they can monitor your movements and provide you with recommendations. One
respondent “O” highlighted his experiences by saying “The good thing about this Fitbit is that
you get small notification which reminds me that I have been sitting X, amount of hours without
walking”. Details responses are mentioned in the appendix. The advantages of wearing a
smartwatch outnumber the disadvantages; in general, smartwatches assist people in performing
their tasks more effectively.

People can not only use their smart wearables to get access to all their phones and its
notifications, rather the smart watches can also be sued to make quick responses. While
reflecting upon the various aspects of smart watches, though a thematic analysis, it was revealed
that a majority of participants that took part in the research were the early adopters of smart
wearable technology

A number of participants mentioned the contactless payment feature, which has become popular
among smartwatch users. Various brands offer this feature, in which customers only have to
enter their card information once and can then use their bank cards by scanning their watches
at various contactless terminals. Various POS (Points of Sale) are equipped with this
technology, especially in Europe, and people are also using their smartphones to make
payments. One participants who worked as Product manager in big multinational organization
highlight the everyday use of smart watches, particularly in tough schedules. In cases where it
is not possible for the people to look across their phones, or access them simultaneously in busy
times, it is where the smart watches come to their rescue.

Notification is also one of the main functions used by the early adopter. During the interviews
it was found that people who used to sit in the offices for long time are get alerted by watches
for monitoring their movements. One of the most common features of smart wearable devices
is that they can monitor your movements and provide you with recommendations.
 33

One respondent “O” highlighted his experiences by saying, “The good thing about this Fitbit
is that you get small notification which reminds me that I have been sitting X, amount of hours
without walking”.

Detailed responses are mentioned in the appendix. Familiarity with technology or an

understanding of its features may also help people use technology more effectively. As long as
people begin to understand the features, they can feel at ease and enjoy using the technology.In
response to a query about technology use, participants stated that they are using it more than
they were previously.

“Maybe a little bit more. I mean, I'm learning more about the functionality”

4.3.1 Organizational impact of smartwatch

While it was not the intention to address the effect on organizational life, the number of
participants during the interviews demonstrated one very significant point. The benefits
mentioned in the study are important to note here since they are linked to "use in early
adopters." On– time access of messages, calls, as well vital notifications on smartwatch are
some of the examples. Below are some questions we posed in response to some general
inquiries about the functionality, user patterns, and potential effects on everyday life. Further
the major themes were identified which are discussed below in relation to the smart watch
impact on work life.

Question: Which feature do you like most in your smartwatch and how are they impacting in
your daily work life?

Question: How often do you use the smartwatch daily?

Question: Do you feel any change in your life by using this smart technology

The use of ICTs has improved our ability to stay in touch with the internal & external
stakeholders of the organization. People usually receive notifications about emails, personal
messages, social media updates, and other things during the day. Although it provide more
flexibility to follow the updates wherever you sit but some time it create more work-life tension.
On the one hand, having more flexibility in terms of when and where you work is a plus.

“So again, messages again, whether looking at different time zones, working with different
teams sitting in different time zones, I use that a lot”

The above comment was from as respondent who was involved in working with different time
zones and highlighted that how smartwatch is helping him to manage his teams sitting at various
locations. Same respondent again expressed his views in connection to his work life

“When you're back to back messages, the worst thing you could do is open up a laptop or grab
your phone from your bag. It's just a little bit more discreet, so I usually use my watch
notifications”.

Most participants said they like message, call and email notifications features of the smartwatch
because they can easily access and reply urgent messages and calls always and on-time. (See
quotes from participant B, C and H in Appendix 2). In addition, some participants said that they
 34

use the smartwatch as a convenient device to carry about unlike mobile phones. The watch is a
portable device that sits on the wrist of the arm. Some participants indicated that they use the
smartwatch because they are not allowed to use mobile phones at work and they cannot afford
the loose urgent calls, messages as well critical emails that requires urgent attention/reply.
Therefore, in this situation, a smartwatch becomes a perfect replacement for their need (See
participants E, F, K and O in Appendix 2).

All the participants indicated that they always have their smartwatches on them every time
except when they are having their bath or probably charging the battery of the smartwatch. In
addition, all indicated that their daily work life has been enhanced as result of smart watch
usage. One participant in the oil and gas industry mentioned that they are not permitted to use
cell phones on the job, so a smartwatch allows him to receive instant updates & notifications.
Similarly one another participant working in electronic & IoT related industry highlighted that
they cannot use the mobile phones in the Lab environment which could affect potential results.
So he was using the Fitbit which sends him instant messaging & notifications. The same
participants also mentioned the idea of "organizational health surveillance" in their workplace,
where co-workers are required to work from home due to Covid 19. Since the organization
realized that working from home puts workers under a lot of stress, they created a competition
among employees who owned smart watches. So he was using the Fitbit which sends him
instant messaging & notifications. The same participants also mentioned the idea of
"organizational health surveillance" in their workplace, where co-workers are required to work
from home due to Covid 19. Since the organization realized that working from home puts
workers under a lot of stress, they created a competition among employees who owned
smartwatches

Most participants said they like message, call and email notifications features of the smartwatch
because they can easily access and reply urgent messages and calls always and on-time. (See
quotes from participant B, C and H in Appendix 3). In addition, some participants said that they
use the smartwatch as a convenient device to carry about unlike mobile phones. The watch is a
portable device that sits on the wrist of the arm. Some participants indicated that they use the
smartwatch because they are not allowed to use mobile phones at work and they cannot afford
the loose urgent calls, messages as well critical emails that requires urgent attention/reply.
Therefore, in this situation, a smartwatch becomes a perfect replacement for their need. Detail
responses are mentioned in Appendix 3.

4.3.2 Child monitoring & safety

The aim of this research is to find out what factors influence people's behaviour and what
triggers the increased sales of smartwatches. Various causes have already been explored, but
there is one more interesting aspect that is linked to the child-parent relationship. The
questionnaire was created in such a way that it could accommodate a broad view of phenomena,
but we later discovered that only few of the participants shared their opinions on the
smartwatches they purchased for their children. Smart watches are now being substantially used
for the purpose of child monitor. Indeed, child monitoring is hectic and worry some tasks, but
the smart watches have rescued the parents and guardians, here as well.

Question: Which features do you like most in your smartwatch, and how they are impacting in
performing activities?
 35

“Explora has application in the same name in my mobile and if need to call I need to use that
application. Although watch has sim card inside but it is just useable with the approved parent’s
app. Only 4 close people can install that app and can make call to her”.

These smartwatches are capable of collecting data through sensors and other technologies used
in the watch. In the next step, this data is operationalized and processed as per the user profile
or benchmark creator set by the user. With the help of a pattern analyser, the system suggests
recommended actions picked from a list of actions. The accuracy of data is high in smart
watches as compared to smartphones and other similar gadgets.

