Accessory

Apple has maintained a strong regional share for the North America wearables market and even enjoyed growth in terms of amount of units shipped. Discounted Apple Watch Series 3 devices and the popularity of the Series 5 smartwatches have contributed to a steep decline for Samsung in this particular sector.

Realme has made a successful foray into the true-wireless (TWS) earbud market recently. Then again, none of its products have have the sought-after spec of active noise cancelling (ANC). A new leak suggests it is coming in a new set soon, and that their launch will take place in India.

The Withings ScanWatch hybrid smartwatch is now available to buy in Europe, and it can be purchased from £249.95/€279 (about US$330). This incredible health-focused wearable comes with its own on-demand electrocardiogram, respiratory scanner, atrial fibrillation detector, medical-grade SpO2 oximeter, and the ScanWatch is water resistant to 165 ft (50 m).

Thanks to the UGREEN USB C 2.5" hard drive enclosure, turning old HDDs and SSDs into external storage solutions is very easy to do, not to mention affordable. At less than US$25, this accessory supports drives up to 6 TB in size and transfer rates of up to 6 Gbps.

Realme rose to be a top 5 hearable (or audio wearables with a smart component) brand in research on the Indian sector of this market during the first quarter of 2020 (1Q2020). Now, a new Counterpoint Research report on the same space for 2Q2020 has found the OEM has taken the No.1 spot in its TWS earbud sub-sector. Its success is based on the increasing affordability of the devices in question.

Skullcandy has announced the latest addition to the Crusher series of personal audio products. The Evo headphones are equipped with Haptic Bass, which reinforces this range with physical feedback. They also offer the option of building an Audiododo personalized audio profile, which may tailor the headphones' sound delivery to each individual user.

TCL has launched its second-gen AiPQ Engine at IFA 2020. It is a platform rated to enhance this OEM's big-screen TVs, particularly those made with mini-LED or quantum-dot LED (QLED). The Engine allows for "real-time audiovisual optimization" based on the content to be reproduced. It is rated to distinguish between different types of AV media thanks to its machine-learned features.

The TCL 10 TABMAX and 10 TABMID are 2 new slates launched at IFA this year. They feature their brand's in-house NXTVISION technology for "the most vibrant colors and rich details", as well as reduced blue-light emission. They may also go well with the OEM's new MOVEAUDIO S200 TWS earbuds.

Zhiyun is known as a maker of smartphone-videography aids. The Smooth XS is the latest product in this line. It, like its recently-launch DJI counterpart, is a motorized gimbal with an optional tripod. However, unlike the OM 4, the XS has a telescopic arm for selfies and also costs under US$100.

Xiaomi has announced that the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max will soon be available in yet another flash sale for the immensely popular big television. However, it seems yet again that it will be buyers in China that will be getting great deals on the Redmi Max 98 (19,999 yuan; about US$2,924), as Xiaomi hasn’t revealed any plans to release the device outside of its domestic market.

Razer has released a wireless version of the Naga Trinity, its modular gaming mouse. Called the Naga Pro, the mouse supports Razer HyperSpeed and up to 150 hours of battery life. The Razer Naga Pro comes with three interchangeable side plates and retails for US$149.99.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) has been found to be of interest for 71% of consumers planning to buy true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. However, the feature does require physical seals and a fit that some users may find less tolerable over time. Qualcomm claims that its new Adaptive ANC solves these problems.

Bang & Olufsen has a well-earned reputation as the purveyor of high-quality audio experiences so it is always exciting when the company launches a new set of headphones. Its new H95 compact over ear headphones have all the traditional hallmarks we expect from B&O blending enhanced comfort with active noise cancellation.

Today (September 2, 2020), Sony has announced that it has implemented a new series for cameras of the pro film- and documentary-capable variety. Known as the Cinema Line, it now encompasses existing products such as the VENICE and FX units. Its next new addition is projected to appear by the end of 2020.

More details about the GoPro Hero 9 Black have leaked online. The latest leak appears to confirm the retail packaging of the device, along with several features including TimeWarp 3.0 and 8x slo-mo. The GoPro Hero 9 Black will seemingly be capable of shooting in 5K and RAW, too.

