Wearable

According to a fresh report by IDC, Apple shipped more than 46 million wearables in 2018 out of a total of 172.2 million such devices sold worldwide. Smartwatches accounted for almost 30 percent of the entire wearable market and Apple's growth is expected to continue thanks to the Watch Series 4 smartwatch.

A start-up called Energous has announced a collaboration with Vivo. This move could bring Energous' over-the-air charging technology, WattUp 2.0, to the smartphone OEM's devices. Vivo has said that this move could alleviate "battery anxiety" for its customers.

Apple’s smart watches may be able to recognize arrhythmic heart rates using its ECG function but they may have slept late another neat feature: sleep tracking. The manufacturer based in Cupertino is currently working on making improvements in this area. However, apple watch customers will have to practice patience till 2020 for this new function.

The HERO7 Black is the top-spec'd SKU of its GoPro camera series. It is now available in a limited-edition alternative finish, Dusk White. This version will be released on March 3, 2019 on gopro.com and selected retailers worldwide.

RAVPower, the well-known accessory-maker, has a stand at MWC this year. It showcases a new PD charger, an ultra-thin (14mm) 'wall wart' based on gallium nitride (GaN) technology. RAVPower also has a new wireless charging stand that is also a power bank.

There is a new alternative to the foldable phone already. Nubia has unveiled the Alpha, a device with a screen that curves along a wide watch-like form factor. This display is 4 inches long, and operates using the Snapdragon 2100 wearables processor.

It seems Samsung is doing more in Barcelona than MWC. The OEM has opened a Bixby Studio in the city's Plaza de Catalunya. This installation gives visitors a sense of what life would be like with Bixby-powered applicances and devices in it.

Jim Harris, an author and speaker on disruptive innovations, has released a new report on consumer tech ahead of MWC 2019. In it, he claims that 59% of all the money spent in the same market in 2018 was expended on smartphones. Harris also asserts that Android is now the most popular software platform.

Huawei maintains a number of physical stores for its devices in China. Reuters has reported that it now plans to open its first international bricks-and-mortar establishment in Vienna. This outlet will reportedly be open by summer 2019.

Microsoft and its CEO, Satya Nadella, will be in attendance at MWC19 in Barcelona, and it is rumored that the company’s new HoloLens 2 AR smartglasses will be revealed. However, at least 50 Microsoft employees have publicly objected to the tech giant’s US$480 million contract with the U.S. Army that involves the augmented-reality headset.

Samsung has released three new types of wearable to go with the Galaxy S10 series in 2019. They are the Galaxy Buds, a possibly improved set of earbuds, the Galaxy Fit, a new activiy tracker, and the Galaxy Watch Active, a new sports-focused smartwatch. All three can charge wirelessly, including off S10 devices.

PlusUs has introduced its Xpad, a charging pad that measures only 2.2 millimeters in depth. This spec leads the start-up to assert that it is the thinnest product of its kind worldwide. It is available as a reward as part of an Indiegogo campaign, which aims to raise US$20,000.

Released a few months ago, the LiteOS-driven Huawei Watch GT is now finally available for purchase in the US. Listed by Amazon for a regular price of US$199.99, this smart wearable will start shipping on February 19. Its specs and features include continuous heart rate monitoring, built-in GPS, sleep tracking, and more.

A new post on the Greek Apple leaks site iPhoneHellas alleges that the second-generation AirPods will launch in March. However, a second tipster, OnLeaks, has also asserted that his sources say they will be released 'in the fall'. Both reports contain different details on what their maker may release alongside or in conjunction with these wireless earbuds.

Codenamed Pulse, Samsung Galaxy Watch Active's successor will hit the market as the Galaxy Watch Active. The upcoming smart wearable allegedly features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display with 360 x 360 pixels and has no bezel ring, so everyone will be forced to use only touch interactions — or move to a device that still has a bezel ring, of course.

Google might be working on building its own brand of wearables. A job posting looking for a VP of Hardware Engineering for Wearables was recently announced that could mean that the Mountain View is looking to expand its hardware offerings into next generation wearables. A posting for a Wearables Design Manager is also in the offing.