Since some participants stated that they were using the Explora smartwatch for their kids, here's
a quick rundown of the smartwatch's features. Although this feature seems quite appealing and
beneficial, it indeed comes with certain drawbacks, that primarily pertain to breach of
confidential data and as well as access to specific content, by unauthorized sources, usually
through unfair means.

Question: Which brand of the smartwatch are you using, and why do you prefer this?

“Actually I have experience of using two one Samsung & other Explora. Explora I bought it
for my daughter when she was 6 year, she started school and she wanted to go & come back
with her friends. I was bit worried, then somebody told me about this option…..this is very good
option”.

Usually, parents are more sensitive towards their children and it is very important factor in
decision making of those gadgets which are relate to child use like mobile phones, tablets and
computers. Parents need to pay more attention while kids are using those devices. So the above
mentioned watch has those features which addresses those concerns. Parents can control and
monitor activities through the privacy functions.

“The kids are using for school going and coming from school and so forth, because my kids
can use smart watches which are actually with the SIM card inside himself”

“You can track them on the Map set by the parents and meanwhile you can talk to them as well.
Since then I am very comfortable and she also feels comfortable when she visits her friend she
usually call me to pick her”.

So tracking is another key feature in the kids smartwatches. Parents feels more secure and
comfortable in communicating with children. Meanwhile according to the parents’ kids also
feel more positive while achieving some health-related goals. As par one father he explained
that watch have steps tracking feature which motivated the children by presenting some digital
gifts to them in term of music or free application download.
 36

5. Discussion
Number of articles have been published about understanding the motivations for wearable
technologies, which helps to explain the industry's growth. Discussion and interpretation will
be driven by the high-quality work that has already been done on the phenomenon, as well as
studies in the field of information systems. Study conducted by the Chol & Seongcheol (2016),
in relation to indentifying the influecing factor is good ground to start the discussion. Further
discussion is based upon the empirical data & the themes developed after the axial coding.

5.1 Health & fitness monitoring

The responses from our interview are in harmony with the Anurag, et al. (2015), study which
holds the view that smartwatches are used as a product for setting personalized short and long-
term exercise goals of individual’s physical activity, estimating calorie consumption during a
day, and assessing their fitness level using heart rate data from sensors embedded in their
smartwatch. Large number of the participants we interviewed are of the opinion that their
smartwatches are mostly used for as a health and fitness monitoring device while others use it
for different varieties of purpose. As number of respondents highlighted the health tracking
ability of the smart watches, as a part of early adoption of the wearables, that factor
authenticates the assistance that is provided in living through the smart watches. Elderly people
can make use of the smart watches to track their heart rate, monitor their glucose levels and
further use the same to ensure sufficient water intake, to prevent dehydration. Another aspect
is the theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and perceived values is a general model popularly
accepted and used as the basis of consumer behaviour studies on topics such as online purchase
intention and smartphone adoption (Kuo-Lun & Chia-Chen, 2018). The theories are used to
investigate purchase intention regarding smartwatches and perceived value. In this context,
perceived value refers to the purchaser’s perception of the utility provided by a given product
(smartwatch) (Kuo-Lun & Chia-Chen, 2018). While it has been observed that watches have
some similar features, a few of them have distinct functions that distinguish them. Consumer
tastes vary in terms of need and behaviour; for some, it is ideal for health tracking, while for
others, it serves as a form of instant communication. A close look at the data from our
participants revealed that most of the participant’s intention to use the smartwatch is based on
the perceived values in the smartwatch. So a common perceived value to the consumers is to
track their health. As this elaborated the second research question where it was intended to find
the common factors behind the sales of smart watches. People are using smartwatches to
monitor their health & daily activities. Perceived value describes consumer’s evaluation of the
utilities of a product (smartwatch) when the expense of purchasing and usage are taken into
consideration (Kuo-Lun & Chia-Chen, 2018). It is also addressing the first research question
where technology is transforming the daily lives in terms of health & wellness. People are
becoming more aware of their physical activity and dietary intake, which is beneficial to their
health. Sleep and movement tracking are two of the most popular smartwatch capabilities, and
they have a direct impact on users' daily life.

5.2 Sustainability of the technology

Technology's long-term viability and sustainability is becoming increasingly critical, as we see
an influx of smart devices based on smart information systems. A few of these innovations are
displacing older ones and occupying space within the product lines. As a result, it is critical for
inventors and manufacturers to consider the factors that can affect the lifespan of their products.
 37

The smartwatch is a product that exists at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and
everyday fashion. A ‘watch,' in particular, is a form of accessory that is considered to be luxury
jewellery (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). Understanding why customers embrace or reject these
technologies is critical to the smartwatch industry's potential success.

5.2.1 Design & features

Product sustainability is determined by a variety of factors, including nature, use, perceived
value, and even aesthetic enjoyment in product design. (Wang & Hsu, 2019). The smartwatch,
like luxury goods, is more likely to be used as a kind of fashion and wealth sign (Chol &
Seongcheol, 2016). Diversity is an important component of any technology's long-term
viability, and in the case of smartwatches, diversity in the graphical user interface is crucial.
Chol & Seongcheol (2016), explained some internal and external factors that could influence
technology adoption, and further mentioned that external factors can be divided into two
categories:Smartwatch as a technical advancement and as a high-end luxury accessory. Vanity
and the need for uniqueness were chosen as highly relative and potentially significant constructs
in the sense of smartwatch adoption for consumers (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). Consumers are
constantly choosing products based on uniqueness factor and which provide them extra
utilitarian value. If a customer owns a one-of-a-kind device, they are considered an early
adopter of technology. Table 3 explains the factor that can affect the adoption of a technology.

“Extrinsic utilitarian motivation” which is referred to as, what consumers expect about the
performance of the technology (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). As a result, if the battery life does
not meet the customer's needs or utilitarian incentive, smartwatch use intentions can be
influenced.
This shows that measuring a product's perceived value in terms of design and features is critical
and it would lead to increase in the product lifecycle. Various studies (TAM, ECM models)
have been published in which “perceived ease of use” is addressed as an important element in
which users determine how simple technology is to use. Study of unified theory of adoption &
use of technology (UTAUT) have also analysed some important fundamentals factors in
relation to acceptance of any new technology. Meanwhile, in the user experience, interface
visualization and aesthetic are perceptual and embraced as elegance (Wang & Hsu, 2019). The
task-technology-fits (TTF) theory also stated that if the aim of technology is to bridge a gap for
some task, then the technology must be embraced, although the compatibility of the technology
and the possible task to be carried out is also an important factor (Hsiao, 2016). In comparison
of two famous brands, Samusng & Apple, Dehghani & Kim (2019), explanied that design was
one the main factor in the in smartwatch “use behaviour”. Further in the same study users
perceieved greater design value for “Sqaure-screen” as compared to Samsung’s round-screen
(Dehghani & Kim, 2019).

