Smartwatch

At the end of September, Google updated Wear OS with a few Google Fit features and a new notifications system that brings browsing, dismissing, and shortcuts. A trip assistant is now available with Google Assistant as well, and it also includes suggestions for restaurants. Thanks to this update, Wear OS devices get "proactive and personalized help."

Evan Blass, a noted tech leaker, has now confirmed that LG will be launching its latest Android wearable, the Watch W7, alongside the V40 smartphone this Wednesday. While the watch will use mechanical hands and watch movement to extend battery life in a low-powered mode to extend battery life, it's unlikely that the Watch W7 will see much market penetration.

When compared to the regular Galaxy Watch, the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Golf Edition comes with the Smart Caddie app that has a database with information about no less than 60,000 golf courses worldwide. This limited edition wearable succeeds last year's Gear S3 Golf Edition and, for now, it can only be found in South Korea.

Chinese brand Mobvoi released quite a few smart wearables so far, and the TicWatch E2 is expected to be the next in line. Advertised as a water-friendly smartwatch, it has just been unveiled on the official Mobvoi website. Sadly, there are no details to talk about yet, but more information should be unveiled shortly.

The popular and consistently accurate leaker evleaks has tweeted a set of renders that match what many people now think of as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL exactly. The larger of the two phones persists in exhibiting an honestly colossal-looking notch. It appears Google is conclusively out of surprises for its next smartphone launch event.

Traditional nano-, micro- or mini-SIMs have dominated mobile connection delivery for smartphones during the devices' rise in the 21st century. Now, however, ABI Research think eSIMs are going to start getting much more popular, mainly as a result of Apple's inclusion of them in their newest iPhones.

Providing health- and wellness-related services to a crowd of over 65 million active users worldwide, Samsung Health has just been updated to version 6.0. This major release comes with a redesigned interface, updated tools, as well as a whole new range of personalization options.

The latest version of the Apple Watch (the Series 4) has just been released, promising upgrades in terms of hardware and features. Ironically, an equally new report from the analyst group ABI Research indicates that this device line is losing market share. However, the future of smartwatches in general is painted as increasingly rosy.

Apple has launched the all-new version of the world's best-selling smartwatch. The new Apple Watch Series 4 gets a complete redesign with a larger display, thinner body and the ability to undertake a ECG assessment via the new Digital Crown among the headlining features.

The new Montblanc Summit smartwatch is scheduled to arrive in October, and what we already know is that it uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC. Unfortunately, most other details — including its price — have yet to be revealed, but it will probably cost more than US$1,500 (the launch price of the model currently on the market).

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 is likely to feature in many next-generation wearables. Qualcomm held a launch event for it yesterday (September 10, 2018). The company claimed it will bring improvements in battery life and usability. The Wear 3100 is also to be used by new, high-end players in the wearables game.

A hands-on image of the upcoming Apple Watch Series 4 has leaked showing a slightly larger edge-to-edge display with rounded corners. The resolution of this display is expected to be around 384 x 480 pixels, which allows for a higher information density than the Watch Series 3.

The wearables market grew 5.5% from Q2 2017 to Q2 2018 mainly due to large growth in developing markets. Apple continued its dominance and enjoyed a 38% year over year growth. Xiaomi came in a close second. Fitbit was a big loser, seeing a year over year decline of 22%. While the future of wearables is still in flux, the market is far from dead.

The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL's progress toward official release is gathering speed. Following their application to the FCC, they have now been sighted on the website of the Taiwanese NCC. However, this new documentation is relatively low on new details about the phones.

Xiaomi has been reported to have tested its own version of Samsung Pay out in one of its biggest markets. Should it be approved by the Reserve Bank of India, it will be called Mi Pay and could help consolidate its considerable presence in the country.

While Samsung, LG and Motorola are planning to release foldable phones next year, Chinese companies like Nubia are pushing for late 2018 releases. Even if it's not a full-fledged foldable phone, the Nubia Alpha bracelet concept showcases an interesting take on flexible displays. Specific details on hardware specs are not yet available, but the Nubia Alpha should launch in Q4 this year.