Apple Senior Vice President (SVP) of Retail Angela Ahrendts is leaving Apple after five years in the role. Ahrendts was a high-profile hire for Apple, who managed to lure her from her role as CEO of fashion brand Burberry to lead Apple’s retail evolution.

TechnoBuffalo has posted a range of images showing a device with Fitbit design language, but in colors previously unknown to this brand. They are apparently called Cyan Blue, Silver, Rose Pink and Purple. The renders have led to speculation that they are for the Fitbit Versa 2, but are more likely to simply be new color options for the pre-existing Versa.

The next Google I/O event is scheduled for May 7 to 9 2019, at the Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California. These details were uncovered as part of some code relating to a cryptic Tweet on the subject. This conference may focus on the release of Android 10 (Q).

A new report by ResearchAndMarkets.com indicates that the wireless headphone market will continue to show healthy growth into the year 2024. At that point, it could be worth as much as US$34 billion. The report indicates that this could be driven by increasing sophistication in wireless audio features and technology.

Our last report on the Apple AirPods 2 covered rumors that they could have been released by now, at least. However, their maker failed to live up to this leak, and the 2nd generation of these wireless earbuds has yet to appear. A newer article in DigiTimes alleges that these wearables will be here by July 2019.

Codenamed Pulse, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Sport smartwatch is expected to feature Bixby support and Bixby Reminders. Since it has just received its FCC certification, it would not be surprising to see the new Tizen-driven smart wearable being unveiled alongside the Galaxy S10 lineup on February 20.

Mobvoi's latest second-generation fitness wearables come similar specs, as both use the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC, and only the design sets them apart. Powered by Google's Wear OS, the TicWatch S2 and E2 can be acquired by US-based customers directly from Mobvoi or via Amazon for US$179.99 and US$159.99.

A new report on the worldwide wearable device market by Allied Market Research indicates that its value could grow to US$31 billion in the next 6 years. This is likely to be driven by the increasing uptake of its products in the healthcare and educational sectors. Apple had the greatest share of the smartwatch-specific market in 2017

The worldwide market for wireless charging products was worth just over US$2 billion in 2017. However, this figure is projected to grow by about $19 billion in the next 4 years. The market research group BIS Research concludes that this is due to the increased uptake of global standards (e.g. Qi) and the integration of wireless chargers into everyday objects such as cars.

Fossil Group has issued a press release to announce a US$40 million deal with Google. The search engine giant will be purchasing intellectual property (IP) from the well-known American designer label in regard to smartwatch technology. There has been speculation that Google is preparing to mount a challenge to Apple’s current dominance of the smartwatch market.

Fresh from issuing a rare warning to investors about significantly worse than expected sales of its new iPhones, Apple is said to be in talks with Medicare providers about potential subsidies for its Apple Watch. The plan would target potentially millions of Americans over the age of 65 and could help to boost sales of the Watch and could help to make its potentially life-saving technology more widely available.

HyperX has announced its Cloud MIX headphones, a wired gaming headset that also doubles as a set of lightweight and portable Bluetooth headphones. The Cloud MIX has an understated design, 20 hours of battery life over Bluetooth and supports Hi-Res Audio.

Apple has been teasing the release of the AirPower since 2017. However, the company has let numerous subsequent relevant launches go by without mentioning it again. Nevertheless, a credible source now claims that a known supplier to the OEM has started to manufacture these products.

Although the TicWatch E2 was unveiled a few months ago, it still has to reach the market. However, Mobvoi is showing it off at CES next to the TicWatch S2, and both should become available for purchase in the future. Sadly, there are no official launch dates or prices to talk about yet.

Jenax spoke today at CES 2019 alongside medical companies Philips, Johnson & Johnson, and others, about how their J. Flex flexible battery allows designers to focus on the use-case and comfort of the device, rather than figuring out where to fit a bulky battery.

Royole is an OEM whose main claim to fame is that it released the first ever flexible smartphone. It is bringing this product to CES, alongside others that, as the company claims, include electronics-enhanced clothing, a "smart writing pad" and more flexible displays. Royole asserts that the latter are ready for production.