5.2.2 Compatibility factor

When it comes to the smartwatch eco-system, compatibility is another important factor to
consider. The degree to which the innovation is viewed as being compatible with current beliefs,
past experiences, and desires of potential buyers is referred to as compatibility (Dehghani,
2018). It is also one of critical aspects of any product design, and according to Innovation
 38

diffusion theory (IDT), it refers to how well the technology works with existing platforms
(Dehghani, 2018). Most brands are sharing their platforms for upcoming technology, such as
Microsoft, Samsung, and Apple, where progress is taking place while taking compatibility into
account. This prevents users from fully switching from one technology to another. Brand
loyalists, such as those who purchase an Apple smartphone, iPad, or MacBook, want to be a
part of the same brand family. Since they want to use Apple's shared operating system, which
is the most convenient among Apple's technologies. While discussing the external factors Chol
& Seongcheol (2016), expressed that “Perceived compatibility” can connect to the “perceived
usefulness” of the technology (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). The task-technology-fits (TTF)
theory also stated that if the aim of technology is to bridge a gap for some task, then the
technology must be embraced, although the compatibility of the technology and the possible
task to be carried out is also an important factor (Hsiao, 2016).

5.2.3 Smartwatch as digital ID

During the interviews, one of the most important points that came up was that consumers expect
smartwatches to do something different for them. Currently, brands have a variety of functions
and applications related to calendars, health & wellness, contactless payments, and monitoring,
but it is important to look at what else can be done with watches in order to ensure their long-
term viability. Contactless payment is an interesting innovation that smartwatch manufacturers
have introduced; consumers no longer need to hold their wallets to pay. For example, while
watches can perform nearly all of the functions of other smart devices, prior to 2018, it was
essential to connect the watch to the phone in order to send or receive messages or make phone
calls. However, watches are now used as standalone communication devices, and different
manufacturers have included e-sim functions in their watches, allowing them to operate
independently. However, on the other side, the high dependence on technology is also regarded
to be crucial. Although modern technology is said to be more innovative and advanced, the fact
cannot be denied that machinery cannot be considered to be fully reliable. Since the inherent
risks of failure or malfunction of such technology remains unavoidable. It is also worth
mentioning that the various researches conducted regarding smart watches, also reflects upon
the hazards that are associated with it, apart from the inherent risks. There are high chances that
the devices, upon which the users show excessive reliance and dependence, they are not as safe
and healthy to use.

5.3 Usage in early adopters

A study conducted by, Rainer Lutze and Klemens Waldhor, investigate the usefulness of smart
watches in its early adoption particularly in terms of its software and architecture, followed by
the increased health hazards that are tracked with the use of smart watches, particularly in the
elderly people (Lutze & Waldhör, 2015).

5.3.1 Usage in professional sports

In a broader perspective, the various aspects of smart watches are highlighted that are
particularly reflected through the various ways the smart watches are used by the people in
diversified ways (Cecchinato, et al., 2015). Greater interactivity, utility, accessibility,
versatility, and aesthetics of wearable devices have a positive impact on potential customers
(Dehghani & Kim, 2019). Early adopters have a distinct use pattern and a different perception
 39

of importance than regular users. Some users regard smartwatches as "fashionology," but there
is a subset of users who regard smartwatches as advanced technology that caters to their unique
needs.

5.3.2 Smart watch “instant source of communication”

Ntumba & Budree (2020), explored some of the reasons for buying smartwatches, including
the minimalistic approach to communication and socially acceptable wearable technology.
Furthermore, the authors of the same study highlighted some barriers to this technology's
adoption, stating that a watch, as an IoT device, must be linked to an internet source in order to
process data (Ntumba & Budree, 2020). The advantages of wearing a smartwatch outnumber
the disadvantages; in general, smartwatches assist people in performing their tasks more
effectively. Hsiao (2016), expressed that When the smartwatch's communication and
information functions are fully synchronized with the tasks at hand, customers will access the
information they need or complete the tasks more quickly and efficiently. The probability of
smartwatch adoption increases if a consumer can complete a task using a particular feature of
a smart watch. Ntumba & Budree (2020), explored some of the reasons for buying
smartwatches, including the minimalistic approach to communication and socially acceptable
wearable technology. Furthermore, the authors of the same study highlighted some barriers to
this technology's adoption, stating that a watch, as an IoT device, must be linked to an internet
source in order to process data (Ntumba & Budree, 2020).

Various brands offer this feature, in which customers only have to enter their card information
once and can then use their bank cards by scanning their watches at various contactless
terminals. Various POS (Points of Sale) are equipped with this technology, especially in
Europe, and people are also using their smartphones to make payments. This is related to one
important construct of the UTAUT-model, which is effort expectancy. Consumers believe that
the technology is providing ease of doing things to them and technology its self is easy to use.
The understanding of the users appropriation of the smart watches, indeed accounts as a
sufficient evidence for the popularity and increased demand of the smart watches. Familiarity
with technology or an understanding of its features may also help people use technology more
effectively. As long as people begin to understand the features, they can feel at ease and enjoy
using the technology.In response to a query about technology use, participants stated that they
are using it more than they were previously

Chol & Seongcheol (2016), discussed the phenomena “personal innovativess in information
technology” and explained that smartwatches would be more useful and easy to use for more
creative people, while less innovative people would find the product less useful and easy to use
(Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). Consumer characteristics are important factors in determining
smartwatch adoption, and (Hsiao, 2016) demonstrated that less-known brands are riskier to
adopt than well-known brands, and people with a high level of experience are more eager to
adopt non-Apple smartwatches. Following data collection from different participants, it was
discovered that a select few were using exclusive labels such as Suunto, Glaxy, and explora.
 40

Table.4: Common usage patterns in various participants

No Participa- Brand Usage Description
nt’s ID
1 Q Suunto Running, connectivity Using for race, ultra-running, altitude capturing,
through Strava analysing statistics for progress.
(professional athletes
app). Measuring the
altitudes, Saving time
(auto-activity analysis)
2 N, I, J Apple Activity tracker, Complete health tracking, contact less
series 4 payments, calling, remote payments at various points, making phone calls
cameras usage, voice from e-sim, giving voice commands while
commands, tracking of set driving. Usage in bad weather instead of phone,
goals. Calories control. monitoring calendars,
3 O Fitbit Using in lab Using at workplace. Where phone can create the
environments, Instant electromagnetic waves, smartwatch provide the
messaging. Kids instant messaging. Monitoring of kids
monitoring & controlling movement and communication.
4 P Samsung Movement tracker, health Using for health & fitness. Voice commands
Gear3 monitoring. Voice while driving or working. Using at job where
commands. Using at Oil mobiles are usually not allowed for safety
fields. Stress monitoring. reason
5 R Samsung Stress monitoring, Sleep Monitoring for stress and movements
Gear3 function. ECG, Voice indications. Tracking sleep behaviour.
commands
6 S Samsung, Monitoring child Usage for child monitoring and controlling.
Explora movements, GPS, Tracking child movements through GPS and
Pedometer, Explora pre-approved locations. Communication with
application, sim-function child to & from schools.
7 C,D,G,K Garmin For training purpose, Usage for training, track & monitor sleep.
Sleep tracking. Sports & Blood pressure & oxygen monitoring.
exercise.