Two devices with the brand Google have recently secured FCC approval. They are most likely to be the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, which are estimated to be released in October. Interestingly, there is no similar certification for the Pixel Watch.

Three years since it surfaced as a Kickstarter project and over a year since it became available for purchase in Japan, the Sony FES Watch U finally gets an official introduction in Europe. This "fashion watch" will go on sale in the region mid-September starting at 599 EUR.

Apple's next-generation iPhone and Watch have been leaked in press renders. Said to be called the iPhone XS, the new iPhone is depicted in Gold while the new Apple Watch Series 4 confirms rumors it would pick up a larger display.

Ticwatch is the increasingly familiar smartwatch-related brand of Mobvoi. Its latest model is the Ticwatch Pro, a watch with premium materials. In addition, it has both LCD and AMOLED displays. The company claims that this will help the Pro's battery last longer.

Skagen has released its second-generation smartwatch. The new Skagen Falster 2 maintains the style of the original, but adds more functionality so that it can compete with the best on the market.

The new WSD-F30 is a rugged outdoor smartwatch from Casio. The WSD-F30 is about 4 mm thinner than Casio's other rugged smartwatches but manages to run for longer, thanks in part to a new "Extend Mode" setting that shuts off some wireless radios. Casio has yet to announce pricing or a release date.

Revealed alongside the Galaxy Note 9 earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy Watch LTE is now available for pre-order. Priced at US$379.99 (42 mm in Rose Gold or Midnight Black) and US$399.99 (Silver), this smartwatch is designed for T-Mobile and will begin shipping in the first week of September.

A number of variations on the same device are specified in a newly-secured approval from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The document's repeated references to "watchOS 5" increase the probability that the certification is for the upcoming Apple Watch refresh.

Apple has filed a patent that may contribute to the voice assistant Siri's functionality in the future. It may impart the ability to recognize different voices and attribute them to corresponding users on new versions of the software. This could give the assistant software a much-needed boost in its relevant marketplaces.

Although the recent official teasers have not revealed what is this all about, insiders familiar with the matter revealed that Qualcomm will launch a new mobile chip on September 10. As its alleged name suggests, the upcoming Snapdragon Wear 3100 is the successor of the Snapdragon Wear 2100, which was released two years ago.

A tech website claims to have found an invitation sent to content creators in Canada relating to the Pixel 3. If this leak is genuine, the new Android device's release will take place in October. However, the leak's contents fail to mention the other products rumored to also be included in the next Pixel line.

The processor supplier MediaTek have posted an increase in second-quarter profits; however, its sales may have been unchanged compared to last quarter. Accordingly, the company's CEO has predicted a slight downturn in MediaTek's main market for the rest of 2018.

Samsung's upcoming smartwatch will be called the Galaxy Watch instead of the Gear S4 according to its FCC certification. The Galaxy Watch is slated to launch alongside the Galaxy Note 9 on August 9 and comes in two variants along with an additional LTE option.

Samsung's next generation smartwatch is likely to skip its 'Gear' branding in favor of new 'Galaxy Watch' branding. The realigned brand is also expected to coincide with a switch in operating system from Samsung's Tizen OS to Google's Wear OS.

Huawei is set to release the latest version of its TalkBand. The TalkBand 5 can be worn as a watch, but also features a pop out ear piece for taking and making calls on the move.

Rumors that Samsung may be switching to Google's Wear OS for its Galaxy Gear range of smartwatches have proven to be a false alarm. Samsung will continue with its custom Linux-based Tizen OS for its next-generation smartwatches and beyond.

Join us as we share our thoughts during Apple's WWDC 2018 developer conference.

The Relay secure smartphone for kids by Republic Wireless is so secure that it does not feature a display. This accessory can be considered a basic phone with tracking capabilities for kids, as it features nationwide 4G LTE connectivity, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated GPS, NFC contact sharing, and even a smart assistant.

AsteroidOS, best described as an open source alternative to watchOS and Wear OS, launched its first stable release yesterday. Designed by a small group of developers and open to the public, the OS can run on a few Wear OS-compatible smartwatches, including devices from LG, Asus, and Sony.

