Long-Term Appropriation of Smartwatches Among a Group of Older People

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze long-term appropriation of smartwatches among a group of older people. For the purpose of the study, we provided five older individuals (aged 71 to 80; three women, two men) with Android smartwatches. We interviewed participants after 2 and 12 months of smartwatch usage and observed its usage in an informal gathering 12 months after the end of the study. Drawing on Morville’s model of user experience (2004), we focus on how the smartwatch was (not) useful, usable, valuable, and desirable for each participant in each stage of the process. Results show the relevance of valu- ableness and desirability in the (non-)appropriation of smartwatches for those participants. Specifically, participants used the smartwatches to express their sporty, techie and fashion identities.