However, on the other side, the high dependence on technology is also regarded to be crucial.
Although the modern technology is said to be more innovative and advanced, the fact cannot
be denied that machinery cannot be considered as fully reliable. Since the inherent risks of
failure or malfunction of such technology remains unavoidable. It is also worth mentioning that
the various researches conducted regarding the smart watches, also reflects upon the hazards
that are associated with it, apart from the inherent risks. There are high chances that the devices,
upon which the users show excessive reliance and dependence, they are not as safe and healthy
to use. Smart watches are now being substantially used for the purpose of child monitor. Indeed,
child monitoring is hectic and worry some tasks, but the smart watches have rescued the parents
and guardians, here as well. The personal accuracy of the smart watches is much better than
smart phones and other tablet devices with GPS location services. As per the research quoted
by the author, the personal accuracy for smart watches scored 91.9% as compared to
smartphones which were 72.6% (Al-Naser & El-Medany, 2018).

Here again compatibility is important factor which highlights the product connectivity to the
external products. Chol & Seongcheol (2016), propose ‘perceived compatibility' as one of the
determinants which is linked to TAM’s ‘perceived utility,' ‘attitudes toward use,' and ‘intention
to use,'. Safe and secure communication is very important factor when it comes to monitor the
child. These smartwatches are capable of collecting data through sensors and other
technologies used in the watch. In the next step, this data is operationalized and processed as
per the user profile or benchmark creator set by the user. With the help of a pattern analyser,
 41

the system suggests recommended actions picked from a list of actions. The accuracy of data is
high in smart watches as compared to smartphones and other similar gadgets.

5.3.3 Smart watch for kids (an alternate to mobile phones)

As it is a hot topic in society, whether children should be given smart phones or not, and at what
age should they be given them. Parents are concerned about the situation, but they are also
suffering as a result of a loss of communication with their children while they are in school.
Parents are buying certain smartwatches for their kids to get in contact, which is an intriguing
phenomenon that was brought up throughout the interviews.

These smartwatches have some unique safety and monitoring functions. Since some
participants stated that they were using the Explora smartwatch for their kids, here's a quick
rundown of the smartwatch's features. Explora Smartwatch adheres to GDPR guidelines in
storing & sharing the sensitive data. This watch is equipped with pedometer which detects the
each taken step, along with that parents can identify the no-go areas through GPS. If a kid
follow some other route which is not listed in the approved list then they will get the parents
will get the alerts in their mobile app. However, (Saatjohann, et al., 2020) highlights the
underlying issues pertaining to security and data breach that might put the credibility of a smart
watch in question, in terms of child monitoring. Since it is highly essential for the parents to
provide all the details regarding the children, their guardians, and locations, in order to get a
track of their child’s location in real-time. Although this feature seems quite appealing and
beneficial, it indeed comes with certain drawbacks, that primarily pertain to breach of
confidential data and as well as access to specific content, by unauthorized sources, usually
through unfair means

One significant aspect that has been identified is that it makes children excited to go to school
with their friends, and smartwatches provide them with the same pleasures and happiness.
While discussing the extension of TAM, Chol & Seongcheol (2016) expressed that that both
pleasure and self-expression have an effect on the desire to use smartwatches, either directly or
indirectly (Chol & Seongcheol, 2016). “Perceived ease of use” which is one of the most
important constructs of the Technology acceptance model applies here. The user interface is
critical in the design and development of a simple usability feature. The watch's functions are
simple to use for children. The significant research conducted by Marta E. Cecchinato, Anna L
Cox, and Jon Bird reflects upon the establishment of a Tangible User Interface, that is
particularly designed for periphery purposes of the attention of the users, without the
aggravation of the overload of the information (Cecchinato, et al., 2016). As in UTAUT model
Venkatesh, et al., (2012), exlained that “effort expectancy (EE)” is related to the “ease of use”.
One key point is that children may feel happy wearing smartwatches because of appealing
colors and displays that can offer them with delight and excitement. “Hedonoic motivation”
which is an extended constrct of UTAUT-model explained that technology may provide fun &
pleasure to the users and which ulmitately affect the behavioral intentions of the user. Usability
and comfortability are not only beneficial to parents; they are also beneficial to children.
Machine learning and personalization of data have helped to gain more accurate information in
real-time. The fact cannot be overlooked that with the fast-moving world and increased
responsibilities, followed by competition has added to the responsibilities and load on the
parents too, resulting in busy and tough routine. Hence, it becomes practically impossible for
the parents to continuously track their children and take note of their movements. It further adds
 42

to the worry of their children too, particularly in regards to safety, as any unfortunate incident
might occur.

Explora X5 Play -smartwatch for kids

Figure 5: Explore watch (Explora, 2021)

5.3.4 Organizational usage

The use of ICTs has improved our ability to stay in touch with the internal & external
stakeholders of the organization. People usually receive notifications about emails, personal
messages, social media updates, and other things during the day. Although it provide more
flexibility to follow the updates wherever you sit but some time it create more work-life tension.
On the one hand, having more flexibility in terms of when and where you work is a plus. Jeong
et al. (2017), explained the behaviour and usage patterns of smatwath expresses that “after going
to work-before leaving to work” had the peak usage time of smartwatch. So application & usage
of smartwatch is largely connected during to work time. One of the main findings of smartwatch
user behavior was the “need for immediate response”, with users preferring to use smartwatches
during the day when activity is relatively high (Jeong, et al., 2017). Another important feature
is the smartwatch's ability to multitask. Smartwach allows users to multitask when driving and
at work by using voice commands and notifications. In addition, all indicated that their daily
work life has been enhanced as result of smart watch usage. The data from the interview is also
a confirmation of what the Theory of Reason Action (TRA) and perceived value holds where
the perceived value of product like smartwatch describes consumer’s evaluation of the utilities
of a product (smartwatch) when the expense of purchasing and usage are taken into
consideration (Kuo-Lun & Chia-Chen, 2018). In addition to this, the data from the
participants supports the concept of the Performance Expectancy constructs of the Unified
Theory on Acceptance and Use of Technology (Myung, et al., 2011).

