Wearable

OPPO has had a new patent for potential next-gen wearables granted in its native China. It is intended to allow the accessories in question to authenticate the user by reading their veins rather than their fingerprints or faces. This form of biometric recognition could thus be added to a future Band or Watch from this OEM.

Renders of the Fitbit Charge 5 tracker have been leaked, showing off the fitness and health-related accessory in a choice of three colors. The most noticeable upgrade over the Fitbit Charge 4 is the color display, and it seems the Fitbit Charge 5 release date has also been teased in the new marketing renders.

Honor has unveiled the Watch GS 3, a stylish smartwatch that will be available in three colours. Reputedly, the Watch GS 3 has an industry-leading heart rate sensor too, although many details are up in the air currently.

Samsung wrapped its latest Galaxy Unpacked show up with the latest generation of its Galaxy Buds. They offer many of the features found in their immediate Pro predecessors, as well as up to 20 hours of battery life and new colors. However, they also start for less than these high-end TWS peripherals.

Samsung has launched its latest high-end wearables, the Galaxy Watch4 series, today (August 11, 2021). These new smartwatches incorporate the cutting-edge sensors for health metrics that include blood pressure and advanced sleep tracking as might be expected from the OEM. However, they have something new as well: body-composition sensing that apparently rivals industry-standard equipment.

Fossil has confirmed the name of its next smartwatch, and the first in a year. The Gen 6 will debut in the autumn and will be 'way more way faster' than its predecessors.

A well-known leaker claims to have found out that OnePlus is making a new, special-edition version of its first-gen Watch. Unlike the gaming theme of the last, this one is apparently Harry Potter-themed. Then again, availability in only 1 market has been mentioned thus far.

Logitech has developed its first set of TWS earphones targeted at the growing work from home market. The new Logitech Zone TWS earphones can also simultaneously pair to a smartphone and a computer.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6, also known as the Mi Band 6, has recently received a useful feature thanks to the latest firmware update for the activity tracker. Users of the Mi Band 6 wearable will be able to use the smart band as a basic flashlight as long as version 5.3.0 of the Mi Fit app is also installed.

GoPro has announced that it has made no less than US$250 million in revenue for the second quarter of 2021 (or 2Q2021). The action-cam company has also reported it has amassed 211% more subscribers compared to 2Q2020. It has also made a net gain for this quarter, as opposed to the sizeable net loss posted for the same quarter of the last year.

Multiple Galaxy Watch 4 series product slides have leaked online. The slides offer a considerable amount of details about the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, which will both be available in two sizes. The slides also provide another look at One UI Watch, the replacement for Tizen.

Honor has launched 2 new products today (August 5, 2021): a new pair of TWS earbuds and a smartphone. The Play 5T Pro has a 6.6-inch display, driven by a MediaTek processor, and a larger battery compared to the existing Play 5. Similarly, the Earbuds 2 Lite are rated for up to 32 hours of use on a single charge, and for active noise cancellation (ANC).

The latest market research indicates that the brand Realme has passed an important milestone: 100 million units sold worldwide. Furthermore, it has broken the record for the time taken to sell this many devices. Realme is now in the top 10 smartphone OEMs worldwide.

The Cubot ID206 looks an awful lot like an Apple Watch, albeit with Amazon Alexa integration. The ID206 has a heart rate sensor too, along with a 1.7-inch display and 5 ATM waterproofing. The sub-US$55 smartwatch is available in two colours, too.

The Zeblaze Stratos is a rugged smartwatch with plenty of features for its budget launch price of US$79.99. Not only does the device support multiple GPS modes, over 120 exercise modes and SpO2 monitoring, but it also has a 1.32-inch display and 5 ATM water resistance. Zeblaze claims that the Stratos should last up to 25 days between charges, too.

Qualcomm looks like it is preparing a new Snapdragon Wear chip to coincide with the launch of Google and Samsung’s Wear OS 3. The new chip appears to carry the Snapdragon Wear 5100 branding that would make the successor to last year’s Snapdragon Wear 4100.