The Huami Amazfit Band 5 fitness tracker is now officially available to pre-order from Amazon. The wearable has a price tag of US$49.99 and offers users Amazon Alexa built in, heart-rate tracking, SpO2 monitor, women’s health tracking, and up to 15 days of battery life. The Amazfit Band 5 will be released on September 30.

mmWave is a sub-type of 5G associated with the potential for ultra-high speeds. However, it is also lumbered with a perception of being unreliable due to weak reception. Qualcomm, Ericsson and Casa Systems seek to change that with its latest claim of a data call using these bands conducted over a distance of nearly 4 kilometers (km).

The Huawei Watch Fit is an interesting sports-focused smartwatch as it has launched with a screen that is rectangular rather than the usual square or strip-like shapes. Now, it seems this company's second major brand, Honor, is also going to adopt it in an upcoming wearable. It would join products like the MagicWatch on the market.

Xiaomi has what appear to be a Pro variant of its Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in the works. This has been confirmed overtly by the certification of products going by this name by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). This is a strong indication they will be introduced to the market soon.

Lenovo announced a new smart clock, the Smart Clock Essential. The device is basically a trimmed down version of last year's Smart Clock, featuring a simple LED display for showing the time and some other tidbits of info. The Smart Clock Essential uses the Google Assistant for voice commands and communicating with other smart home devices.

Marketing renders of the GoPro Hero 9 Black have leaked online, confirming several aspects about the upcoming action camera. The device, likely arriving in Q4 2020, will apparently be capable of recording 5K videos too.

Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo is a device that allows a phone and a smartwatch to charge simultaneously using the Qi standard. Now, Evan Blass asserts the OEM has come up with a new generation of this product. Called the Wireless Charger Pad Trio, it calls the Apple AirPower to mind, although the two may not work exactly the same way.

A respected leaker has reportedly let it be known that the successor to the Mi Band 4 will be unleashed on the Indian market soon. It will apparently be joined there by the Mi Watch Revolve, the global version of Xiaomi's first round-faced smartwatch. However, the tipster did not mention an exact date for this event.

Xiaomi has seen major success with its recent TV releases. The 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max, for example, has racked up impressive numbers every time it's been put on sale. It's no surprise, then, that Xiaomi is looking to build on that success with the release of two new massive 82-inch TVs.

Xiaomi has been teasing a new product in its extensive home projector lineup: the Xiaomi Mijia Projector Youth Edition 2. Few details have been revealed about the Mijia Projector so far, but it is scheduled for launch on September 2 and comes with a smart assistant onboard.

HyperAccessory is a start-up that purports to pack the advantages of on-the-go storage with top-end data transfers into a form-factor with the footprint of the average bank-card. This skyBOX also features Wi-Fi 6, alongside capacities of up to 4TB. It has already well exceeded its crowdfunding goal on its ongoing Indiegogo campaign.

The smartwatch market continued to flourish in the first 6 months of 2020 (1H2020), with Apple, Garmin and Huawei as its new top 3 brands. This growth was seen worldwide, albeit particularly in India, the US and Europe. The demand for these wearables is linked to the increased regard for personal health in a new report from Counterpoint Research.

Ricoh has announced limited-editions of its PENTAX flagship, the K-1 Mark II. It has been joined by new versions of the D FA* 70-200mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 lenses in the same silver color. All 4 will be available in limited runs from September 2020.

D-Link has released its latest AX5400 mesh router on Amazon. This device is rated for up to 6 continuous 4K content streams. Its maker claims that its speeds and bandwidth is due to its "prosumer" build and 160MHz channel.

Hachi's Infinite M1 is an AI-powered projector that can throw a working interface onto the desk or wall in front of it. Its maker originally launched it at CES 2020, and is now prepared to ship it from Amazon or its own website. It works thanks to a Snapdragon SoC and a version of Android 9.0.

The number of "workplace-style" headsets shipped worldwide might exceed 65 million over the next 6 years, compared to a figure of 22.9 million from 2019. This may correspond to a market value of US$2.94 billion in 2026. This growth is associated with the shift in trends to virtual and online meeting types, as well as the rise of remote work in 2020.