Governments have introduced digital driving licenses to replace physical ones. For example, in
Norway, if you have a digital license on your phone that you can display, you are allowed to
drive (vegvesen, 2021). Digitalization of governments services are among the top priorities
under the smart-cities initiative taken by various countries. Smart watch has potential usage in
emergency services, location tracking, ID verification and health vitals. Organizations have
started smartwatches where users just need to scan watch for identity purposes.

People find the technology as functional product, ease of use and in return provide them
comfort. After the introduction of e-sim function in the technology respondents felt that they
are no more depended on mobile phones. Because the smartwatches are wearable technology
 43

and closet to the body therefore it is providing the enamours benefits in the personal heath &
fitness. Smartwatch as a product of technological innovation has undoubtedly proven to be
useful in most aspects of human life. In this paper, different areas where smartwatch has been
used are highlighted. We have also identified different factors responsible for the growing
smartwatch adoption trend today
 44

6. Conclusion

The aim of this research is to examine the most used smart watch feature and how it is impacting
the user perceptions. So, to explore the phenomena and inductive style research is conducted
with the grounded theory methodology research design. To achieve the objectives of the study,
two research questions were developed. Primary and secondary data were acquired with the aid
of interviews and literature review. In analysis section, again grounded theory guidelines were
followed, and coding techniques were applied. Initial codes were created during the open
coding period, and these codes then grouped together under a single common phenomenon.
Axial coding process was uses after finding the codes from open coding. In general concepts
revolve around the smartwatch usage for health, lifestyle, sustainability & usage patterns in
early adopter of the technology. In this study, the grounded theory methodology was applied
using data collected from interviews of 20 participants collected during this study. The area of
our enquiry in this study seeks answers to how smart watch transformed our daily human lives
as well as those factors behind the increase in smartwatch adoption. To answer these questions,
we followed the grounded theory process by first generation data from interviews, data was
transformed into small codes while interviewing. These data were processed, analysed, and
coded into three major categories or themes.

The answer to the 1st research question, “How are smartwatch technology being used” based
upon the most used features of the smart watch. As it is mentioned that the people are using for
health and fitness purposes, usage in early adopters & sustainability. Because individuals are
concerned about their health as their lives become busier, the smart watch generates critical
alerts that encourage them to maintain their health. In terms of data and analysis, smartwatches
offer enormous benefits to consumers. Watches enabled with health and fitness trackers, may
analyse raw data and provide detailed information to their users. Data tells that people are using
smartwatches for their daily steps calculation, sleep behaviour & stress monitoring. Second,
keep an eye on the varied behaviours that have been identified in different groups. Like early
adopters of this technology has entirely different usage as others, they are more focusing on the
contactless payments, voice commands, and for sports purposes. Smart watches are also
bringing families closer together by providing a children's version. Families are more at ease
and connected to their children. It allows them to keep track of their activities and engage with
them instantly. Based upon the existing literature and the primary data, it has been determined
that smart watch is rapidly becoming the primary screen for source of information. For
example, it provides the instant source of information like notifications, alerts and voice
commands. So it is not just the case of knowing the exact time but watches are more of
synchronized platform of multiple information.

Second questions of this research, “What are common factors behind the past decade increase
in smartwatch adoption?” is largely revolve around the concept of sustainability & features of
the product. For instance, in sustainability factors various questions were being asked to the
respondents in term of their importance to this technology. The boom of smart watches is
fuelled by features such as battery life, standalone connectivity (e-sim), and design. People
value the watch's standalone capability, which allows them to use it independently of their
mobile phones, according to data. Although active users still have a problem with battery life,
several companies have improved their battery life. One essential factor to consider is that most
individuals purchase smartwatches because they already own other smart gadgets, making them
 45

easier to operate and more compatible. Data synchronization is an interesting feature for smart
users because it allows them to easily access their calendars, alarms, and call answering. Smart
watches have recently developed products for children that give parents more control and
security. Parents find it easier to communicate with their children. If their child tries to break
the limit or enter one of the pre-set geographical zones, smart watches send alerts to their
parents.

Furthermore, data coding/analysis revealed that most of our respondents use smartwatch to
assist their daily lives and some of the early adopters uses smartwatch for professional sports
and even as smart payment device. Finally, after analysis of the each sub-themes or categories
and how each of them are related, we can hypothesis using the grounded theory process that
smartwatch usage has transformed or positively affected the lives of human in these
aforementioned/categorized areas and the growing trend or surge in smartwatch adoption can
be attributed to these fundamental smartwatch usages associated to the mentioned categories.

6.1 Contribution
The study will contribute in the discipline of information systems and will also linked in
enhancement of “human computer interaction” theories. As the main phenomena of interest is
to explore the aspects of life which are connected in use of smart watch, in addition to that study
will answer “ontological” questions (Gregor, 2006) which has presented above in research
questions. The study highlighted the important areas of intended use of smart watch technology.
Along with that study explored the various dimensions in which technology is benefiting the
everyday life of a common user. Discussion of sustainability factor of smartwatches is also very
important, as the life span of technology has become shorter. Smart categories such as smart
home devices, smart cars, and smart mobiles have a plethora of products on the market, and
these technologies may impact smartwatch usage in the future. The sustainability of such
technologies is critical to consider while the consumer has various options to choose for. This
study will also contribute to the sustainability of human-computer interaction theories,
highlighting the technology acceptance and emphasising the continuation in using those
technologies. In this work we examined the relationship between information system and social
aspects of human life. As it is stated by the (Gregor, 2006) that “research in information systems
examines more than just the technological system, or just the social system, or even the two side
by side; in addition, It investigates the phenomena that emerge when the two interact”. Study
will also contribute to the social aspects of life like health & lifestyle, safety & family. Largely
results of this research are related to the usage behaviour of a relatively small population of
users who have not had smart watches for a long period of time. Even so, the research
contributes to analysing the perceptions of the young population towards wearable technology.

