Wearable

The TicWatch GTH 2 is a fitness-tracking smartwatch rated to track the user's skin temperature as well as their heart rate and blood-oxygen levels. It has a display 10% larger than its predecessor, yet is rated for up to 10 days of battery life. The GTH 2 is now available at a price of under US$100.

OPPO has unveiled new foldable Android smartphones as the acme of its market-ready mobile tech. However, it has also indicated that its successors might go beyond that in terms of design. They include a new kind of smartphone made completely of glass, a potential next-gen smartwatch and the OEM's latest edge-to-edge display tech.

KOSPET has launched a global pre-sale campaign for its TANK M2 smartwatch on AliExpress. The gadget is said to last for up to 60 days in standby mode or 15 days with typical use. The wearable allegedly has health features such as heart rate and blood oxygen level monitors, and you can receive Bluetooth calls on the watch.

OPPO has announced some new special editions of existing products as well as its latest foldable Android smartphones today (December 15, 2022). They include the Watch 3 Pro Glacier Gray, a new SKU of the OEM's highest-end smartwatch optimized for skiing; the Golden Years Edition of the Enco X2 flagship TWS earbuds and a new artist's rendition of the OPPO Pad.

ASUS has started selling the VivoWatch 5 Aero, a fitness tracker that debuted in September at IFA 2022. While the device's core feature set remains, it seems that ASUS has reverted to a clunkier design, eschewing the slim look of the original VivoWatch 5 Aero.

Masimo has announced that all W1 smartwatches will now receive a Hydration Index (Hi) tool. The feature lets you view your hydration level and observe how this affects your body. Plus, the wearable has other health monitoring tools, such as a pulse oximeter, heart rate and respiratory sensors.

OPPO's already action-packed Inno Day event has also introduced the OEM's latest augmented reality (AR) device. The second-gen Air Glass is touted as durable yet super-lightweight, and to come in various styles and support corrective lenses if necessary. They are rated for AR applications such as real-time captions and translation, head-mounted navigation and conferencing.

OPPO has revealed that its line of in-house chipsets has a new member as part of its ongoing Inno Day 2022 event. The MariSilicon Y is also its maker's first ever custom SoC for sound, designed with "industry-first" technology to achieve "ultra-high" transmission rates over Bluetooth. It is also rated to support lossless audio and integrates its own neural processing unit (NPU) for hundreds of billions of calculations per second.

North Edge is now selling its ECG smartwatch globally for US$39. Supposed health features of the wearable include the ability to measure your heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen level. Plus, you can connect the gadget to your smartphone to enable Bluetooth calling and remote camera controls.

Released as a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro, the US$150 Beats Studio Buds TWS ANC earbuds are now down to less than US$90 thanks to a 40% Amazon discount. Unfortunately for those who would like to get them in black, red, white, or gray, the only discounted color choice is Ocean Blue.

Dyson has confirmed the price and approximate launch date of its first over-ear headphones. While the company originally showcased the Dyson Zone's air purification qualities, it now appears to be an audio-first device instead.

Huawei has released the Watch GT 3 Pro Collector's Edition. The special edition model is available in China for now and has a more premium design than the regular Watch GT 3 Pro while retaining the same advanced health features, such as the ability to take ECGs.

The Phantom Black and white Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro TWS earbuds are now discounted on Amazon by no less than 50%. Thanks to this discount, the US$199.99 list price of this popular audio accessory is now down to just US$99.99. Sadly, the purple color choice is only 18% off, so its discounted price tag reads US$163.71.

Carl Pei's company Nothing has indicated that it is "in talks" with carriers in the US to sell new smartphones through their stores. Meanwhile, it has also opened its own shop-front in London this weekend. It will sell accessories such as its TWS earphones as well as its inaugural Android-powered phone (1) seven days a week.

Xiaomi has laid claim to a debut for the advanced LHDC 5.0 codec in TWS earphones with its new Buds 4. They are also rated for "intelligent" active noise cancellation (ANC), Independent Spatial Audio and up to 30 hours of battery life. They are available to order from now, albeit in China only, at a lower starting price than their Pro counterparts.

Featuring 12 mm drivers tuned by AKG, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live TWS earbuds also come with active noise canceling, long battery life, and always-on voice assistance via Bixby. Currently discounted by up to 35% on Amazon (depending on the color), these earbuds can be acquired for less than US$100.