Evan Blass has tipped that Google will be unveiling a Pixel-branded smartwatch alongside its next-generation Pixel 3 handsets. Expected to be launched in early October, it will be the first smartwatch launched by Google as a direct competitor to the highly successful Apple Watch.

A patent has been granted to Apple for an “electronic device having display with curved edges.” The patent was filed in January 2016 and features a number of images that could easily be described as potential smartwatch displays. Producing a circular smartwatch would be something of a design departure for the Cupertino-based company.

According to an exclusive report that recently surfaced online, the LG Watch Timepiece runs Wear OS and combines a quartz movement watch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100-powered smart module that features a circular 1.2-inch LCD display with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. This wearable could be announced this week and might hit the market in June.

After big names like Amazon, eBay, and Twitter discontinued their apps for Apple Watch, the time has come for Instagram to do the same. The Instagram app for Apple's wearable will no longer provide a standalone experience once users upgrade to version 39 on iOS, and it will be replaced by various notifications.

More than a year since the launch of a new flagship smartwatch, Samsung is on its way to bringing the Gear S4 at IFA. A recent unofficial report reveals that a wearable codenamed "Galileo" and bearing the SM-R800 model number is under development and will be released in the last quarter of this year.

Apple is currently working on an all-new design for its market-leading Apple Watch. The new watch will feature a 15 percent larger display and slicker look, marking the first redesign since its launch in 2015.

The Palm Pre could be set to make a comeback to the US market later this year, if a fresh rumor is accurate. The device is expected to be designed and manufactured by Chinese company TCL, which is behind the most recent BlackBerry devices currently on the market like the BlackBerry KEYone.

Fitbit’s Versa smartwatch is available for pre-order and offers an interesting alternative to the market-dominating Apple Watch. For a start, there is the price: The Fitbit Versa costs US$199.95 and the Apple Watch Series 3 has prices starting at US$329 (from the Apple Store). Fitbit claims the Versa has a battery life of over four days, which certainly beats out the 18 hours that Apple advertises for its Series 3 (GPS) wearable.

One year after the introduction of the WSD-F20, Casio unveils the Pro Trek WSD-F20SC "adventure smartwatch" at the ongoing Baselworld 2018 trade show that focuses on wearable technology. Compared to its predecessor, the WSD-F20SC also comes with a sapphire crystal display that can easily handle scratches and bumps, as well as a durable Field Composite band.

The Mondaine Helvetica Regular has just been unveiled in Basel and will hit the market by the end of the month for a price of around US$640. Compared to its predecessor, it features a smaller case and can receive notifications. Since it is not a regular smartwatch and has a limited set of features, the battery lasts for about two years.

Thanks to serial leaker Evan Blass, we now have a look at the next high-end BlackBerry-branded device set to hit the market. Manufactured for sale in the subcontinent, the new Ghost Pro from Optiemus is set to be a premium bezel-less design.

Last week, Fitbit started to roll out the firmware version 27.32.4.19 to the Fitbit Ionic smart wearables. This update is based on Fitbit OS 2.0 and includes Fitbit Today, described as "an updated on-device dashboard that keeps you informed about all of your health and fitness data," support for Deezer playlists, a new set of control gestures, various changes to the interface, and more.

If the latest rumors turn into reality, Android Wear will change its name around 4 years after its release. In addition to the new name, Google's upcoming Wear OS should also feature a new, colorful logo similar to the one currently used by Google Assistant. However, this change was spotted in the latest 12.5 beta for Play Services, so nothing is official yet, but we will probably see it happening in May at Google I/O.

Estimated to begin reaching its first owners in about a month, the US$749.99 Garmin tactix Charlie is a premium GPS watch that features a 1.2-inch sunlight-readable display with domed sapphire lens, GPS with GLONASS support, as well a rugged design. Its battery can provide up to 12 days of autonomy in smartwatch mode, 20 hours in GPS mode, and 35 hours in UltraTrac battery saving mode.