6.2 Future research

This research would serve as a foundation for future studies in the discipline of information
system. As it was already mentioned, there are some demographic and geographic limitations
on the research. For instance, because this study only included Norway and Sweden, results
cannot be compared or generalized to other developing nations. So future research could be
made in accordance with the respondents from other countries. There is stronger need to study
the impact of the data gathered through the smart watches and how data privacy would be an
issue. One interesting result of this research is related to usage of smartwatches for school going
 46

kids. A deeper understanding is required to explore the phenomena of sense of security in using
smartwatch versus threats of using mobile phones for young kids. Research is also possible in
determining the screen size, design & weight of the wearable technology for various market
segments. This would also help to understand that what makes the wearable technology
different to other non-wearable smart devices. Research is also possible in the area of disaster
or medical purposes. For example, wearable technology would be appropriate in tracking
people involved in mountaineering or other thrill sports. Finally, although the current study is
still primarily focused on smartwatches, visibility of a certain device could also play a
significant role in determining how customers will respond to other wearable technology. There
is also possibility of research in the area of customization features of smart watch like
background, various styles of wrist bands and specific apps.
 47

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Appendix 1
Guidelines for data collection
Guidelines were prepared before data collection

There will be about 20-25 interviews in total

Interviews will be structured and semi-structured
The duration of each interview will be around 20-30
Interviews will take place via Zoom meeting & other recording gadget.
Interviews will be recorded with the consent of the participants.
Participants will be chosen based on the most convenient (purposive)sampling process (only
smartwatch users)
Participants will be selected without regard to their gender, age, and ethnicity.
Interviews will take place in both Norway and Sweden.
Interview protocol will be planned to conduct the full interview. So for this purpose, 6-10
questions shall prepare to keep the interviews inflow
We would not provide any rewards to participants.
 53

Appendix 2
General Protocol & interview questions (Creswell & Creswell, 2018)

Basic information about the interview

Time:
Date:
Name of participant:

Introduction
We are master students from Linnaeus university, department of information systems.
We are working on our thesis on smart watch and its application.
Total length of this interview will be around (20-30Minutes). Interview will be
recorded with your permission

Opening questions

Kindly introduce yourself (participants)

Participants will be encouraged to explain themselves in these questions (Profession,
role, everyday routine etc.)

Content questions (main questions)

Which brand of the smartwatch are you using, and why do you prefer this?
What influenced you to buy the smartwatch?
Which features do you like most in your smartwatch, and how they are impacting in
performing activities (Tangible & intangible benefits).
Can you tell me more about this…. (Example) feature in detail? How does it work?
What does this tell?
How do you compare the smartwatch and other smart technologies you are using?
Are there any similarities among these technologies? What does the smartwatch do
for you that, e.g. a tablet doesn’t?
How often do you use this watch in a day?
Do you feel any change in your life by using this smart technology? If yes, then how?
What do you think about the usage of the smartwatch in public? (social acceptability,
safety, security, ease of doing)
What do you think about the future of this technology?
Do you have any recommendation in relation to improvement in smartwatch
technology?
Probing question to know more about anything in detail
In this section interviewer will use some probing phrases to get more insights of the
certain phenomena
I need more detail..... , Tell me more about....
Could you explain this...? What do you mean by, how it should be
(Creswell & Creswell, 2018)
 54

Appendix 3
A brief selection of quotes from the interviews.

NO Participant’s Quotes from the participant’s interview

Gender, age,
watch brand

Participant A
(Female, Age : Health & Fitness
50) It helps me to measure my sleep level
Smartwatch I use it to check my daily movement to see that I meet my daily
brand: Fitbit goal
I use it check for my calories consumption because I have an app in
my phone that is connected to my phone and it motivates me to
use the watch.

1 Participant B Health & Fitness

(Female, Age: 47) It helps me to measure my sleep level. I use it to check my daily
Smartwatch movement to see that I meet my daily goal. I use it check for my
brand: Samsung calories consumption because I have an app in my phone that is
connected to my phone and it motivates me to use the watch.

It records my sleep duration. It helps me to calculate my daily steps

Compatibility
I can read my messages, answer my calls using the app in the smart
watch”. “I wanted something that is compatible to my phone and
I never wanted to use it for just training”. “I can take my calls from
my wrist without taking up my phone”.

2 Participant C Health & Fitness

(Female, Age: 49) It records my sleep duration. It helps me to calculate my daily
Smartwatch steps. I use it to check my blood pressure and heartbeat rate
brand: Garmin I just want to track my training level, how many steps I take every
day

3 Participant D Sports & exercise / Usage in early adopters

(Female, 38) “I just want to track my training level, how many steps I take every
Smartwatch day”.
brand: Garmin
 55

4 Participant E Usage behaviour in early adopters

(Female, Age not I bought it because it’s good for running and I wanted to use for
specified) measuring my running level, lifting of weight and all kinds of sports.
Smartwatch With this smart watch I can use it for different training sessions.
brand: Denver Usage behaviour in early adopters
I like it when it tells me that something happened on my phone
like when I get a text or anything
I like it because I don’t need to have my phone all the time
It’s easy for me to carry the watch around unlike the phone

5 Participant F Health & Fitness

(Female, Age not I use it because I want to keep track of my sleeping patterns, my
specified). pulse and not because training and exercising. The watch tells me
Smartwatch when I reach my goals
brand: Samsung
Usage at work place

I do have the watch around because I can’t have my phone at work

always”. “I always get notification if anything happens on my
phone

6 Participant G: Health & Fitness

(Male, Age : 61) I use it to measure my blood pressure, oxygen and its cheaper than
Smartwatch the branded type of watches
brand: Garmin I am actually interested in measuring my training and this was the
first thing that triggers my interest
I use it to measure my sleep and to see how I sleep”. “I use it to
keep track of my activities

Usage in early adopters

I use it for my training

7 Participant H: Health & Fitness

(Female, Age : I use it to measure my blood pressure, oxygen and it’s cheaper than
45) the branded type of watches. I am interested in measuring my
Smartwatch training and this was the first thing that triggers my interest. I use
brand: Garmin it to measure my sleep and to see how I sleep. I use it to keep track
of my activities”.
Usage behaviour in early adopters

I can easily take my calls even if my phone is far away, I get message
notifications on it and answer my messages
I get information how the weather situation, temp etc
I get reminders of what I suppose to do
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I usually use this when I don’t have the possibility of using my

phone

Compatibility

I have an apple watch because I have an apple phone and I can

easily link them together”. “I can easily get information using my
watch

8 Participant I: Health & Fitness

(Male, Age : 35) I always like to measure how many times I have moved
Smartwatch I sue to use my phone as a tracking device, and I decided to get a
brand: Apple smart for the same activity and it’s easier to carry about
I use it measure how far I am running and keep track of my set
goals
I use it at the gym always and it helps me track my training

9 Participant J: Usage behaviour in early adopters

(Female, Age :38) I like to use my phone as a tracking device, and I decided to get a
Smartwatch smart watch for the same activity and it’s easier to carry about. I
brand: Apple use it measure how far I am running and to keep track of my set
goals. I use it at the gym always and it helps me track my training”.

10 Participant K Health & Fitness

(Male, Age : 44) My blood pressure is not good, and I always use to track changes
Smartwatch in my body. I use it to check my calories lost in my daily exercise
brand: Garmin and how many steps I make a day. I can also check my hearth beat
to see how I am doing”.