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 release event included announcements that Louis Vuitton would be one of the first OEMs to launch a smartwatch including this next-gen processor. It seems the fashion house has finally delivered with a new version of its Tambour Horizon device. This model may have improved battery life and ambient mode features.

Smart fabric is a form of textile containing nano-tech threads that can form circuits and battery connections when woven together. Google has been developing its own take on this new type of electronics, in the form of 'Project Jacquard'. Its first commercial application is a jacket designed in collaboration with Levi's, with touch-sensitive sleeves that interact with a phone as a Bluetooth device might.

The IP68-rated Mobvoi TicWatch C2 is now available for purchase in the US for US$199.99. Powered by Google's Wear OS and the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, this smart wearable features NFC connectivity and has a built-in GPS, as well as heart rate monitoring capabilities.

A new report on the wearables market shows that Xiaomi was the single biggest company in this space in the third quarter of 2018, keeping Apple as the runner-up in terms of market share. The market also grew by 21.7% in general compared to last year. This was attributed to the release of new products and increased uptake in the Asia-Pacific region.

Google has filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) that depicts motion sensors built into a smartwatch. They expand the wearable's range of user interface feedback to the device's immediate surroundings. In practice, this means the watch can turn part of the user's arm into a 'mousepad' to select letters while typing and for other similar actions.

The US Army looks set to take augmented reality headsets into battle with a special variant of the Microsoft HoloLens. The US$480 million contract will see Microsoft bring night vision and other state-of-the-art technology to its headset with a view to giving soldiers the edge on the battlefield.

HTC has released the Vive Pro McLaren Limited Edition which is the result of a partnership between the Taiwanese company and legendary British Formula 1 racing team McLaren. In addition to a unique color scheme that matches the McLaren F1 racing car livery, the headset also comes with two McLaren F1 VR software experiences.

Wear OS is getting a new update. Known as "H", it adds a new battery-saving mode to Android-powered watches. The new update also overhauls how a watch reboots or shuts down, as well as how it resumes apps and handles the switch to sleep mode.

Google Glass was the search giant's first attempt at smart glasses, and could clip onto transparent spectacles to deliver info and shots from its camera via an eyeball-level LED. It was not a popular release, not least because of its ultra-high price tag. Nevertheless, Google is developing second-gen Glass, which is to target corporations rather than consumers.

11.11 was a major sales event for Chinese and international e-sellers that took place (accordingly enough) on November 11. Xiaomi has reportedly had a marked success for the day, making US$747 million by the end of the promotional period. It was also the most popular brand in various price brackets.

The Fossil Sport smartwatch is now available for order as of today (November 8, 2018). This is the first smartwatch from this brand with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset. The Fossil Sport also comes with 6 colors of interchangeable silicone strap.

Download links for a Spotify app for iOS have appeared on its community website. In addition, a Redditor also claims that there is also a WatchOS variant of the same in beta. However, the app is still in beta and does not much more beside the control of playback using the streaming service.

The shares of the company Spotify were down 11% at the start of today (November 1, 2018) due to a forecast that shows relatively poor fourth-quarter performance. In addition, Spotify is now reported to be committed to new investments to boost innovation and future-proofing in its products.

Some Apple Watch Series 4 users have reported that updating their wearable to watchOS 5.1 bricked their device. After rebooting the Watch when installing the update, the device would freeze on the Apple logo and become unresponsive. Apple has since pulled the update and is working on a fix. In the meantime, affected users have been instructed to contact AppleCare for assistance.

Casio wants to solve its customer's daylight savings time problems with the latest versions of its EDIFICE line. These motorsport-inspired watches can sync via a smartphone in order to maintain its timekeeping accuracy. On the other hand, this is all the supposed connected devices do.

2018 could be considered the year of the successful hybrid smartwatch. The LG Watch W7, which has a physical timepiece in addition to a digital display, was received well, as was the dual-display Ticwatch Pro. Now, a new patent suggests that Samsung is at least considering this design choice as well.

Most people who own connected devices appear not to need them in their everyday lives. This is one of the findings of a new study into IoT use in the home and similar settings. 29% of these users were unsure of how their data was used across all their devices.