Sunglasses that also act as personal audio devices are a rapidly expanding category of tech. The start-up SND RAY has put its take on this concept up for crowd-funding on Indiegogo. It claims that this product has improved audio quality compared to its rivals in this space.

The new Huami Amazfit Neo smartwatch has appeared online for sale. The latest wearable from Huami comes with a 24/7 always-on display, heart-rate and sleep monitoring, water resistance to 5 ATM, and up to 28-day battery life. The rugged-looking Amazfit Neo can be purchased at a discount price of US$39.99 by using coupons.

DJI has unveiled the Osmo Mobile 4, which it is now marketing as the DJI OM 4. The motorised gimbal connects to smartphones by magnets, a change from the grip that its predecessor used. The DJI OM 4 retails for US$149 or £139 in the UK and is orderable today.

The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro from Xiaomi have appeared in a listing for the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Although there are scant details about the earphones in the WPC record, there is an image included of the Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro that shows off the sleek and premium-looking personal audio device.

The COLMI V23 is an affordable smartwatch that supports multiple sports modes, a heart rate monitor and IP67 water and dust resistance. The 1.28-inch smartwatch supports Android and iOS too.

In response to the often harsh realities of the peri-Covid-19 world from the enterprise perspective, Qualcomm implemented the Small Business Accelerator Program to help firms of that description during this time. It exists to donate specific kinds of support and device from the OEM's partners in this initiative. The first round of successful applicants has now been announced.

The Osmo Mobile is DJI's take on the motorized smartphone gimbal, which may make for improved stability in video and selfies. A new leak points to a 2020 model of this product which, unlike the current third-generation iteration, will have a magnetic system to secure the phone in question to the rest of the robot arm-like device.

The release of the AirPower still remains on the table, despite having been cancelled last year. Now, a supposed prototype has been torn down to reveal just how complex Apple's charging pad was. An official canned advert is doing the rounds again too, underlining just how close Apple was to releasing the AirPower.

Shortly after rumors emerged about an updated Nintendo Switch variant arriving next year to take on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, a Bloomberg analyst, who earlier outed valid info on Nintendo products, claimed that the alleged “Switch Pro” will support 4K gaming.

Recent leaks assert that NVIDIA has developed a new 12-pin connector that will supersede the 8-pin PCIe component often seen today. Now, a tipster claims to have been given the cables that go to this newer option. According to its images and rumors, its size is comparable to that of the current standard, but can be used to draw much more power.

It has been reported that Apple is working on both a budget smartwatch and ultra-premium smartwatch for fans of the brand to choose from. Details of a supposed Apple Watch SE, which would replace the current Series 3 models, have been leaked, and images of an alleged new AW Gold Edition have also surfaced.

The Mobile DAC and Mobile DAC PD mobile USB-C sound cards from Sharkoon are inconspicuously compact and lightweight. They even have an integrated equalizer and are hi-res-audio certified. We have subjected both models to a practical test.

The new wearables brand Zepp has launched its first smartwatch, the E. This device has a choice of square or round 3D curved bezel-free glass faces with AMOLED displays and stainless steel backing. Both versions also feature 11 sports modes, advanced sleep tracking and a blood-oxygen sensor.

Google has posted a blog outlining a new set of features being bestowed upon its true wireless Pixel Buds via a software update. The range has also been bolstered with the release of new variants in orange, mint and black colors.

The wearables OEM Mobvoi is slated to launch a watch with cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon silicon for that form-factor soon. However, its latest release definitely doesn't fit this bill. Nevertheless, the TicWatch GTX packs sleep-tracking, heart-rate monitoring and 14 workout modes into a device with a normal price of US$60.

Eve Devices started taking reservations for its Spectrum monitor in January 2020. Now, it has a new post to share with its community in which the first prototypes for its inaugural display product are shown off. It includes video and photos of one unit being put together, potentially verifying its design and port selection in the process.

Nubia launched its second-generation flexible display watch in China at the start of August 2020, and it has been exclusive to that market since. Now, however, the OEM has broadened its availability by making it a reward on a Kickstarter campaign. It has attracted nearly 7 times its original goal at this point.