BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has been the bane of the existence of law firm IT professionals for years now. Ever since the iPhone was introduced and then quickly gained in popularity amongst lawyers, there has been an internal struggle between law firms and IT when it comes to the support of BYOD. Lawyers want to use their choice of devices, while IT wants to keep law firm data securely locked up tight-and understandably so.
This issue was difficult enough to maneuver with just smartphones added to the mix, but when tablets were released in mid-2010 (and are already used for law practice-related purposes by 48% of attorneys according the ABA's 2013 Legal Technology Survey), things only got worse.
Jeffrey Brandt succinctly described this tension in a Legal It Professionals post last year: “Law firms have rushed in to support the lawyers and the latest iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Based on conversations I've had with some of my fellow CIOs, I know that IT has been forced to yield to the partner pressure of BYOD. The result is that in many law firms mobile security has taken a step backwards.”
For many law firms, this internal conflict remains unsettled. Walking the balance between security and BYOD is a delicate high wire act that continues to be a struggle. This is unfortunate, since the BYOD landscape is about to change again-and this time, it's going to be a doozy. Recent reports indicate that wearable tech is coming and it's going to become ubiquitous even more quickly than tablets did.
First, there is the announcement that Google is working with Oakley and Ray ban to create more consumer-friendly versions of Google Glass along with the rumor that Google Glass' price point will be reduced substantially in the near future-perhaps by more than half-to the much more manageable price of $600. Since the high cost has been a sticking point for many so-called “early adopters” (myself included), the price reduction will no doubt spur the proliferation of this device.
Another type of wearable tech that has been in the news lately is the smart watch. Of course, Apple has yet to come out with a smart watch and many have suggested that when it does, smart watches will soon be commonplace. And its release may not be as far off as you might think, based on recent reports that indicate that the foundation is being laid for the release of an iWatch in the third quarter of 2014.
Not only is wearable tech coming, lawyers are gradually warming to the concept. For example, Jeffrey Taylor at the Droid Lawyer has pondered the feasibility of lawyers using Google Glass and recently indicated that he is becoming convinced that there might be practical uses for it in the practice of law. Then there's Rick Georges at Future Lawyer who isn't sure whether Google Glass is his cup of tea, but shared that if the price drops to the $600 mark, he might be tempted to dive in a buy a pair. Finally, there's Mitch Jackson, a lawyer who already owns a pair of Google Glasses and posits how he envisions using Google Glass in his practice as the technology evolves.
So, the next phase of mobile technology is nearly here. Will law firms-many of which are still grappling with issues related to current mobile technologies-be ready? Only time will tell.
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