The Apple Watch Series 7 release date appears to be nearing as no less than six new model references have appeared in filings for the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). While it’s expected the Apple Watch Series 7 will get a new design and an updated processor, the inclusion of a blood-sugar sensor in an Apple Watch is still likely years away.

The TONE FREE DFP8Ws (or FP8s) are the latest generation of LG TWS earbuds that come with their own UV-emitting charging case for an "auto-cleaning" feature. The OEM has announced pricing and availability for these allegedly bacteria-repelling accessories in the US. They will also soon be joined there by new FP9 and FP5 variants.

Fans of high-end TWS earphones with active noise cancelling now have a new choice. Bang & Olufsen has launched the Beoplay EQ which are the first TWS earphones from the company to feature ANC coupled with its signature premium sound.

The latest versions of the Comply Foam TrueGrip Pro Tips 2.0 are made for Google's latest Pixel Buds A. Therefore, these TWS accessories now have third-party add-ons geared at improved fit and comfort, due to their memory foam-based construction. The new Comply tips are also compatible with the original Pixel Buds, and are on sale from now.

Some details of a Xiaomi Mi Band X have leaked online, and it seems the Chinese company is looking to add something extraordinary to its hugely successful smart band lineup. The Mi Band X will apparently have a wraparound display and do without watch straps, utilizing a magnetic bracelet clasp for wearing and taking off.
Update: Xiaomi PR states the Mi Band X is a "virtual product" used in marketing training.

A potential Fitbit Charge 5 tracker has turned up in a single image that reveals the device has a color display. The overall design of the possible Fitbit Charge 5 is distinctly different to that of its predecessor. The tracker in this leaked image has the codename “Morgan” and is expected to at least feature NFC payment support.

ZTE is scheduled to launch its new under-display camera phone, the Axon 30, on July 27, 2021. Now, the OEM has also just announced that 2 new pairs of TWS earbuds will join it on stage. The LiveBuds Pro sport the mics necessary for noise-reducing features, whereas the ZTE Buds might be more cost-effective.

Following an extensive series of teasers, the Carl Pei-run start-up Nothing has formally launched its inaugural ear (1) TWS earbuds, thereby also finally revealing the peripherals' design and specs for the first time. They are to become available in an initial limited batch on July 31, 2021, followed by a larger drop in August.

Samsung is projected to provide a successor for the well-regarded Galaxy S20 FE at some point in 2021. According to the latest rumors, this will not fall on August 11, the date chosen for the OEM's next upcoming major product event. Therefore, an actual debut for the potentially popular mid-ranger remains uncertain at this point.

The United States' Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a crackdown on practices that make it harder for citizens or even organizations to fix electronics themselves or seek alternatives to first-party services. The Commission asserts that these new measures will benefit businesses and consumers alike.

The innovative biofuel cells are capable of converting sweat and the pressure from your fingertips into electric energy, which could soon be enough to power smartwatches and other wearables and sensors. In the long term, this invention could also make integrated batteries obsolete.

Fossil wants to launch the 'best possible' smartwatch later this year, or 'best possible' considering the constraints of Wear OS at any rate. Presumably, Fossil means the Gen 6, which it has teased will run not only Wear OS 3.0, but also hardware from Qualcomm.

Smartwatches could soon be capable of measuring blood sugar, blood pressure, blood alcohol and hydration levels. The innovations come courtesy of Rockley Photonics, which has announced a biometric sensor that is small enough to fit within a smartwatch chassis.

Qualcomm has announced that it will devote further investment and effort to its wearables business. This involves Ecosystem Accelerator Program, a new initiative to bring manufacturers, service providers, developers and vendors in order to improve innovation, collaboration and commercialization in the sector. Its provider claims that over 60 leading companies in the market have already signed up for it.