Today, Huawei unveiled the Watch Buds, a smartwatch with an innovative design. As it name suggests, the Watch Buds also contain a pair of earbuds, which recharge beneath the device’s round AMOLED display. According to Huawei, the Watch Buds should last up to 3 days between charges too, despite the inclusion of a pair of earbuds.

696 is now selling the WL21 smartwatch worldwide via AliExpress. The wearable is listed as having heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen level sensors. Plus, you can connect the gadget to your smartphone for features such as Bluetooth calling and remote camera and music controls.

PINE64 is now selling the PineBuds Pro, its open-source and custom firmware-supporting TWS earbuds. Currently available for US$69.99, the PineBuds Pro features 6 mm drivers, six microphones and ANC technology that is said to outperform the equivalent in the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

The MK66 smartwatch, with features such as Bluetooth calling, has arrived on Banggood, allowing purchases from customers globally. The product listing claims that the wearable has heart rate, blood oxygen level and blood pressure monitors. Plus, the gadget is said to last for up to seven days on a single charge.

Pricing for the forthcoming Xiaomi Buds 4 and Watch S2 has leaked online. While the Buds 4 will cost more than even the Buds 3 Pro at launch, the Watch S2 is expected to arrive for a little less than the Watch S1 did at launch. Both devices will debut during Xiaomi’s next hardware event, which is rumoured to have been rescheduled for later this week.

Pantone has announced its choice for 2023's Color of the Year, and has partnered with Motorola to celebrate this decision with a new SKU of the Edge 30 Fusion finished in the "fearless" hue. Its unveiling also coincides with the launch of the Moto Buds 600 ANC, a new pair of TWS earbuds that will be bundled with the new special edition, albeit in a different Pantone color.

Although a few models still sell for the list price and others have single-digit price drops, there are some Garmin Fenix 6 deals worth checking out. The most tempting ones are the 50% discounted Fenix 6s Pro Solar, the 48% off Fenix 6 Pro Solar, and the 46% discount that applies to the Fenix 6S Sapphire.

Apple has been thought to unveil Reality OS (or, possibly, realityOS) as the new "mixed reality" dimension for its software ecosystem in 2023. Now, according to a knowledgeable Bloomberg blogger, the Cupertino giant has decided to make a practically last-minute change to this branding. The volte-face apparently involves a whole new trademark for a very different naming scheme.

Huawei has shared its first teaser for the Watch Buds, a smartwatch that also contains a pair of TWS earbuds. Originally slated for a December 2 release, Huawei has now postponed the launch date as a mark of respect to former CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin.

Amazfit introduced the Falcon as its first-gen smartwatch with a titanium-enhanced build and 20ATM water resistance earlier in 2022. Now, it is expanding its availability to the Indian market. The 'precision GPS' wearable is slated to go to pre-order in its new market without delay.

Xiaomi continues to tease the Watch S2 on social media. Now arriving sometime in December, the Watch S2 will be available in multiple styles, two sizes and with a design reminiscent of the Watch S1. The Watch S2 will contain a few tricks though, one of which is already available in the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch5 series.

Xiaomi has announced a launch date for its new 13 series of Android flagship smartphones. Now, the OEM has also revealed that it will debut its latest TWS earbuds and smartwatch alongside the premium mobile devices. The Buds 4 and Watch S2 have been teased with a premium gloss and updated designs thus far.

According to new reports, Realme plans to bring two of its new wearables to Europe next month. Supposedly, the company will introduce the Realme Watch 3 Pro and the Realme Buds Air 3S, which it has already released in other markets like India.

A hands-on video showing the Huawei Watch Buds has surfaced online. Seemingly a retail unit, another leak has outlined the smartwatch’s release date, which may coincide with several other Huawei products.

New firmware for the Withings ScanWatch is being rolled out. The update includes a host of new features, such as automatic resting heart rate alerts and bidirectional syncing. The latest software also provides a Do not disturb mode shortcut and lets you set up to ten alarms simultaneously.

The Apple Watch Ultra is marketed as the most premium, and yet most functional, wearable of its line thus far. As such, it is also touted as having a "sapphire crystal", as is the new Samsung Galaxy Watch5 and the highest-end version of the Garmin Fenix 7. These claims have just been put to the test in a new JerryRigEverything video.