I bought it because I want to track my sleep pattern

I use it to check how many steps a day I made, as well as my
exercise level
Usage at workplace
I prefer to use it because my workplace don’t accept telephone
usage at work hours, so with my smart watch I can always receive
my calls and reply my messages

11 Participant L
(Female, Age :34) I bought it because I want to track my sleep pattern. I use it to
check how many steps a day I made, as well as my exercise level
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12 Participant M I use it for my exercise to check my target goals, and to control how
(Male, Age :54) many steps a day I achieved
Health & Fitness

I always check my hearth beat rate and my sleeping patterns

Sports & activities
My smart watch is mainly used for sports and not because of my
work life”.

13 Participant N Sports & activities

(Male, Age: Not I use it to check the level of my exercise and to see how my goals
specified) are met. I always check my hearth beat rate and my sleeping
patterns with the smartwatch. My smartwatch is mainly used for
sports and not because of my work life”.

14 Participant O Health & Fitness

(Male, Age: Not I use it for monitoring my heartbeat, track my step while running.
specified) When I get stressed, it reminds me to stand up. It tells me to calm
down and breathe

15 Participant P Alerts & Notification

(Male, Age: Not I get small notification and to know the number of hours I sat down
specified) without walking

16 Participant R Health & Fitness

(Male, Age: Not Whenever I move, my watch helps me to calculate my steps and
specified) then monitor my activities. It gives me a report of how much
percent I was active in a week, how many how many kilometres I
walked in a day, a week and a month”.

17 Participants N Health & Fitness

Male, Apple The sleep function helps me to track information about my
series4 sleeping pattern. I use it to get notifications on the steps I have
taken every day. I get information about my daily movement as
well too

18 Participant O Contact less payments

Age 35 You know, I could make payments for coffee after listening to
FitBit music and have my health, my health metrics and sensor
functionality on it.
Health tracking
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The steps wasn't the main thing for me, But any more specific
sports, whether, you know, it was quite a bit more specific, If you
can track while I was running, I go running, swimming and cycling,
etc

Usage behaviour in early adopters

Usage in bad weather
Working in different time zones ( I Use this for different time zones
for my job purposes)
Payments
Calendars & alerts
Calls from waters
Using during the office meetings
Digital ID ( I need my watch to work as digital ID)
Apple eco-system, Compatibility ( I own apple devices, so I bought
this and this is compatible with other apple devices)

19 Safety of children

My kid is using Explora watch for going and coming back from
school and so forth, because you can buy some smart watches
which are actually with the SIM card inside himself.

Health & fitness

The good thing about it is that you get small notification and be the
one which tempted me to get the Fitbit one
was that it was reminding me that I've been sitting for X amount of
hours without walking. So go take a walk

Usage behaviour in early adopters

Online profile: I can make online profile with Fitbit and can share
the data. I can set the goals and can follow once in a week
Community interaction: My watch has online community. So
basically the same people in the same community, they are
actually, as you know, putting them in, you know, in collaboration
or competing against each other
Payments: I use to make payments from watch

Organizational health monitoring

And I just want to mention one thing that I have seen that in our
company we have started the same initiative now under the name
of health. But these days, you know, everyone is a restriction on
sitting at home. So there's a lot of psychological pressure on
people, lot of depression going on. So it just promoted that, you
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know, take a walk and you should take care of each other. So we
started the competition in our company that make a group of
people together. Everyone is fitted with this smartwatch and we all
keep an eye on each other. So collectively, how much all of us have
done jobs. What do you take into consideration those who are
more active with the competition just kind of also know taking care
of the community?

Participants P
Age 37
Samsung

Interview Q Health & Fitness

Age: Nowadays, watches come with a lot of features and technologies,
Suunto but I mostly like to feature of the sensor that calculate the steps.
And the second thing is that can watch that sensor is integrated
with my phone also. So at the end of the day, at the end of the
week, it give me a report like how much percent I was active in a
week, how many how many kilometres I logged in a day in a week
and a month
Usage behaviour in early adopters
I'm using it as a smartwatch plus fitness. But I try to make it the
number of cups I'm drinking, energy and water intake and
everything. I'm trying to use different applications that can be good
with my body. So in the beginning, the usability was related to
fitness activity. Activities was much higher as compared to now. So
I must say that in the beginning I use this watch much, but now
maybe up to some time, maybe due to other activities.
Compatibility
So that's why I chose Samsung and the main reason is I have a
Samsung phone also. So that's why to Samsung.

Use at work

Yeah, I bought it two years ago, and the reason behind it, as I told
you, I am an automation engineer, so I need to travel sometime.
And sometimes it's not easy for me to open the mobile phone for
every small notification. So this voice can help me to see the
notification without, like, removing the mobile phone from my
pocket or my bag so I can easily get a notification. And the second
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thing is I can even reject the call or reply, the message, everything
to the cell, not from the mobile phone, but from using this
smartphone
Usage at work (Oil field)
We are not allowed to use mobile phone due to safety reason, so I
can simply check the notification through my watch.
While we used to at Oil drilling site, we are not allowed to use
Mobile phones for safety reason, so there we can get notifications
via watch.

Voice Commands
I needed to use voice command which. So this is the main reason
that influenced me to buy this specific approach.
Battery problem (sustainability)
Watched should run at least 15-20 days.

Usage behaviour in early adopters

Ultra-Runner: Using for 50km or longer, So right now I'm actually
training for one hundred kilometre long race. And that's that's
where these your watches that you are studying about, they come
into play because I track my movement and navigation through
these watches.
Sunnto 9 watch
So I needed some time to have some statistics for the training that
I was doing, the number of hours I was putting in. So in order to
have that accurate track of my progress, I chose to have these
watches and and see how and how I was performing, where and
where the trajectory was for my plane. That was my primary
reason to choose these watches.

Interview R Target of 20,000 steps daily

Age 32 Like in daily life, when I'm not reading as well as a number of steps,
Samsung is something which I really like the number of steps I have taken in
a day that keeps me at a minimum active activity level, that if I have
a twenty thousand steps target every day, I will do that is the
minimum. So I like that particular feature a lot

Strava application
Application for professional athletes & compatible to the watch.

No worry of damaging screens like mobiles

There are no choking hazards at all. If I if one has fallen down, the
screen may break
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Better control on my exercise

I think I've become more conscious of the various things I do while
training, like if if I'm going uphill or I'm going downhill the way my
cadence changes and the way my pace shift, the way my heart rate
changes in different sections of the trail, I believe that gives me an
insight into which part of my training I need to work now if I need
to get better in uphill running
ID tracking
It could be used for a lot of different things, for example, you know,
I'd be tracking and those kinds of things like just be used for
detecting a smart watch with your identity so you can come and go
Greater adaptability

as I said, adaptability. If if my voice starts to understand my

behavior, then that will take this watch technology to a real next
step and watch knows what I want and what I don't want to see if
that's something which can be included in another thing. If my
watch can work on my voice command. Oh, that would be amazing.