The OEM OnePlus has been dropping spec-rich spoilers for its upcoming Nord 2 mid-range smartphone ahead of its launch. The latest in this series of teasers reveals that its battery is equipped with the high-end Warp Charge 65 technology, estimated to re-fill the phone enough to face a new day after just 15 minutes of use.

The Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 are just 2 of the most keenly awaited new Samsung devices rumored to launch in the third quarter of 2021. Now, the OEM has finally chosen a date for this event. It has confirmed earlier tips that the event will live-stream from official websites on August 11, 2021.

The new tech start-up Nothing is slated to launch its inaugural product, the ear (1) TWS buds, on July 27, 2021. However, it has chosen to share some details on the peripherals' charging case ahead of this event. Not that there is much to see here, as the accessory is largely transparent.

The FCC has revealed the design of the QuietComfort 45, Bose's long-awaited successor to the QC35 II. The QC45 features minor external changes compared to its predecessor, including removing micro-USB charging and a new colourway.

Zepp Health has announced a new function for its popular Amazfit wearables at its 2021 Next Beat Future of Health conference, which it calls "Blood Pressure Measurement on the Wrist". It is based on an algorithm that estimates this metric using a given wearable's optical sensors.

Zepp Health, formerly Huami, has now made its replacement for its current Amazfit OS official. It is rated to be much lighter, smoother and more battery-friendly than its predecessor. Consumers might find it on next-gen wearables powered by the new Huangshan 2s SoC, slated to be enhanced in terms of graphics and power efficiency.

New Realme Band 2 renders have turned up showing how different the fitness tracker looks in comparison to the original Realme Band wearable. The good-looking Realme Band 2 is expected to feature blood-pressure monitoring and possibly SpO2 measurement as well.

PINE64 has re-released its developer-friendly PineTime smartwatch. This time, PINE64 aims the PineTime at consumers but without hiking the price up. The revised model is pre-built, comes with an OS installed and is IP67 water resistant.

More details about the Galaxy Watch 4 series have leaked. According to a new report, Samsung has developed a new SoC for its upcoming Wear OS-based smartwatches that will significant performance improvements compared to the Galaxy Watch 3. The Galaxy Watch 4 series will have 50% more RAM than the Galaxy Watch 3 has, too.

Yamaha claims to have drawn on decades of experience with enhancing 2-channel audio at the home-theater level to develop 3D Sound Field for its new YH-L700A headphones. It focuses on adapting to the wearer's head movements to keep sound immersion constant. The OEM also claims the new wired/wireless cans' has uniquely acute active noise cancellation (ANC) thanks to advanced mic placements.

Renowned tech evangelist Robert Scoble has posted a tweet claiming that Apple’s long-awaited Apple Glass AR headset is due to make its first appearance at WWDC 2022. It will be joined by a new iPod that is said to be integral to the new AR experience.

Edifier asserts that its NeoBuds Pro are a world first, in that they are TWS earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) and an official Hi-Res certification for sound quality and immersion. The new accessories also have an exceptionally broad frequency range and have IP54 ingress protection.

The IMILAB W12 is a new smartwatch from Xiaomi's ecosystem that has a lot going for it. According to the manufacturer, the W12 is IP68 certified and should last up to 30 days between charges.

The TAG Heuer Connected is one of the most premium Wear OS smartwatches out there. Its latest, variant might be a big draw for some of its fans, with its re-designed Super Mario-themed case and colorway. On the other hand, it will go for even more than its vanilla counterpart.

Samsung has yet to specify when its next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place or what will debut during the show. However, Evan Blass has released an entire salvo of tweets revealing pretty much every device to be showcased therein, in every new color per product. They include the Galaxy S21 FE, despite rumors that it will in fact miss the launch in question.

Amazfit has announced that its next pair of TWS earbuds will be unveiled during its upcoming “Future of Health” event. The popular health-wearable brand claims that they will help the user improve their posture in addition to their cardiovascular health, thanks to various kinds of advanced sensors. Its owner may also unveil a new, custom chip and OS for smartwatches during the same show.