Samsung has released new updates for the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro, its latest pair of smartwatches. Rolling out as AVK7, the update contains a FIFA World Cup 2022-themed watch face with various customisation options, among other changes.

It seems that Huawei is planning to release another unique take on the smartwatch, having recently introduced the Watch GT Cyber. While the company has not confirmed anything yet, retail packing of the Huawei Watch Buds has leaked, in which the smartwatch’s hinged display and removable earbuds can clearly be seen.

The Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro may only be a few months old, but Samsung and Amazon have sought to include all Galaxy Watch5 series models in their Black Friday promotions. Now starting at US$229 for the cheapest Galaxy Watch5 during Black Friday, the Galaxy Watch5 series tops out at US$429.99 for the LTE version of the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.

While the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2 have been heralded as offering excellent audio quality for their class, neither support high-definition Bluetooth audio codecs. Instead, both peak at 256 kbps over AAC, or SBC if you are not using an Apple product. Finally, an Apple engineer has commented on why the company has elected against supporting LDAC, aptX or equivalents.

RingConn has started selling its eponymous Smart Ring on crowdfunding website Indiegogo. Available from US$149, RingConn boasts that its Smart Ring outperforms the Oura Ring 3 in every aspect.

Nanoleq is currently crowdfunding for the Oxa breathing wearable, which it claims is a world first. The gadget can provide real-time data for health metrics such as your breathing depth and speed. You can use the accompanying app to practice breathing techniques which could improve your health and well-being over time.

With the same feature set and different sizes, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S GPS smartwatches sport a Pulse Ox sensor, stress and women's health tracking, advanced sleep monitoring, and more. Both versions have a list price of US$329.99, but Amazon's ongoing discounts push it down to as little as US$176.47.

Garmin has announced that the rollout of its latest software is underway. The update is available for a range of its smartwatches, including the Fenix 7 and Epix, and several bike computers. New features for the wearables include Morning Report and Running Power, while the cycling computers receive Targeted Adaptive Coaching and Spectator Messaging tools.

A new sleep staging algorithm has been revealed by Oura. The latest technology, which will be available via the Oura Ring, uses movement, temperature, heart rate and HRV data collected by the wearable to monitor your sleep quality. The algorithm's output matches results from polysomnography by up to 79%.

Huawei has started distributing a new update to the Watch FIT 2, one of the company’s many smartwatches. Rolling out as HarmonyOS 2.1.0.177, the update brings several new features to the Watch FIT 2, such as a Running Ability Index metric and the expansion of the device’s alarm functionality.

Bose has outlined plans to upgrade its QuietComfort Earbuds II. Already billed as offering the world's best ANC, the QuietComfort Earbuds II will soon be capable of aptX Lossless, one of two new Qualcomm sound platforms.

1MORE has announced a 41% discount on its flagship EVO TWS earbuds as part of its Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2022 sale. The brand's SonoFlow "wireless audiophile" headphones are also 20% off, as are its latest Spatial Audio Aero earbuds, and ComfoBuds Mini. The ComfoBuds Pro may be the best deal for some shoppers, however.

ESTG is selling the M16 smartwatch worldwide via AliExpress. The gadget has listed health features such as blood pressure, blood oxygen level and heart rate monitors. You can also use the device to make and receive calls via Bluetooth. Plus, a 600 mAh battery provides up to 10 days of life with typical use.

The Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatches now have the Google Wallet app, allowing you to make contactless payments via Google Pay. The company has also announced that the Google Maps app will shortly be available for the wearables, though to use it, it must be the only app running on your watch.

Fossil has included its latest Wear OS 3-capable smartwatches in its Black Friday 2022 event - albeit not for very long. The OEM claims that its deals on the Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus-powered wearables are only around for the next 3 days. Many Gen 6 variants, its hybrid model included, are available at these new lower prices until then.

Realme has unveiled new TWS earbuds as well as Pro versions for the 10 series of Android smartphones today. The Buds Air 3S have wireless audio tech that is profoundly conventional by now - then again, it is packaged in an updated, potentially more ergonomic design with some degree of noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 - all for the equivalent of ~US$28.

Samsung introduced the option of body-composition analysis with the fourth generation of its high-end Galaxy Watch series. The OEM launched the new sensor in question with claims that it was as capable as conventional clinical machines in its job. Now, recently-published research may show how well these assertions hold up under lab conditions.