If it's raining or if it's not and I'm wearing gloves, then it becomes
slightly complicated to watch. You have to take your gloves off and
then you the features. If that can be something which can be done
by voice. Well, I would love that.

Interview S Usage behaviour in early adopters

Age 35 Sleep function, stress monitoring
Explora, And I also use the other feature, which is just like stress, because
Samsung whenever I feel I mean stress. So that automatically send me a
notification on my mobile that you are feeling stressed, just do a
little exercise
Curious about the functions
Well in the beginning I was not aware of functions and features and
not using that much. But later on as I learned about the features
and other things, so I think I'm using more And now I'm using
almost all the features because I am more curious about new
features
Health & Fitness
One important thing is that we get our reports and what is going in
our body because in that case, we are using smartwatch, they are
quite accurate and they are giving you a lot of information all the
time
Compatibility
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I think these are all smart technologies are interconnected because

you these all are interconnected. And if you are using one for the
technology, then it is much easier to understand the functionality
of other smart technology. So in that particular case, because I am
just currently using the same Samsung smart phone and they are
similar and interconnected.
Battery time
At the moment, I feel bad because of battery timing, which is not
quite impressive at the moment.

Child monitoring & controlling

Actually, I'm using this Samsung small watch but I have experience
of two one I am using for myself, that is a Samsung Smartwatch
and one second actually I bought it for my daughter. And that is
that is from Explora and smartwatch.
Explora is actually for my daughter. I bought it last year when she
was six. Now she is 7 years old. So actually she started a school so
she wanted to come along with her friends. So I was not kind of
comfortable that that she is so young and I was not comfortable
that she comes alone and somebody told me that this is this is a
very good option.
And with this explora smartwatch you can track those on the map
and then you can call them on the same time as well. So it's a fact
of live tracking. And then plus you can talk to the kids while they
are coming back from schools
And since then I am very comfortable. For example, when she goes
out to play. I know where she is playing. I can call her anytime, for
example, if I want to call it. And then she feels comfortable also.
For example, now when she goes to her friends and she asks me to
call her when I have to pick her up. . So I have a very good
experience with that.
Explora application in mobile
That's right. It's it has the application on the same name. I need to
install that in my phone and then I can only call it from that, that
app like you don't call her directly from my phone because that
smartwatch has a SIM card inside, but I mean like it has a phone
number also, but nobody else can call her directly. I cannot call her
directly on my phone
Usage behaviour in Early adopters

Actually, mostly, you know, I work on the desk in front of a

computer all day, so it has a very good feature that every one hour,
it gives us notification that you are sitting for one hour. No, you
should get up and walk a little bit. So to remind us, for example,
when you are working and you are into something, then you just
don't realize that one hour has passed. So this is where you will
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watch that. It reminds you that after of the job that now you have
been sitting for one hour, you should go up and down, walk, and
go up.

Health & Fitness

it gives me, for example, the exact numbers of how long I have
been walking and how many calories I burned and and along with
that it tells you the heart conditions, heartbeat rate, which very
good
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Appendix 4
Summary of participant’s interviews & their common usage of smart watch
 65

Appendix 5

Interview consent form

I confirm that I have understood the introductory explanation given by the student
researcher (Henry Chukwueweniwe/Muhammad Usman) and have had the opportunity
to ask questions.

I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time
without giving any reason and without there being any negative consequences. In
addition, should I not wish to answer any particular question or questions, I am free to
decline.

I understand that my responses will be kept strictly confidential. I understand that my

name will not be linked with the research materials and will not be identified or
identifiable in the report or reports that result from the research.

I agree for this interview to be recorded. I understand that the audio/video recording
made of this interview will be used only for analysis and the extract from the interview
will be, from which I would not personally identify, may be used in any conference
presentation, report or journal article developed as a result of the research. I understand
that no other use will be of the recording without any written permission.

I agree that my anonymised data will be used for only this research purpose (master
thesis) such as publications related to this study. And will be destroyed after the
completion of this study.

I agree to take part in this interview.

Name of the participant

Date
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Appendix 6

Contribution by group members

As this thesis is written in the group of two and to be considered as mutual contribution of
group members. So each author has contribution in the thesis and in the various sections. This
Appendix is based upon the detailed contribution of each member

Contribution by Muhammad Usman Participated in the problem identification

from the various past papers. So started
reading the various available material on the
Problem identification smartwatch. Contributed in writing the
introduction chapter, scope, gaps and
problem statements
Literature review Gathering of the primary data through
various online & offline material. Gather,
filtered and usage of the studies related to
the smartwatch technology. Followed the
guidelines of systematic literature review
Methodology Reading of various articles related to the
qualitative research and various research
design. Discussed and presented in detail
description in methodology section

Data gathering: Interviews 10 smartwatch

users in Norway
Conducting of interviews, recording,
transcription and coding of all the interview

Findings Explained the findings of all the interviews

which I conducted
Discussion Wrote in detail description under the
discussion section
Here I tried to related my discussion in
conjunction with the literature review
General formatting, reference check of the Participated in the formatting and reference
document checks of this thesis

Contribution by the Henry Ngozi

Participated in the problem identification

Chapter 1 from the various past papers. Reading the
various available material on the
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smartwatch. Contributed in writing the

introduction chapter, scope, gaps and
problem statements
Chapter 2 Contributed in the literature review part of
the thesis. Gathering of the primary data
through various online & offline material.
Gather, filtered and usage of the studies
related to the smartwatch technology.
Followed the guidelines of systematic
literature review
Chapter 3 Participated in writing the various sections
of chapter 3 which includes research
paradigms, design and the data collection.

Interview 10 participants from the Sweden

Recorded, transcription and coding of all the
interviews
Chapter 4 Elaborated the results in this section.
Chapter 5 Discussed the discussion chapter.
Participated in writing few paragraphs
Formatting Helped the Usman in reference check but as
while formatting is done by the 1 person to
avoid the confusions.

Arrangements regarding meetings with Supervisor

• Usman was the person in arrangements of the meeting with the supervisor
• Communication was done through the Usman to avoid the confusions
• Minutes and keynotes of the meeting were prepared by the Henry
• Questions and topic were mutually decided by both of the members
Channels/Medium used to store and share the data
• Both members used the MSWORD to write the thesis
• Google drive was used to share & store the data
• For meetings ZOOM software was being used
• Both group members are responsible to collect, store and analysis of their respective
parts

Faculty of Technology
SE-391 82 Kalmar | SE-351 95 Växjö
Phone +46 (0)772-28 80 00
[email protected]
Lnu.se/fakulteten-for-teknik
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